Holy wells have been a feature of the religion of the Irish people for longer than records have existed, and while pilgrimages to them are not as common as in the last centuries, many wells are still visited, particularly on the Saints' or 'Pattern' Days, and even now new wells occasionally appear. In this survey Dr Patrick Logan, author of The Old Gods, Irish Country Cures and Fair Day: The Story of Irish Fairs and Markets, describes many of those wells that are still visited, detailing the features of the pilgrimage and the benefits obtained, together with the legends attached to the wells, the saints they are dedicated to and their Pattern Days, the sites, trees and stones associated with them, and fish that some of them have; he also gives information about the holy islands that have wells.
- ISBN10 0861400267
- ISBN13 9780861400263
- Publish Date February 1981 (first published 1 February 1981)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 23 March 2011
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Colin Smythe Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 170
- Language English