Crossing the Circle at the Holy Wells of Ireland
Crossing the Circle at the Holy Wells of Ireland

Author: Walter L. Brenneman

Publisher: University of Virginia Press

Published: 1995-01-01

Total Pages: 141

ISBN-13: 9780813915487

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Even before the time of the Celts, Ireland was believed to be a land of power that "welled up" from the earth in the form of bubbling springs and healing waters. The myths and rituals surrounding these holy wells have been modified through the centuries as pre-Celtic and Celtic rituals blended with Christian traditions to form the combination of rites performed at these sites today. Drawing on fifteen years of fieldwork and archival research, conversations with local informants, and scrutiny of dozens of maps ancient and modern, the Brennemans have written the first study of these wells that offers an in-depth interpretation of their symbolism and their mythological and ritual origins. More than two dozen photographs and a map of the wells cited in the text portray the authors' journey throughout Ireland to recover the archaic patterns that link past and present, pagan and Christian. Some of the wells photographed in the early years of their research have become inactive, and some Celtic practices have disappeared, leaving these photographs, in some instances, the only remaining record. Enhancing the photographs and research are numerous tales about trees at the wells that when cut will not burn, stones associated with the wells that when removed always return, and trout living in the wells that when caught cannot be cooked. Drawing largely on the work of historian of religions Mircea Eliade in interpreting these phenomena, the Brennemans have developed an original concept, the "loric", that is used to identify a particular form of power tied to and arising from a specific locality. They then contrast the loric with the "sacred", a universalizing and world-creating power. Complementingthis theoretical treatment are insights into the influence of St. Patrick and the Christian symbolism at the wells.

The Origins of Ireland’s Holy Wells
The Origins of Ireland’s Holy Wells

Author: Celeste Ray

Publisher: Archaeopress Publishing Ltd

Published: 2014-01-19

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 1784910457

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This book re-assesses archaeological research into holy well sites in Ireland and the evidence for votive deposition at watery sites throughout northwest European prehistory.

The Origins of Ireland's Holy Wells
The Origins of Ireland's Holy Wells

Author: R. Celeste Ray

Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781784910440

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This book re-assesses archaeological research into holy well sites in Ireland and the evidence for votive deposition at watery sites throughout northwest European prehistory. Ray examines a much-ignored and diminishing archaeological resource; moving beyond debates about the possible Celticity of these sites in order to gain a deeper understanding of patterns among sacred watery sites. The work considers how and why sacred springs are archaeologically-resistant sites and what has actually been found at the few excavated in Ireland. Drawing on the early Irish literature (the myths, hagiographies, penitentials and annals), the author gives an account of pre-Christian supermundane wells in Ireland and what we know about their early Christian use for baptism, and concludes by considering the origins of "rounding" rituals at holy wells. Table of Contents: 1: Water Veneration and Votive Deposition in Prehistoric Northern and Western Europe; 2: Iron Age Evidence, Continuity, and the "Celtic" Question; 3: Iron Age Water Deities4: Holy Wells and Sacred Springs as Archaeologically-Resistant Sites; 5: The Contested Origins and Materiality of Irish Holy Wells; 6: Supermundane Wells of the Iron Age and the Early Irish Literature; 7: Irish Sacred Wells of the Early Christian Era and the Conversion Model; 8: Sacred Springs and Conversion Strategies in Britain and on the Continent; 9: Christian Holy Wells and Baptism; 10: The Origins of Rounding and the Interconnectedness of Wells; Appendix A: Irish Excavation Reports of "holy wells" from Excavations.ie (as of June 2014); Appendix B: Holy Wells in the County Archaeological Inventories of Ireland

Ancient and Holy Wells of Dublin
Ancient and Holy Wells of Dublin

Author: Gary Branigan

Publisher: Thp Ireland

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781845887537

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Holy Wells began life as sacred pagan sites, and were gradually assimilated into the early Celtic Christian in an effort to convert the native masses. Many have seen the rise and fall of Catholicism and some now see pagan visitations once again. There are approximately 100 surviving Ancient & Holy Wells in County Dublin, including natural springs, elaborate stone monuments, sea caves, and hidden sites in tunnels under the Dublin streets. This book will document the remaining Wells in the landscape, with many beautiful photographs of each and its surroundings, detail brief history and legends attached, and give precise locations and directions, allowing people to start visiting these ancient places of both religious and archaeological interest again.

Irish Pilgrimage
Irish Pilgrimage

Author: Michael P. Carroll

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9780801861901

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Little Kiwi is out at night with his dad - going into a part of the bush he has never been to before. While Dad is busy collecting worms and grubs, Little Kiwi meets a terrifying monster - or does he?!Soon the bush is in an uproar and Little Kiwi must face up to his fears.

How the Irish Saved Civilization
How the Irish Saved Civilization

Author: Thomas Cahill

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2010-04-28

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0307755134

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A book in the best tradition of popular history—the untold story of Ireland's role in maintaining Western culture while the Dark Ages settled on Europe. • The perfect St. Patrick's Day gift! Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization. Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars"—and thus preserve Western culture while Europe was being overrun by barbarians. In this entertaining and compelling narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Europe evolved from the classical age of Rome to the medieval era. Without Ireland, the transition could not have taken place. Not only did Irish monks and scribes maintain the very record of Western civilization -- copying manuscripts of Greek and Latin writers, both pagan and Christian, while libraries and learning on the continent were forever lost—they brought their uniquely Irish world-view to the task. As Cahill delightfully illustrates, so much of the liveliness we associate with medieval culture has its roots in Ireland. When the seeds of culture were replanted on the European continent, it was from Ireland that they were germinated. In the tradition of Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, How The Irish Saved Civilization reconstructs an era that few know about but which is central to understanding our past and our cultural heritage. But it conveys its knowledge with a winking wit that aptly captures the sensibility of the unsung Irish who relaunched civilization.

Ireland's Holy Wars
Ireland's Holy Wars

Author: Marcus Tanner

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2003-01-01

Total Pages: 532

ISBN-13: 9780300092813

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For much of the twentieth century, Ireland has been synonymous with conflict, the painful struggle for its national soul part of the regular fabric of life. And because the Irish have emigrated to all parts of the world--while always remaining Irish--"the troubles" have become part of a common heritage, well beyond their own borders. In most accounts of Irish history, the focus is on the political rivalry between Unionism and Republicanism. But the roots of the Irish conflict are profoundly and inescapably religious. As Marcus Tanner shows in this vivid, warm, and perceptive book, only by understanding the consequences over five centuries of the failed attempt by the English to make Ireland into a Protestant state can the pervasive tribal hatreds of today be seen in context. Tanner traces the creation of a modern Irish national identity through the popular resistance to imposed Protestantism and the common defense of Catholicism by the Gaelic Irish and the Old English of the Pale, who settled in Ireland after its twelfth-century conquest. The book is based on detailed research into the Irish past and a personal encounter with today's Ireland, from Belfast to Cork. Tanner has walked with the Apprentice Boys of Derry and explored the so-called Bandit Country of South Armagh. He has visited churches and religious organizations across the thirty-two counties of Ireland, spoken with priests, pastors, and their congregations, and crossed and re-crossed the lines that for centuries have isolated the faiths of Ireland and their history.

Holy Wells of Ireland
Holy Wells of Ireland

Author: Celeste Ray

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 335

ISBN-13: 0253066697

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The storied landscapes of Ireland are dotted with holy wells--hallowed springs, pools, ponds, and lakes credited with curative powers and often associated with Catholic and indigenous saints. While many of these sites have been recently lost to development, others are visited daily for devotions and remain the focus of annual community gatherings. Encouraging both their use and protection, Holy Wells of Ireland delves into these irreplaceable resources of spiritual, archaeological, and historical significance. Reserves of localized spiritual practices, holy wells are also ecosystems in themselves and provide habitats for rare and culturally meaningful flora and fauna. The shift toward a "post-Catholic" Ireland has prompted renewed interest in holy wells as popular domains with organic faith traditions. Of the roughly 3,000 holy wells documented across Ireland, some attract international pilgrims and others are stewarded by a single family. Featuring 140 color images, this remarkable volume shares the transdisciplinary work of contributors who study these wells through the overlapping lenses of anthropology, archaeology, art history, biomedicine, folklore, geography, history, and hydrology. Braiding community perspectives with those of scholars across academia, Holy Wells of Ireland considers Irish holy wells as a resilient feature of ever-evolving Irish Christianity, as inspiration to other faith traditions, as places of pilgrimage and healing, and as threatened biocultural resources.