St Patrick’s well at Marlfield, Clonmel is one of my favorite places and I have discussed the history and modern pilgrimage tradtions of the holy well in previous posts. This post details a cure that occurred in 1914 at the well which made the national newspapers at the time.
St Patrick’s Holy well Marlfield
During the early 1900’s the well underwent somewhat of a revival and became a very popular place of pilgrimage. Like many other wells its waters are said to have curative powers and the story of one cure was recounted in The Irish Independent and Irish Examiner newspaper in April, 1914. The newspaper articles tells the story of a boy called John Sullivan from West Douglas Cork. In 1914 John was aged 13 years old. The article states he had hurt his leg some years previously and was in great pain which resulted in surgery. Following the second operation on his leg, John’s mother brought him to St Patrick’s well. The child visited the well three times first in August 1912, then a year later August 1913 and finally on St Patrick’s Day 1914. On each visit the mother and son recited ‘Five decades of the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin’ followed by seven Hail Marys, in honour of St Patrick. They also visited the ruined church beside the well where‘ fervent prayers were said before the site of the altar’ (Anon b 1914). A week after his last visit he has discarded his crutches and was walking with a stick and soon afterwards was walking unaided. Many people visited wells in search of healing because they knew someone who had been healed or had heard stories of people being healed.
The Examiner tells us that John was brought to Clonmel, as his mother a native of Tipperary town had 30 years previous herself been cured from the wells waters. As a child her finger was in danger of being amputated. Her aunt sent her a jar of water from St Patrick’s well and following use of the water and prayers to St Patrick her finger was cured. Hence her confidence the well would be of benefit to her son.
References
Anon a. ‘ Clonmel Holy Well Cure’, Irish Indepenent Thursday, April 23, 1914
Anon b. ‘Clonmel Holy Well. Cork Boy Remarkable Cure’. Irish Examiner Wednesday, April 22 1914, 5
Pilgrimage In Medieval Ireland 
I visited here a few years back and saw a young women in a pram walk down the stirrer, down the steps rush over to the well, immerse the child in the water and do the sign of the cross with the water and then up the steps and disappear…so clearly a highly thought of site.
Oh whow thanks for sharing , people used to immerse sick children in wells in the 19th and early 20th century but didnt think it was happening still.
I did or do have photos. And did plan to do a piece for my blog but my hardrive died and I still haven’t fixed..very annoying. By the way Noël French is doing a guest blog piece on some Meath holy wells this month posted on Saturday.
Thats a pity, Noel’s book on meath holy wells is a great resource look forward to reading his post
One of my favourite haunts around Clonmel where I lived for eight years. Thanks for such an illuminating post.
Glad you enjoyed the post
your welcome glad you enjoyed it
Reblogged this on Irish history, folklore and all that.