ST. BERNARD’S WELL
Situated in Knockroe Hill, lies St. Bernard’s Well, a celebrated holy well. St Bernard is the patron saint of Abbeyknockmoy church and water from the well on Knockroe.
In the past, visitors to the well drank the water and collected it to bring home with them in keeping with custom. During good weather, congregation gathered at the well on the summit of Knockroe to hear outdoor mass.
There is a story told about the well that there once was a blind man rambling around the hill and got lost. He knelt down and begged that he would regain his sight. Having finished his prayers and was about to stand up, he clutched the heather to aid him, but the heather, being weak from the roots, came up from the ground. Just then the water splashed the man in the face and his sight was restored. So he asked it to be called Bernard’s well.
LOCATION
53.419296, -8.742285
GALLERY
REVIEWS
Beautiful knockroe hill
August 27, 2023
I used to go to the holy well every summer,in the 1970s and early 1980s,with my sisters and parents. We’d travel from Bristol,UK, to see nan,my uncle and my aunties.My Irish nan,Delia forde, from lisiniskea,would walk with us around the holy well, many times praying, and leaving a stone each time by the entrance. This was done by my mother as a child too,as was by all the village and surrounding area. A little further down away from the well to your right,was a much smaller well,my nan would wash her sore legs with the holy water. Mum would ask me and my 2 older sisters to dip our feet in the special water as it heals,so we did. Beautiful memories,warm kind people in those days,knockroe hill is beautiful to sit down at the top of,take in the stunning scenery from far and wide,and breathe in the unique fresh air,that is Ireland.
