BRENDAN KELLY 
of KILLARGUE 
writes about ST. MARY'S HOLY WELL 

St. Mary's Well
Killargue


by Brendan Kelly. 

Holy Wells have always occupied 
an important place in Irish Catholic 
beliej and practice, going back to 
earliest times. Even in pagan Ireland, 
the spring well was regarded with a 
sense of sacredness and mystery. With 
the coming of Christianity the church 
took over this regard for wells and 
blessed them, dedicating them to local 
saints. In "The History of the Diocese 
of Kilmore", Philip O'Connell writes — 

The History of well-worship in Ireland 
brings us back to pagan times, when 
wells were actually objects of worship. 
Tierchan relates how St. Patrick on one 
occasion found the Druids worhipping 
at a fountain and offering sac-
refices to it. Water was one of the four 
'elements" of the ancients, the others 
being earth, air and fire. St. Patrick, 
having blessed these wells, and many of 
the early Churches in after years being 
established in their neighbourhoods, 
The wells became intimately associated 
With Christian practices, and this 
veneration has continued down to the 
present time". 

The Holy Well in Kilargue is the 
only one in the country dedicated to the 
Blessed Virgin. From time immemorial 
it was a place of pilgrimage, and even 
though the number doing the "station" 
at it dwindled for some years, it is a 
popular place of pilgrimage again. It is 
in the townland of Killargue, a short 
distance from the Church. 

NEXT TIME you are travelling from 
Manorhamilton to Carrick-on-
Shannon remember to decelerate as 
you go through the village of Killargue 
and be prepared to negotiate the series 
of snakelike bends immediately ahead. 
Having left this tiny village some seven 
hundred yards behind, a watchful eye 
notices a simple blue gate of small 
dimensions on the left. If you have a 
meagre fifteen minutes to spare then 
the little blue gate may be the gateway 
to an experience that is both 
aethetically and spiritually beautiful. 

A paved pathway, veering slightly to 
the right of an obsolete lime kiln 
disappears into a clump of trees two 
hundred yards ahead. There, amidst 
these trees is Tober Muire (Tubber 
Murria) or Mary's Well, referred to 
locally as 'The Holy Well'. 
Occasionally one hears of it being 
called 'St. Brigid's Well', a name for 
which it is difficult to find basis or 
foundation. Of course the local parish 
church is dedicated to St. Brigid and 
perhaps here lies the explanation. 



Seclusion and Peace

On entering a second gate you become conscious of an unusual 
atmosphere, an atmosphere 
that is pleasant, relaxing and serene, 
a serenity emphasised by the 
regular murmur of the stream that is 
the over spill of Mary's Well. You get 
the feeling of wanting to pray, wanting 
to meditate, wanting to participate in 
devotion and somehow the turmoil of 
this space age has opted for a place on 
the other side of the gate. Let us pause 
in pensive mood and flick back the 
pages of Tober Muire three hundred 
years and contemplate or recapture the 
dawn dramas — brave men — our 
hunted forefathers — stealing in ones 
and twos down the perpendicular rocks 
or through the little glens and 'alts' to 
this very spot, chosen for its seclusion 
and security, to assist at the Holy 
Sacrifice of the Mass, and for this 
treasured privilege they risked paying 
the supreme price — life itself. Where 
would you find a spot more deserving 
of the title 'Holy', more worthy of that 
refreshing atmosphere than Mary's 
Well? Under the shade of a top heavy 
holly tree at the foot of a limestone hill 
lies the Well and slightly to the left at 
the rear stands a stone cross believed to 
be very ancient and similar in design to 
a very rare type of cross unearthed at 
Tullaghan about two hundred years 
ago. The Tullaghan cross is of 12th 
century origin. Shaded also by this ivy 
encircled holly is a very beautiful grotto 
of Our Lady which has recently been 
provided. In the immediate vicinity of 
the grotto, whitethorn, elm, sycamore 
and copper beach enhance the area. 
Facing the ancient cross is a 
rectangular green sward as spacious 
and as level as a good sized cathedral. 

The Hill behind the well rises almost 
straight up from it like a great wall. The 
level sward stretches beyond the hedges 
encircling it, forming a plain of some 5 
or 6 acres in extent. This plain is 
bounded on the South and East by a 
regular succession of hills of the same 
general elevation and on the North and 
West by equally high perpendicular 
limestone rocks. The whole plain 
suggests at once a much enlarged 
amphitheatre. Until the main road 
from Manorhamilton to Drumkeerin 
forced its way in and out through the 
valleys on the north and south and 
skirted along the western hills, 
destroying the solitute, the spot would 
have made an ideal retreat for a saint or 
hermit. It must have been such in days 
of old. It may be laid down as a good 
guiding principle, if you want to see 
Ireland's places of security and 
seclusion where surprise would be 
difficult and whence flight would be 
rapid and easy, look out for the Penal 
Day Mass rocks. What an ideal 
location was this cathedral-like 
enclosure, a more desirable open air 
church could scarcely be imagined. 

Penal Days
Tobar Muire or Mary's Well is a very 
 ancient place of pilgrimage and its 
Christian association is as old as 
Christianity itself. For centuries it has 
been an important link between the 
people of Killargue and their Creator. 
During Penal Days its importance and 
significance to the people of the parish 
was immeasurable. According to the 
Annals, the Holy Well was attached to 
a religious settlement 'Kill Fearga' (Cill 
Fearga) founded by a holy woman St. 
Fearga as early as the sixth century. 
The Annals of Ulster make reference to 
Bishop Feonad of Cill Fearga who 
lived in the ninth century. When 
O'Rourke, Prince of Breffni was 
captured by the English, his territory, 
which included Kill Fearga, was 
confiscated by Elizabeth. Subsequently 
the religious houses were destroyed and 
the monks and nuns banished. During 
the Plantations of James I, Kill Fearga 
was alloted to a planter named 
Anderson. The new settlers later 
reroofed the church at Kill Fearga as 
well as the neighbouring churches of 
Cloonlougher, Drumlease and Killery 
and used them as places of Protestant 
worship for almost two hundred years. 
Kill Fearga was abandoned when the 
new Protestant church was built in 
1820. It is ironic that though the old 
natives were debarred from their 
church they continued to use the old 
cemetery which surrounded it. The 
cemetery contains many ancient tombs 
of McTiernans, McMorrows, 
O'Rourkes and Gallaghers. It was 
while the Catholics were expelled from 
their church that St. Mary's Well 
assumed greatest importance. Mass 
was celebrated in secret at the Holy 
Well and what an ideal location it was. 
On Mullaghmore Hill nearby there was 
a lookout post which afforded excellent 
views of the roads leading from 
Dromahaire and Manorhamilton. The 
escape route for the priest was through 
Blackgardens which was then, as it is 
now, a wooded area. The route led to 
the safety of the mountain fastnesses of 
Raymore and Creevelea. 

It was in these darkest of Penal Days, 
when persecution knew no bounds, 
when our forefathers attended Mass 
here at the peril of their lives, Killargue 
people were fortunate to have their 
spiritual welfare entrusted to local 
priests. Towards the end of the 17th 
century Fr. Cormac Curneen was 
pastor. Fr. Curneen hailed from 
Conaghill, a track of hilly land 
separated from Killargue parish by the 
river Bonet. Towards the middle of the 
18th century Fr. Charles McHugh 
ministered in the parish. Fr. McHugh 
was born and reared in Gortermone, 
one of many townlands which 
constitute the mountainous country of 
Lugnaskeehan, 

Undoubtedly in these dangerous 
times their intimate knowledge of the 
locality was instrumental in their 
appointment as pastors of Killargue. It 
is a happy coincidence that another 
Curneen — Paddy — whose father also 
hailed from the Conaghill district 
should, in peaceful times, have 
spiritually served the people of 
Killargue for a record number of years. 
He died in August 1972 having 
completed almost 70 years as sexton of 
the church. 

Bishop Campbell

While Fr. McHugh 
served in Killargue, 
Dr. Andrew Campbell, the 
celebrated bishop, ruled the diocese of 
Kilmore (1753-1769). Dr. Campbell 
travelled his diocese on foot dressed in 
the ornate costume of a Highland Piper 
carrying his pipes under his arm. 
Indeed he did justice to his unusual 
garb for he was an expert performer on 
the bagpipes. He utilised his 
accomplishments to the full to enable 
him to travel through his diocese, then 
swarming with bigots and fanatics. 
Doubtless it was in such circumstances 
he visited the Holy Well, in Killargue 
where he administrated Confirmation 
to large numbers. 

The O'Trower (Travers) sept were 
guardians of Kill Fearga church, 
Charles O'Trower made a very 
dangerous journey to visit O'Rourke 
when he awaited execution in Tyburn. 
O'Trower was from this district. The 
village of Kill Fearga situated near the 
church and Holy Well on the old Derry 
road was a resting ..place for 
O'Donnell's army on its marches south 
against the English. A number of 
O'Clearys (Clarkes), O'Gallaghers , 
Sweeneys and O'Doherty's settled in 
Kill Fearga. When persecution became 
more intense they fled to the mountains 
of Creevelea and Lugnaskeehan. 

The sturdy O'Gallaghers were again 
in possession of the lands of Kill Fearga 
by 1850. O'Gallagher, an officer in 
Humbert's army was killed at Battle 
Hill, Drumkerrin in 1798. He is buried 
in Kill Fearga cemetery. 

There is a strong tradition that an 
O'Gallagher from here put the match to 
the kegs of gunpowder at the final 
destruction of Manorhamilton Castle. 
The Kill Fearga district suffered greatly 
form the burnings of Hamilton. 

Decline
In the early part of the 
19th century as Penal 
Laws, denying the 
right to freedom of 
religious practice, were relaxed, Mary's 
Well was no longer the key or focal 
point in the religious lives of the 
community. It continued, however, as a 
place of pilgrimage where stations were 
annually performed on the Four Lady's 
Days as the four feasts of the Blessed 
Virgin are called, — February 2nd, 
March 25th, August 15th and 
September 8th. On these occasions 
there was no organised procession. 
People went alone, in small groups or 
in families and a set ceremonial was 
observed. They recited the Rosary as 
they walked round the well. From 
about 1850 onwards abuses led to the 
stations at the Holy Well being banned. 
There seems to have been a revival of 
interest in Tobar Muire about 1900. In 
1902 an effort was made to enhance the 
beauty of its surroundings. A variety of 
flowering shrubs had been planted to 
replace the trees that had gone. Lilac, 
rhododendrons, scarlet thorns and a 
copper beech were planted of which the 
copper beech is the lone survivor. 

1906 Mission

Probably the most 
triumphant day in the 
history of Mary's 
Well was recorded in 
1906 on the feast of Corpus Christi. A 
mission conducted by Fr. Murphy and 
Fr. Power was nearing its close and 
under their supervision an outdoor 
procession of the Blessed Sacrament 
was organised. Benediction was given 
in the open. Except in the church, there 
was no advertising of the intended 
procession.Notwithstanding this short 
notice It was anticipated it would be 
large. But it was never dreamt the 
crowd would reach such gigantic 
proportions. A local newspaper dated 
Saturday June 30th 1906 gave a 
colourful and comprehensive coverage 
of this eventful day. "The day was 
superb, the crowd, if crowd we can call 
the thousands, as orderly as batalions 
of drilled soldiers was most reverential. 
The massive procession was led by a 
dozen priests. The route which was 
marked by colourful flags led up the 
road towards Drumkeerin, having eased 
round the 'elbow' bend immediately 
turned sharp left, followed the 'old 
road' as far as the cemetery, and 
opposite the ruins of the old church 
(Cill Fearga) turned right across the 
fields, over the hill and down the valley 
to the Holy Well. When the procession 
reached the Well and the huge 
multitude settled on the surrounding 
terrain what a common and 
unamimous feeling of jubilation was 
expressed when Fr. Murphy was heard 
to say 'Hither, to where your 
forefathers in secret worshipped in the 
Penal Days, with the watchmen on 
guard on the surrounding hills, where 
our Divine Saviour came amongst 
them as if in shame and by stealth, we 
bring Him back to-day in the Blessed 
Eucharist, openly, and in triumph, and 
let no disposition of our hearts be 
wanting, no circumstance be absent 
that can contribute to express our 
hamage and thankfulness'. These 
words transformed what might have 
been a crowding rabble into a patient, 
most orderly and reverential 
assemblage." 

The spectacle of 1906 Corpus Christi 
procession could never fade from the 
memory of anyone present. To ask 
anyone of the thousands present on 
that glorious day to accept that 
Killargue would not see another 
organised procession for nigh seventy 
years would have been asking too 
much, an eventuality beyond 
comprehension. Yet the eventuality 
was destined to become a reality. 
During the succeeding years Tobar 
Muire almost drifted into the depths of 
oblivion. The prevailing circustances 
militated against its survival — 
devotion of any kind at the Holy Well 
was discouraged rather than 
encouraged by the church. Access to 
the Well was difficult, the traditional 
route was long and rocky and this 
discouraged the less agile parishoners, 
soon the pathway became overgrown. 
A direct route from the main road 
meant the crossing of unbridged drains 
and to follow such a route rendered the 
pilgrim guilty of trespassing, a practice 
one connot justify, even when Tobar 
Muire is the goal. 

Grand Revival 1972 - 74
Devotion at Tobar 
Muire steadily 
declined and was at its 
lowest ebb as late as 
1971. In 1972 the 
flickering flame was fueled when the 
local curate Fr. Clarke suggested we 
should visit the Holy Well on the 15th 
August and recite the Rosary there. 
Response to the appeal was
encouraging, instead of the picture of 
previous years of the odd pilgrim 
trudging a lone journey to the Well we 
had now a constant trickle from early 
afternoon till the setting of the sun.
Encouraged by this response and urged 
on by interested parishoners the 
ceremonies of the Feast of the 
Assumption 1973 were to prove a great 
success. In a summer of incessant rain 
Killargue manged to steal a day to do 
its cause justice. Following Benediction 
in the church a large congregation
proceeded to the Holy Well procession 
was led by a local school band and 
choir. On reaching the Holy Well the 
Rosaries were recited with Mrs. Kate 
Harvey leading the way and then Hugh
Joseph Slevin. Fr. Clarke talked briefly 
on the feast of the day and ceremonies 
concluded with hymns by the choir to 
the accompaniment of the school band, 

It would be a little less than the whole 
truth to. say Fr. Clarke was a lone 
pioneer in the modern revival of Mary's 
Well. The revival has become 
synonomous with two parishoners in 
particular, John McHugh and Michael 
Murphy. A debt of gratitude is also due 
to very many others whose generosity 
in toil and kind made the venture such a 
success. When at the Holy Well it 
would indeed be fitting to remember all
who helped and in particular to pray 
for the repose of the soul of Dan Judge 
whose daughter, Annie, (Mrs 
Campbell) Manhattan, New York 
kindly donated the beautiful statue of 
Our Lady. A special word of 
appreciation is due to Jim McKenna of 
Manorhamilton who gave his time and 
skill free to build the grotto. Perhaps all 
who helped have found consolation 
and reward in the 1975 celebrations 
when an estimated crowd of 1200 
turned out for the occasion. To mark 
the Holy Year, arrangements were 
made for Mass at the Holy Well, the 
first since Penal Times. A temporary 
altar was erected by Jim McKenna at 
the rear of the Well and Mass was 
concelebrated by Fr. Dan Gallogly 
Fr. Tommy Flynn, Fr. Eugene Clarke 
Fr. Kevin O'Rourke, Fr. Michael 
McTiernan and Fr. Sean McTiernan 
The sermon, preached by Fr. Gallogly 
was interesting and inspiring 
Amplification for the occasion was the 
joint responsibility of Noel Harkin and 
Jim Keaney. Lessons were read by Jim 
Boles and Bernadette McSharry. Three 
members of the Lynch family of 
Larkfield took the gifts from the Grotto 
to the Altar. The choir was conducted 
by Mrs. Carre and Jim Boles. The 
ceremony was an overwhelming 
success, reminiscent of that glorious 
1906 occasion. Let us trust, with the 
interest and enthusiasm that now 
prevails in the parish of Cill Fearga, 
that devotion at her ancient Well will 
never again diminish but continue to 
flourish. 

Holy Wells in County Leitritn


Aughavas — St. Patrick's in the townland of 
Killafea. 
Aughnaslieelin — St. Patrick's in Miskawn and 
Crimlin. 
Ballinagleara — St. Hugh's in Cloithrean Beag. 
St. Brigid's in Greaghnafarna. 
Ballinamore — St. Brigid's in Oughteragh and 
Cloverhill. 
Ballaghameehan — St. Molaise's in Derrynahimmirk. 
Carrigallen — St. Patrick's in Aughawillan and 
Beagh. 
Cloonclare — St. Michael's in Black Park. 
Cloone — St. Fraoch (Criffer Ree) in Streamstown. 
Drumreilly Lr.— St. Everan's in Cully. 
Drumsna — St. Brigid's in Aughantubber. 
Fenagh — St. Caillin's in Mullaghnameely. 
Garvagh — St. Patrick's in Dromorthy. 
Innismagrath — St. Brigid's in Killadeescart. 
St. Hugh's in Derrinweer. 
Killasnett — St. Patrick's in Aghamore. 
Killargue — St. Mary's in Killargue. 
Kiltoghert — Sunday's or The Lord's in Fawn. 
Kiltubrid — St. Patrick's in Annadale. 
St. Patrick's in Edenmore. 
Rossinver — St. Mogue's and St. Caillin's beside 
the old church. 
Tullaghan — St. Patrick's in Bunduff,