SRH 14. Brideswell Holy Well

Location: 53.45278, -8.08888A superb example of a well-maintained holy well in the centre of the village. Good location for a refreshment break. This well is one of the earliest Christian sites in Ireland and has a traditional Pattern day on the last Sunday of July (Garland Sunday). Pilgrimage to this well helped Roman Catholics preserve their faith in the difficult years of the Penal Laws. Local folklore has it that the fine 17th Century coat-of-arms of Randall McDonnell, the Earl of Antrim, erected in 1625 and found beside the well, is in recognition of a favour granted. The water has no known curative powers but is visited infrequently by women for fertility purposes.