SRH 15. St Ronan's Holy Well and Rag Tree

Location: 53.38421, -8.14489Holy wells are sacred sites that have continued in use since prehistory. A bride might hope for good luck; an invalid might search for a cure. St Ronan's Well is reputed to have curative powers for eyesight. Often a special Mass is said. The prehistoric ritual of circumambulation or making structured rounds of the well continues. Rag trees are normally close to Holy Wells, as is the case on this site. Usually the rags are placed there, often by the traveller community, believing that if a rag from someone who is ill, or has a problem of any kind, is hung the symptoms will disappear.