St. Bartholemew's Well - Doughcloyne

St. Bartholomew's Well - Tobar Phartholain

Partholan
*by Jim FitzPatrick

Togher for many centuries was the site of a renowned Holy Well located in the Townland of Doughcloyne. Ancient myth ascribes it and many others around Ireland bearing the name to Partholan who came to Ireland from Greece after the Great Flood. It was said that he possessed the gift of causing water to burst forth from the ground. However he and his followers all perished in a plague at Tara! Allied to this is the parallel association with the apostle Bartholomew which was a later connection during the transition from Paganism to Christianity.

St. Bartholomew
*by Rembrandt

St. Bartholomew's Well in Doughcloyne was located off the main road and was a natural spring which flowed out of slaty rock and more than likely flowed on to merge with the nearby Liberty stream. Holy Wells usually inherited their healing abilities due to the presence of certain minerals ( calcium , sulphates , magnesium and potassium ) in the water which could aid in curing ailments such as poor eyesight or tired limbs. The Well was in regular use as far back as the Middle Ages but fell out of use during the time of the Penal Laws. However in 1745 , a Dr. Barry had it restored to its former glory and thereafter scores of Catholics would flock to it on the Feast Day of St. Bartholomew on 24th of August. There they would indulge in a Patron or Pattern , which included praying and or bathing in the water before retiring to a nearby field for feasting and drinking after believing they had been cured of whatever troubled them.

Original book containing mention
of visit to St. Bartholomew's Well
in 1748

In 1748 two Englishmen paid a visit to the site and described it as follows: " We went this morning to that of St Bartholomew , which being the saint’s day , was surrounded by a vast crowd of Roman Catholics , some upon their knees at their devotions, and others walking with beads in their hands. The ceremony here is called a ‘Patron’. The well is enclosed with trees close to the side of the road and even the sight of it looks refreshing. When their devotions are done, they retire to several sutlers’ tents erected for that purpose , some to eat and drink , others to wrestling and yelling , dancing , noise and merriment , which bought on several boxing bouts whilst we staid there. " 

*A Tour Through Ireland by Two Englishman, 1748

In 1750 , a Frenchman known as Mr. Gallant was cured of blindness by bathing his eyes with the water. As a gesture of his gratitude , he had an avenue of Sycamore trees planted nearby and erected an arched wall over the well. It is said that around the same time , a Mr. David Fox had the use of his limbs restored after immersing his body in the water. The area soon became known as Bartlemy Well. Legend also has it that 20 years later a regiment of soldiers afflicted with scurvy after returning from foreign service who were camped nearby were cured after drinking from the well.

Charles Smith
1774

In 1774 Charles Smith wrote a detailed account:

" About two miles SSW from Cork, is a celebrated holy well, dedicated to St Bartholomew. The water gushes out from a slaty rock , through a round hole cut into it , about two feet in diameter , and one and a half feet deep ; it is walled and covered by an arch of stone ; there is an avenue of sycamore trees leading to the well. They relate stories of miraculous cures having been performed by this water , particularly on the person who planted the avenue , and whose name was Gallant, and who they say received his sight by the use of the water. There is a flag stone set up on which there is a cross with an inscription importing that David Fox got the use of his limbs by bathing in it. It is still much frequented on St Bartholomew’s Day , and the evening before , by an infinite number of Romish devotees , who flock to it out of devotion , and for the cure of sore eyes , pains in the limbs etc. It is a pleasant , sweet , soft water , lather immediately with soap , but I could not discover any other appearance , from whence it might receive its healing virtue. "

* Charles Smith , The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork, 1774

St. Bartholomew's Well in 1842
*Note trench dug between Sycamore trees
to enable patrons to bathe

St. Bartholomew's Well in 1899
*Note railway embankment and absence of Well

The Catholic Church reacting to exaggerated claims of debauchery and merriment surrounding the Well moved to suppress its use but all to no avail. However in 1848 the building of the Cork Bandon Railway saw to its demise. The erection of a railway bridge ( still extant ) and the laying down of the permanent way saw the Well capped. Local myth says that a giant oak tree rose from the location of the Well in protest ( such a tree is in fact nearby! ). Even this did not detract the locals who still journeyed to the location every August up to the late 1950s.

Dirt track which leads off Railway bridge

Today St. Bartolomew's Well is no more and on the ground research shows no signs of its former glory. A tiny streamlet is found nearby which flows alongside the remains of the Railway embankment to join up with the Liberty stream ; ghostly traces of a former important aspect of local life and heritage which endured for so many centuries.

 

Railway bridge in Doughcloyne
*Well was originally situated to left of bridge

Tree which marks the spot of
St. Bartholomew's Well

Billy O'Brien Togher Historical Association
Doughcloyne railway bridge

*Streamlet ( R )  from St. Bartholomew's Well
merging with Liberty stream

Tales from the Henhouse

Mr. Denis Kelly a.k.a. Foxy Din

Between 1950 and 1969 , Mr. Denis Kelly was Headmaster of Togher National School. Up to 1961 , it also catered for girls before becoming a boys only school when the new purpose built girls school was constructed further down the road. Denis was affectionately known as " Foxy Din "  to the pupils and the schoolhouse he presided over gained the name of the " Henhouse ". The following memories are from that time period and represent the good , the bad and the ugly as told by the children who attended there.

Confirmation 1970
Last class of old National School

Anonymous: One bizarre incident occurred in the 1950s which revolved around a child having been chastised by a teacher. Fast forward a day later and a posse of men on horseback arrived at the school brandishing shotguns. The teachers quickly locked the doors before the men opened fire delivering several shots aimed at the door before retreating back over the old railway bridge and off into the sunset!

Ann Sisk: " I lived around the corner from the school , but was always last in ( not late ). One day in a hurry I ran off to school and realised I had forgotten to put on my knickers. I was about 6 years old. I was in the horrors and told the teacher. She was shocked , ( this was late 1950's ) and told me to stand out in the back ( this was a space between the two class rooms ). I was a small thing with all these eyes on me , so I ran home. My Mother was very protective of me being the only girl at the time. She put on my underwear and actually marched me down to the school. She called the teacher out so as not to upset the girls. I don't know what was said , but when Mum had gone , the teacher got my sack and turned it upside down. She took my beloved scrap book which was full from relations , told me to pick up my stuff and I wasn't going to see that book again! I didn't tell Mum as I felt I was a very bad girl.  But I cried inside when the girls were playing with theirs. I know this sounds silly , but as I got older I looked in secondhand bookshops for it..... "

Jim Hegarty: " I used to get away with murder. Flor Dullea knew my Father had been in the I.R.A. The Class of 1961 - ( see photo below ) remember when Russia were going to arm Cuba and HM Foxy Din had the map of the world on the wall and pointing out to us where the Russian ships were and how America were blockading their way . Close to WW3 until Russia turned around. President Kennedy never blinked. "

Class of 1961

Kathleen Roche : " I used to make a cup of coffee for the Teacher. I would walk slowly back to the classroom making sure not to spill any. I was so desperate to please her. "

Michael Plaice: " Went there from 1963-1971. Flor Dullea was head but had his sister Miss Dullea for junior and senior infants, then Ted Sullivan from 1st to 6th. We were in the new school I think just for a month or two before we finished in the summer of ‘71. Remember the coal fire in the room on the right, prefab round the back, small yard at the front. Remember Ted Sullivan got shingles one summer and came back in September with a beard. It was the first time I’d ever seen a man with a beard. "

 

CJ Forde: " I went there in 1970/71 then to the new school…Remember the coal fire and 6th class used to look after it and bring the tea pot around to the teachers …Think I was in the classroom on the right hand side. Remember Flor Dullea there and Ted Sullivan. "

 
Marian Bird: " I went to the pre fabs behind the centre in 1970/1971 remember trying to climb out the window cause I wanted to go home. My friend Geraldine McCarthy we started together. "

Wblj O'Sullivan : " We got a house transfer (remember those ads in the echo where both parties agreed irrelevant to the city council in city Hall) in 1970 from Bantry Park Road in the Northside to Black Water Grove in the NBA houses. Think our teacher was Mrs Cotter in that old school. Happy days before moving to New school Togher B.N.S. "

Dez Papazian : " I started my first 2 years of school there before moving to the new primary school. I remember the lady lighting the fire in the classroom in the morning. "