Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Holy well described by O'Hare (2000, 68-9) as; 'Mr. Michael Culloty informed the author of the existence of a well, known as Tobar Muriaha, which was located beside the old mill race of the former Molahiffe Corn Mill. The well was, used by farmers in months. A wet muddy puddle, from which a stream flows west, probably marks the site of the well Mr Culloty recalled that in the spring, any animal that was a bit shook after the winter was brought to the well for a drink of water and was said to improve greatly after.
According to Mr. M. Culloty, farmers from the various surrounding districts met here while bringing their cattle to drink from this well. They began to swap and barter cattle and it was from this practice that the fair of Molahiffe developed He recalled that the fair survived up until about forty years ago. "Malahuffe fair is mentioned as early as 1671, in a letter addressed to Edward, 3rd Lord Herbert of Chirbury and Castleisland (Smith 1968, 198). While in the mid-eighteenth century, Thomas, 4th Viscount Kenmare, referred to the fair at Molahiffe as
being already the best spring fair in the county (MacLysaght 1970, No. 37, ii 198), a view still held by Mr Culloty over two hundred years later, as he informed the author that the fair at Molahiffe considered to be one of the best in the county as buyers came there from all over Ireland".He also recalled that tolls were collected here on fair days, even in modern times, by the representatives of the former Kenmare estate in Killarney. Mrs. Quille of Knoppoge, Killarney, also recalled the fair day at Molahiffe when she was young: We had no school that day and you got ready and you went to Molahiffe fair and you had a couple of pennies, maybe five or six pence and there used to be stalls and periwinkles was one thing. You'd buy periwinkles, you'd always have a pin inside in the
lapel of your coat to take out the periwinkle with (O'Hare 1993, 17). The fair which took place in 1886 on Wednesday May 26th was described by a local newspaper of the time as being almost as renowned as the celebrated Puck Fair of Killorglin".

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 29 April 2022

References

O'Hare, P. 2000 Holy wells and other sites of pilgrimage within a portion of East Kerry. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society 29, 55-98.

Smith, C. 1756 (Reprint 1969) The ancient and present state of the county of Kerry. Cork. The Mercier Press.

Smith, W.J. (ed.) 1968 Herbert Correspondence. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

MacLysaght, E. 1942 The Kenmare Manuscripts. Irish Manuscripts Commission. Government Stationery Office. Dublin