1*93-94-1 93 



called a " pattern," the original intention was for worship and 

 religious festivities, but the festive soon absorbed the religious 

 and all forms of abuses followed, and hence the gatherings were 

 condemned by the Church. 



The early Christians strongly condemned the old Pagan 

 rites and ceremonies connected with wells, rivers, and fountains, 

 mainly because of the riotous excesses in which the votaries 

 indulged. Making offerings to wells, trees, and earthfast rocks 

 is denounced in a Saxon homily preserved in Cambridge 

 Library. The Council of Tours a.d. 567 also prohibited their 

 worship. St. Boniface, in the eighth century, in his efforts to 

 advance Christianity, cut down the sacred oaks dedicated to 

 Pagan deities. There are many similar interdictions against 

 the ancient well and tree worship, and yet the worship of holy 

 wells survives in variously modified forms throughout the 

 length and breadth of Great Britain. Much valuable informa- 

 tion has been compiled in the work on u The Holy Wells of 

 England," a list and descriptive particulars being published by 

 Robert C. Hope, F.S.A. Interesting particulars of the holy 

 wells of Scotland may be found in Forbes Leslie's " Early 

 Races of Scotland," Sinclair's " Statistical Account of Scotland," 

 and in the translations of the Scottish antiquarian societies. 

 Of our own North of Ireland wells an interesting paper written 

 by Richard Dobbs in 1683 contains a chapter on remarkable 

 wells in the County of Antrim. This is published in Rev. 

 George Hill's ''Macdonnells of Antrim." 



Many years ago, P. Dixon Hardy published a small book on 

 " The Holy Wells of Ireland," dwelling chiefly on the alleged 

 " superstitions and degrading practices " connected with them ; 

 the same fault mars the descriptions given in " Hall's Ireland." 



The Rev. James O'Laverty's work on the " Diocese of Down 

 and Connor " contains numerous references to our North of 

 Ireland wells. 



After quoting very largely from numerous correspondents in 

 various parts of Ireland with reference to Holy Wells, Mr. Gray 

 said — Coming nearer home, we have the following from Dun- 



