Holy wells are our gene pool; Holy site: St Brigids well in Clondalkin, south Dublin (circa 1900) was the subject of a row when it was mooted that the Luas would run through it.

From: The Daily Mail (London, England) | Date: July 19, 2008 | Copyright information

Byline: Aine Ryan

SIMPLY scratch the surface of modern Ireland and the pervading presence of a cross-millen-nial pageant is revealed.

Just as our religious roots have deep tentacles, our pagan spirituality still presents itself in many guises.

It echoes across our myriad places of pilgrimage, it inhabits the mystical waters of our thousands of holy wells.

Many of these wells may be smothered by webs of overgrowth. They may have been suff...