APHLADY’S WELL ATHENRY — HISTORIC ORIGIN
Evelyn Hoare
The pilgrimage to Lady’s Well Athenry which takes place annually on August 15th is unique in the origin of such pilgrimages in Ireland, being due to the following historic facts.
At the time of Edward Bruce’s invasion of Ireland the Pope called a truce between conflicting parties to the quarrel, i.e. between Bruce and the King of England. The Battle of Athenry which occurred a few years previously was due to Bruce’s intrigue with the O’Connors of Connaught when the Pope issued a bull excommunicating everybody who broke the truce. The letter, directed to Bruce himself, was torn up by him because he had not been addressed as ‘King Bruce’. Bruce marched south, and some of the Irish adherents in Connaught and Munster joined him unconsciously not knowing that thereby they broke the truce, although the truce had been promulgated from every pulpit in Ireland, the principle churches at the time were held by Norman Bishops. Realising what happened and the death of Bruce following shortly afterwards the people looked upon his death as a visitation from Providence, and the Connaught Irish bound themselves and their descendants for all time to make a pilgrimage as a potential offering, to the Holy Well of Athenry. In parts of the country where it would be too hard for people to make that pilgrimage, to go to the nearest wells all over the country, and choose August 15th as our Lady was looked on as the Mother of the Church. Such is the historic record of the origin of what are known as ‘patterns’ or annual visitations to the Holy Wells.
Saturday December 8th 1928
In a recent issue of the Connaught Tribune the question of the origin of the annual pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Well at Athenry was discussed. A significant year for Lady’s Well.
An army was led by the royal damnas, that is the heirs presumptives of Connaught, namely Turlough and Hugh two sons of Hugh the son of Cathal Crobbderg, to Athenry on Lady Day in mid-Autumn to burn and plunder it. The sheriff of Connaught was in the town before them with a number of English. The English demanded a truce for that day from the son of the King of Connaught but they did not obtain this and although Turlough forbade his troops to assault the town the troops would not consent but determined to make the attack in spite of him. When Jordan and the English saw this they marched out of the town armed and clad in mail against the Irish Army. The youth of the latter army on seeing them drawn up in battle array were seized with fear and dismay so that they were routed and this was through the miracles of the BVM on whose festival they refused to grant the truce demanded from them.
August 19th 1933 Connaught Tribune
MANY PILGRIMS AT ATHENRY
An unusual large number of pilgrims from all over the County Galway, and particularly West Galway, came to the Well which has been dedicated to the Blessed Virgin at Athenry on Tuesday. Buses and cars were arriving from the early morning to night-fall. In addition a special excursion carried 400 passengers, while other ordinary trains from Galway arrived in Athenry filled to their utmost capacity.
AUGUST 18TH 1934
LADY’S DAY IN ATHENRY
The pilgrimage which we understand dates back to the 6th century of visiting our Lady’s Well on Lady Day August 15th of each year, was visited this year by a huge crowd stated to have been bigger than of recent years. Excursion trains and buses brought large numbers on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The train on Wednesday morning was crowded with pilgrims from Connemara and the Claddagh, Galway. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest in Irish Tradition. The Well is situated about a half a mile from Athenry. The Well is walled in and it is the practice of the pilgrims to walk around 15 times. Each pilgrim picks up 15 pebbles and as they pass the entrance to the Well they drop a pebble to the ground until the 15 pebbles are gone. A decade of the rosary is recited at each round of the Well. The water flowing from the Well is drunk and some is taken home.
August 17th 1940
PILGRIMAGE TO HOLY WELL AT ATHENRY
This Well, dedicated to Our Lady, has a tradition extending back through the centuries. Year after year rich and poor alike have come from all over Connaught to make this pilgrimage on the Feast of the Assumption.
The crowds began to arrive in the market town of Athenry at mid-day yesterday and throughout the day motors, jaunting cars and even common farm carts brought in their complements of pilgrims.
The Well is situated about 700 yards from the town. The tradition attached to it has been handed down from generation to generation and today saw the multi-coloured shawls of Connemara and the white bawneens of Aran rubbing shoulders with the smart costumes of city women.
On arrival of the Well they removed their footwear and with Rosary Beads in hands they walked fifteen times around it, genuflecting every time they passed the beautiful statue of Our Lady at the entrance. This statue was erected by the Athenry Eucharistic Congress Committee in 1882.
When they finish rounds they go to the entrance and drink the water. After this they repair to a nearby stream and wash their feet.
