The Wandering Genealogist: Back to the past

The day started slowly and the brain was a little distance behind. Eventually, they got synchronized – by noon that is.

As planned I had dinner with Kathy Doyle in Carnew at the community centre where she lives. It was lovely if a bit of a big meal for midday.

From there I drove down the road towards Gorey to the home of Marg Gilbert. Everything Marg plans for me turns out to be quite magical. We were to visit Marcella Byrne and go to Brigid's Well near her home. As it happens there are many similarly-named wells around Ireland. What was going to be special this time? Who cares? I knew it would be a remarkable afternoon and I was not disappointed.

HISTORY AND GENEALOGY WARNING: not specifically genealogy but I've left out the specific family bits - not my family - or at least I don't think so.

The road to Marcella's home at Bridewell was uphill and twisty but I've now gotten pretty close to driving smoothly, shifting gears with ease (OK, nearly), and not stalling. So, I started by stalling twice while turning the car around at Margaret's home before heading onto the road. After that, it was pretty much OK. Marg has no symptoms of whiplash – at least not yet.

Brideswell means Brigid's Well. It is near Askamore. I realize that tells you exactly the location. More detail? OK - near Ballyellis? Shrule? Munny? Ballyconran? I'm sure you've placed it by now. Let's just say Co Wexford and leave it at that.

http://www.megalithicireland.com/St%20Brigid%27s%20Well,%20Brideswell%20Big,%20Wexford.html

Marcella began with a brief history of the 1798 rebellion and I tried to turn my brain into a recording device – to no avail. That set the stage for what/where we were to visit. I continue to be in awe of how much history so many people know. I fear the day that one of them asks me about Canadian history. I'll have to divert their attention.

Anyway, the original well was marked on an Ordnance Survey map from the 1820s, along with Brigid's mark (footprint). The OS maps are very very detailed and this well is very near Marcella's home. As an aside, her home (where she lived at the time this project got underway) had been used as a safe house during the Irish Civil War in the early 1920s. Beside the house, and still standing, is the original farmhouse. The roof is now corrugated metal and was almost certainly thatched back in the early days. One end (with the window) was for the family. Moving along the building was the hen house, then possibly a pig or pigs, and then a place for the family's cow. The heat from the animals contributed to heating the family's home.

As a child, Marcella would get water from the aforementioned well, but it went dry and was eventually covered over.

Anyway, knowing about the well, Marcella and others set about finding and restoring it and the surroundings about 20 years ago. I can only imagine how difficult the project was. There was some money provided by the county and an archaeologist was involved. This 'expert' proved to be less helpful than expected, but there you go.

The entire area had been overgrown. The stone walls on the path now leading to the well were built by those restoring the place. Along the way are seven large stones representing the Beatitudes. The eighth is nearby along the wall of the old cemetery. These stones were not part of the original well area but carved and placed as part of the project. The cemetery holds a large number of graves but very few headstones. The oldest ones are now resting against the stone wall and are virtually unreadable. They have been transcribed and the wording is available.

Anyway, we wandered down the path to the site of the well. A small stream runs along and under one of the two dry stone huts which remain undated. They are similar to beehive huts found in Co Kerry and which date from early monastic times. These two form a sort of figure 8. The roofs have long since fallen away. They were probably made of the same stone.

The photos below are of the (white) former safe house, the original stone farmhouse, the old cemetery and the area of the well.

Following our little exploration we returned to Marcella's for tea and treats, and got into other stories and some genealogy connections. I'd had some of the information previously and can't positively connect it to my ancestors – but a remote possibility is to be explored. That takes care of my evening plans.

As we left, Marcella gave me a Brigid's Cross, made this year in the area of Co. Kilkenny that was home to my Brennan/Walsh/McGrath and Maher ancestors. It's a nice segue into tomorrow's trip to Kilkenny to do some research in the county library. There is supposed to be a microfilm that might, just might, reveal some secrets that will tell me more about my own ancestors.

As per usual, the 10 year gap in the records is actually the time period that would be most helpful, but you never know.