Life

Celebrating holy wells - and the gift of water

More than 100 pilgrims visited St Cooey's Wells near Portaferry on Sunday, where Mass was celebrated to mark National Holy Wells Day. Pictured, left to right, are Down and Connor press officer Fr Eddie Magee, who is from the area, Fr Patrick Mulholland, parish priest of St Patrick's, Portaferry, and Strangford parish priest Fr John McManus. Picture by Bill Smyth.
More than 100 pilgrims visited St Cooey's Wells near Portaferry on Sunday, where Mass was celebrated to mark National Holy Wells Day. Pictured, left to right, are Down and Connor press officer Fr Eddie Magee, who is from the area, Fr Patrick Mulhollan More than 100 pilgrims visited St Cooey's Wells near Portaferry on Sunday, where Mass was celebrated to mark National Holy Wells Day. Pictured, left to right, are Down and Connor press officer Fr Eddie Magee, who is from the area, Fr Patrick Mulholland, parish priest of St Patrick's, Portaferry, and Strangford parish priest Fr John McManus. Picture by Bill Smyth.

IRISH people have a long tradition of praying at holy wells, with around 3,000 thought to be found in our countryside.

Sunday June 18 has become national holy wells day, with the group Loving Sister Earth appealing for it to become an opportunity to appreciate and care for water, that most precious of resources.

"Clean water is a great gift. By drinking polluted water millions of people are becoming sick; without water living things are withering and dying; droughts are creating barren deserts," say the Loving Sister Earth team (www.lovingsisterearth.com), adding: "The time to save Planet Earth is now."

And if you cannot make it to a holy well, they suggest turning on a tap at home for a moment and "give thanks for the water and reflect on what you can do to protect it".