Courtney McGrailWells, Graves and Statues: Exploring the Heritage and Culture of Pilgrimage in Medieval and Modern Cork City
by Louise Nugent and Richard Scriven
(Create Space Independent Publishing, €13.50)
George Cunningham
This is a small but timely book exploring “the heritage and culture of pilgrimage in medieval and modern Cork city”, with some excursions into the county. In its 70-plus pages the authors give a concise account of what might be termed ‘pilgrimage’s sites’, although most Christians wouldn’t think of them as such.
Dr Louise Nugent is a graduate of University College Cork with a degree in archaeology and an MA in Celtic civilisation. In 2010, she was awarded a PhD in pilgrimage in Medieval Ireland from University College Dublin. Dr Richard Scriven is a graduate of University College Cork with a BA in geography and history, a MA in medieval history and a PhD in geography, on pilgrimage in contemporary Ireland.
Easy to read
Their little book is easy to read, easy on the eye with good illustrations and easy for the pilgrim to carry. Authors Nugent and Scriven give a synopsis of “one of the oldest and most widespread religious and cultural activities in the world”, that of pilgrimages, and the reasons, past and present (Elvis’ Graceland is mentioned) for same. Today it is probably the most understood, and certainly the most popular aspect of our Christian heritage, and has now led to a National Pilgrim Paths’ Day held annually around Easter.
This Cork book explores pilgrimage, ancient and modern, at St Fin Barre’s cathedral and then highlights the activities around various holy wells: Sunday’s Well, Lady’s Well, St Francis’ Well, St John’s Well and Tiobar Bhrianach (presumably Tiobar is a corruption of Tobar, the Irish word for a well) on Wise’s Hill.
That many of these activities on pattern days were frowned on in the 19th Century can be understood when one reads, as the authors tell us, in the Cork Archaeological Journal of 1883, that “on one or two occasions some pilgrims took pails of whiskey rather than holy water to Wise’s Hill”!
At least three Co. Cork statues were the focus of late medieval pilgrimage: St Dominic’s and Our Lady of Graces in the city and that of St Gobnait in Ballyvourney, a 13th Century oaken relic. Ballyvourney is further enhanced by Seamus Murphy’s sculpture of her and her bees.
As expected graves feature prominently: those of well-known and well-loved people have always become centres of mini-pilgrimages. Using the site of their graves, the book details the historical context around such figures as Fr Mathew, Nano Nagle and Little Nellie (a heart-warming story of a five-year old).
Towards the end, the work gives useful information on protecting holy places and preserving them into the future, outlining the research possibilities. They highlight the importance of local lore, old photographs and oral history in creating both an awareness of this heritage and safeguarding it for the future. They conclude with a select but good bibliography. Although concentrating on Cork the work has good indicators for anyone focusing on their own place. May their work inspire others elsewhere to explore their native townlands.
George Cunningham is one of the motivators of the Roscrea Conferences on Irish History and Archaeology. The 43rd Roscrea Conference will take place from October 31 to November 2. The theme of this year’s autumn conference is “Wandering Medieval Irish Scholars”.