Pagan Beliefs to Christian

from Digging Our Faith - Looking at our religious heritage

Acknowledgements

FrOm Pagan tO Christian

the importance of water “We were amazed that some of the old traditions are still practised!” As the Christian church became established in Ireland it kept many of the old pagan customs but gave them a Christian slant. This made it easier for people to convert to the new religion. Imbolc, in the spring, became St Brigid’s Day Beltaine became May Day Samhain, in the autumn, became All Saint’s Eve or Hallowe’en

One of the most important pagan traditions kept by the new church was the sacredness of water. Rivers, lakes and bogs were sacred, while bathing cleansed the soul and healed sickness. Water is necessary for baptism, and is used to bless people and banish evil.

We visited the excavation at Struell Wells and helped in digging out one of the wells. We collected many pennies, some old, some new. The archaeologists thought that the pennies had been thrown in the well by people making a wish. We learnt that this site has a long history, continuing into the 19th century, of people visiting the wells to bathe in as a cure for sickness. There is even a legend of St Patrick’s bathing at the well and singing psalms from the Bible all night long. On Midsummer’s Eve and the Friday before Lammas (1st August) people from all over County Down gathered here.

We also visited Cranfield Church, on the shores of Lough Neagh. The nearby well is surrounded by thorn trees. Sick people who visited have attached rags to these in hope of a cure. They dip the rag in the water, wash the afflicted part, and tie the rag on the nearby tree. They think that the sickness will transfer to the rag and they will become well again.

We also noticed that memory, or remembrance, cards had been left in wall nooks at both Struell Wells and Cranfield Church. These little cards are made to remember someone who has died and contain a poem or prayer and a photograph of the person. We also saw rosary beads left hanging on tree branches. It would appear that the old traditions are still important to the people who live near these sites.

8 Digging Our Faith Struell Wells, Downpatrick