Mother of the Groom & the Gathering of Gobnaits

We took the meandering route home from Rathkeale to take in a couple of wells dedicated to St Gobnait for today is her feast day. First stop Abbeyswell in North Cork where the whole site had been spruced up and was looking welcoming and expectant, cups and buckets a-ready! The wellhouse was erected by the wonderfully named Johnny the Prayers sometime around 1870 and I was thrilled that the well was full to the brim with delicious water for when I last went it was empty. A steady stream of pilgrims came to pay the rounds and a Mass was scheduled for 3pm. 
We carried on to Ballyvourney  which has a very big pattern day. We had soup in the local pub which was packed  and then went on to the main site. Lots of people paying the rounds, drinking the water, but what I most loved was the gathering of Gobnaits, scheduled for 4pm but someone was trying to get them organised already - like herding cats! All these women are called Gobnait and quite a few more were on their way, including some little girls. Our server in the pub was even called Abby the anglicised version of the name. Himself gave her a big tip for her name day. 
I also like the Mother of the Groom's offering on the rag tree!