The Holy Wells of Ireland
- Publisher : Hardy & Walker
- Published In : Dublin
- Illustrations : frontis, 8 plates, text engravings
Description:
… containing an Authentic Account of those Various Places of Pilgrimage and Penance which are still Annually visited by thousands of the Roman Catholic Peasantry. With a Minute Description of the Patterns and Stations periodically held in various Districts of Ireland. Third thousand. Scarce.
Philip Dixon Hardy (1794 - 1875) was an Irish poet, bookseller, printer and publisher. Extensive medieval writings in Latin and Irish link holy wells to early Irish Christianity, and indeed early mythology, where the origins of many of them may be found. Hardy's book is the earliest work specifically devoted to holy wells. First published in 1836, it records the customs surrounding Catholic worship of holy wells of Ireland.
Condition
12mo, orig. brown cloth, gt., some wear to spine and joints, boards lightly stained. All plates spotted/foxed to some extent. Pages i-viii and plate 1 bound in twice; one section of 4-leaves loose. Good copy.