Kilviceeda, the Church of St.Mac a Deaghaidh
translates to the Church of the son of St.Ita. This is said to denote St.
Erc whose mother was St. Ita or Íde.
The
mention of St. Erc places Kilviceeda at the Birth of Monastic Ireland as St.Erc
was the mentor of The Patron Saint of Kerry...St Brendan. Folklore recorded in
School Manuscripts of the 1930 say that St. Brendan was baptized by
St. Erc at the well of Keel which was said to be known as St. Erc's or
St. Ida's although it is probably better known today as St. Brigid's well.
It is however accepted that St. Brendan was baptized in Ardfert in st. Wether's
well.
Today
Keel in The Townland of Glenderry has the old ruins surrounded by a small
graveyard. The small enclosed burial ground is reserved exclusively for the
local Corridan Family. Tradition has it when a member of The Corridan Family
dies, a light shines across the Bay from Mount Brandon.
Perhaps
the most interestingTradition associated with The Corridan Family is that of
the " Bully Stone". This is a stone (Bullan) with healing powers that
was kept on a small sculptured pillar near The Ancient Church at Keel. The real
stone is now taken away and kept safely in a nearby Corridan House. It is said
to be moist always and was used in conjunction with water from St. Brigid's
Well as a cure for sick animals and humans.
The
uniqueness of this stone and it's veneration by The Corridon Family
attracted the attention of many Historians over the years.
Smith's
History of 1786 quoted the following
"The
stone would be taken from it's place in the house and the Family would walk
around the well in a clockwise direction whilst praying. Only The Corridans had
the privelige of paying rounds at this well and it was not used by the general
public. When the stone was put in the well , the power of the stone was activated
and this could only be done by a blood Corridan. No one who married into the
Family could use the stone effectively. Still further, the healing power of the
well worked only on Blood Corridans."
Ms
Hickson one hundred years later in 1890 in her Publication on The Holy Wells of
North Kerry wrote
"This
cupped pillar stone had the cross on its eastern face the day that I visited
Kilmacida in 1883. The ball was absent in charge of one of The Corridan Tribe,
who have charge of it, and the sole right of burial in the little churchyard in
which the cross stands on a kind of low carn or mound. My Guide was the wife of
one of the name, but she told me that she could not be buried with her husband
as she was not of the blood or the tribe, but her children would rest there, should
they die at Kilmacida or near it."
Another
tradition is that when a blue light is seen surrounding The Graveyard, it
heralds the imminent death of one of the extended family. Also, when one
of the Family dies overseas, The Caoineadh or Wail of lament can be heard at
The Graveyard.
