The Three Friars............
Dec 31, 12 09:53 AM

I am backwards and forwards to Waterford, repeatedly, at present.

The route we take brings us to a cross-roads on the Mullinavat to New Ross road at Smithstown, known by all around here as 'The Three Friars'

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It is named thus because, high on a field at this junction there are three standing stones (erected in pre-historic times).....

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.......that have been high-jacked as a memorial to three friars who were, reportedly, killed at this spot by Cromwell's forces in 1651.

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We have a particular affection for this scene and spot as we have on our wall a watercolour of The Three Friars painted by our friend and neighbour Ramie Leahy.

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But on one of these trips, one of us noticed that the three friars had become two.

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And on another journey Naoise and I stopped to inspect the scene more closely and we discovered that one friar had fallen - again!

A cursory glance at Google's offerings provided little more information than I have revealed above, only that, adjacent to the Three Friars, there is a 'Holy Well'.......

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....... but plainly this 'holy well' is actually a lime kiln!

The Three Friars were minded by someone by the name of Forristal and we wonder whether this minding has ceased - though I doubt that that the falling of a pre-historic, standing stone is an occurrence that could have been prevented - however careful the minding.
In fact, when I come to think about it, the collapse of a pre-historic edifice is a bit of a phenomenon in itself, is it not?

Sue plans to raise the matter on air when she returns to work to see if she can elicit any further information.

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