This is really obscure. It's great crack as they say in NI. I just had to share this. EXTRACT FROM THE REV. HENRY'S ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTY OF FERMANAGH WRITTEN ANNO 1739 "...At a village called Bellecoe issues out a large stream of pure water, the gravelly soil through which it flows and its subteraneous passage, add to it an uncommon lightness clearness and coldness. These virtues make the water exceedingly refreshing and more than ordinary effectual in bathing. According to the Popish custom of ascribing the natural virtue of places and things to the blessings of some saints, all the virtues of this fountain are referred to the favour and intercession of St. Patrick; upon these principles it is resorted to in the last week of July called Donagh Derrinagh by vast crowds from all parts around and many from the remotest places in the kingdom who come hither to bathe and perform penance and devotions to the honour of St. Patrick. The superstition and zeal of those few days, falls not short of that used at St. Patrick's Purgatory the manner of bathing used by the people is very indecent. There is built about the fountain which is about 30 ft. square, a wall scarce four feet high, about the inside of which are rude benches of stone. On these the people that are to bathe, having said some prayers, strip off their clothes and then stark naked, young and old, impotent and healthy, plunge into the fountain in crowds, where men and women of all ages without the least rag of covering bathe and wash one another at noon in the presence of a thousand spectators, not discovering the least appearance of shame. As soon as they have done they are continually succeeded by new groups of naked figures. As soon as they have bathed they make a tour about the fountain on their bare knees over sharp stones, muttering their prayers, with large strings of beads hanging from their arms. From thence they make a procession thrice round an old chapel and lastly round a great rock in the churchyard, rolling and twisting themselves against it. Having finished these forms of penance and obtained absolution from the priest, they go off satisfied that their souls are as thoroughly purged from alll sin as their bodies are cleansed by the water. Too many of them in spite of their priest's exortations to the contrary, not as if they thought that having cleared off the old score of their sins, they might take on anew, and spend the night in tents in revelling and drunkenness and in obscene debauchery, not fit to be mentioned." Sounds like a typical college weekend during football season to me. Regards, Robert Cowan (From County Donegal, where such behavior is NOT tolerated)