Touching the sacred: sensing spirituality at Irish holy wells

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper explores the links between touch – as a physical sensation and as a metaphorical connection – and spiritual encounters at Irish holy wells. Building on embodied examinations of the sacred by cultural geographers, my emphasis on the haptic aspects of the micro-pilgrimages at these fluid locations presents new insight into spiritual experiences as practiced and felt processes. Touch serves both as an analytical lens and a sensed understanding to consider these ethereal spaces. An ethnographic exploration of two holy wells in the southwest of Ireland, including detailed field observations and participant interviews, illustrates how the sacred and material intertwine through ritualised tactile performances and numinous registers. The findings demonstrate how a focus on touch provides a fresh avenue to consider the creation of located spiritual experiences.