My Mother lying weak and spent
Cried out to me her daughter —
“O for a drink of Mary’s Well,
Sweet Chibber-y-Wurra water!”
Among the meadows green and low
I sought in every quarter,
Till Lily Watson shewed to me
The Well of healing water.
“My Mother’s blessing on you rest
For this sweet draught you’ve brought her.”
“O I’m the one,” she said, “that knows
Of Chibber-y-Wurra water.”
“But Ramsey folk have nigh forgot
Among their bricks and mortar
What virtues dwell in Mary’s Well
And Chibber-y-Wurra water.”
Chibber-y-Wurra = Mary’s Well
(source: by ‘Cushag’ (Josephine Kermode) from her book ‘Ellan Vannin’ (1911). Thanks to James Franklin for the link to this poem which can be found on the new Manx Literature website; artwork is by William Hoggatt ‘Glendown Well’ (date unknown) from A Manx Scrapbook by W Walter Gill (1929))
