The Blindboy Podcast Pigs, Saints, Haircuts & Bicycles in Tulla Town
Dec 19, 2023
A discussion on the speaker's desire for a commuter bike and their experience visiting the town of Tala. Exploring the significance of a holy well in Tulla, Ireland and uncovering a peculiar gravestone featuring two pigs. Hitting oneself with a book and promoting live shows. Delving into the folklore surrounding a man named Michael O'Sullivan and his strange disappearance. Reflecting on family dynamics and mental health during the holidays.
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Bicycle Trip Turns Into Historical Detour
- Blindboy describes driving to Tulla to buy a secondhand commuter bicycle but getting sidetracked by the town's atmosphere and history.
- He misses the sale because he spends hours exploring a holy well, graveyard, and local legends instead of meeting the seller.
Wells Reveal Pagan-Christian Continuity
- Sacred wells beside churches indicate layered pagan and Christian ritual use across millennia.
- Early missionaries often repurposed those sites to convert people while preserving existing spiritual practices.
Saint McCullough’s Legendary Bull
- Blindboy finds Saint McCullough's well and reads medieval sources linking the saint to Palladius and local miracles.
- He recounts McCullough taming a bull, turning robbers to stone, baptizing them, and founding the monastery at Tullough.