Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Cut into a S-facing slope, in improved, gently undulating pasture. Depicted and named on all OS historic mapping as ‘Toberagee’ and meaning ‘well of prayer’ or ‘praying well’ having been anglicised from the Irish ‘Tober an Guí’. Frost (1893) refers to six holy wells in the Parish of Quin including Toberagee, which he indicates is associated with St. Finghin. This is a natural spring originating from a fissure in the limestone bedrock. The rock appears to have been excavated and encloses a U-shape in plan around the spring SW-N-SE. The external ground level at N is c. 2.7m above the level of water in the well and the ground level at SW and SE is c. 1.5m above water level. The U-shaped area at upper ground level is defined by a low, roughly constructed wall (H c. 0.55m; T 0.8m) SW-N-SE. The well is open (Wth 2.4m) at S from where a water and weed filled channel (long-axis N-S) extends (L 12m ; Wth 2m) to a land drain (long-axis E-W) at S. Water can be seen seeping from the back of the rock at N, just above present water level and water is flowing slowly in the channel. A number of thorn trees enclose the well SW-N-SE and spread out to E and W of the well. A cashel (CL035-086----) is located c. 175m to E.

The following images have been uploaded:

CL035-171----_01.jpg From S. General view of well.
CL035-171----_02.jpg From S. Close view of well source (rock fissure at back of well).
CL035-171----_03.jpg From E. Cross sectional view of enclosing wall at N.
CL035-171----_04.jpg From E. Landscape view of well.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 11 April 2018

References

Frost, J. 1893 (Reprint 1978) The history and topography of the county of Clare: from the earliest times to the beginning of the 18th century. Dublin. Mercier Press.