Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Cill Charthaigh, County Donegal, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Cill Charthaigh
- County
- Donegal
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Tobermurry
- Coordinates
- 54.63309, -8.59766
- SMR number
- DG096-010008-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1881 "Ireland to Illustrate the Military Condition of the Country." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Located to c. 40m NE of Kilcar church (DG096-010005-) and graveyard (DG096-010007-), and named ‘Tobermurry’ on the OS 6-inch map, this monument functioned as a holy well, although there is no well or spring per se. It consists of a bullaun (DG096-010003-) or rock-basin surrounded by a cairn (DG096-010004-) 6m x 8.8m. Two depressions, (i) .34m x .4m and 0.23m deep and (ii). 2m in diameter and 0.05m deep, and a channel which feeds water to the first depression are carved on the top of the bullaun stone. (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22).
Described by Ó Muirgheasa in 1936 as 'Kilcar there are three Holy Wells: (1) Tobar Charthach, or St. Carthach's Well (DG096-013001-) (2) Tobar Chonaill (DG096-010001-), or St. Conall Caol's Well (3) Tobar Mhuire, or the Blessed Virgin's Well (DG096-010008-)...Crowds of pilgrims still make the station or turus. It begins in the old ruined church of St. Carthach, after which the pilgrim makes three circuits of each of the three wells, and then finishes up at "the altar" in the old church.' (Ó Muirgheasa 1936, 147-8). (Ó Muirgheasa No. 22)
Compiled by Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload/revision: 03 November 2011
References
Ó Muirgheasa, E. 1936 The holy wells of: Donegal. Béaloideas 7, No. 2, 143-62. Corrigenda 7, No. 2, 247, 1937.
Nearby in the register
- Bullaun stoneunder 1 mi
- Cairn - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Bullaun stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.