Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

A natural spring well from which the townland is named, in the parish of Balscaddan, barony of Balrothery East. The county boundary with Meath marked by the Delvin River lies 330m to the N and Gormanston Bridge (DU001-010/ME034-007----) crossing this river stands 500m to NNE. Annotated 'Tobersool' (Tobar Súl/well of the eyes) on the 1837 ed. OSi 6-inch map where it is shown standing in an orchard associated with Tobersool House which stands 100m to the S. The townland of Tobersool (Typersole) is mentioned in 1541 where there is a reference to the lands and tenements of 'Peter Goldyng of Typersole' as part of the vicarage of Hetheton (Heathtown) (White 1943, 105).
Situated in the NE corner of a field and is overgrown with trees and hawthorn bushes. A 7m buffer zone had previously been created around the well which has been concreted and covered in corrugated iron. According to Lewis (1837, 171) this well was known locally as 'St. Brigid’s Well' or the 'eye well' because of the tradition that the water cures diseases of the eye. Folklore collected in 1934 from Balscadden National School recorded the following beliefs about Tobar na Súl/Tubbersool (Eye Well); 'In centre of an orchard. Drains itself into another well situated along roadside. White thorn bush. Local tradition - Cromwell, when visiting Gormonston Castle, came to well and profaned it by washing his feet in it. He also allowed his horse to pollute well. The well dried up and remained so for many years. A priest visited the place some time after and blessed this well. Immediately the water returned and today it is overflowing. As in Balscadden - people use this water for eye troubles (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0783, Page 129;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428167/4383167/4504783?ChapterID=4428167)'. Described by Ó Danachair (1958, 72) as 'St. Brighid's Well. A stone lined well near the corner of a field with an outlet in the adjoining avenue' (Healy 1975, 15). Local folklore speaks of the desecration of the well by Cromwell who put his feet in the well to cool them (Skyvova 2005, 67).

See attached photographs (01/02) taken 14/05/1974 by Henry A. Wheeler of the NMS. Photographs 03/04/05 taken by C. Ó Danachair courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00168 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16665; F024.06.00169 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30805; F024.06.00170 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30806.

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 11 April 2023

References

Ó Danachair, C. 1958 The holy wells of county Dublin. Reportorium Novum 2, 68-87; 2, No. 2 The holy wells of County Dublin: A supplementary list, 233-5.

Lewis, S. 1837 A topographical dictionary of Ireland, 2 vols. London. Lewis and Co.

Healy, P. 1975b Third report on monuments and sites of archaeological interest in county Dublin. An Foras Forbartha, Dublin.

White, N.B. 1943 Extents of Irish monastic possessions, 1540-1541. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Skyvova, P. 2005 Fingallian Holy Wells. Fingal County Libraries.