Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

This is a natural spring well in a hollow at the base of a cliff. No tradition of devotion. (Ó Danachair 1958, 74). Known as Tober Caillin it survives as a slight pooling of water on rocky foreshore. Holy well described in 1975 as a; 'small stream flowing down onto rocky strand. No regular pool but one or two natural hollows. Fragment of wall just above high tide water mark may have been intended to collect water' (Henry A. Wheeler 20/05/1975, SMR File). Folklore collected from Rush School recorded the following tradition about this well; 'There is another well on the South Strand called "Tubber Colleen," (St Mac Cuilín, Lusk) but no saints name connected with it. If a stranger takes a drink out of this well it is said that he will make his home in Rush' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0786, Page 61; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498364/4384286).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 12 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.

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