Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Corbally, County Dublin, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Corbally
- County
- Dublin
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.27123, -6.41514
- SMR number
- DU021-051----
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
St Moling's Well in the parish of Tallaght is a natural spring well which lies in a marshy hollow. It is dedicated to St. Moling (Ó Danachair 1958, 85). The OS Letters describe it as a blessed well called Tobar Moling beside a burying ground which had been in use up to the 1830's (O'Flanagan 1927, 39). No longer venerated.
Folklore collected from Saggart School recorded the following details about this well; 'There are three holy wells near the village of Saggart. These are called St. Patrick's Well [DU021-045----], Tobar Seanáin [DU021-043----] and Tobar Moling [DU021-051----]. Tobar Moling is situated in the townland of Saggart. It is situated in a field owned by Mr. Shield. People who visited it long ago and those who were cured often left medals and bandages at it' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Pages 3-4; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386277). Folklore collected from this school stated that; 'Tobar Moling is in the townland of Corballas. It is in Chields field. The water in it is still clear and it is used for household purposes. People do not go visiting it now' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Page 33; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386297).
Another story collected in 1938 from Saggart School about this well recorded that; 'Holy wells are to be found in many parts of the country, but there are three particular wells near the village of Saggart. They are known as, Saint Patrick's Well, Tobar Seanáin and Tobar Moling. Tobar Moling is about half an hours walk from Saggart. It is in a field which is owned by Mr. Childes. In the well there is a cure for many diseases. Many of the people that were cured in the well left the old bandage on the branches of an old tree which is growing near the well' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0793, Pages 53-4; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428211/4386320)
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 20 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.
Herity, M. (ed.) 2001 Ordnance Survey Letters: Dublin. Dublin. Four Masters Press.
Nearby in the register
- Standing stoneunder 1 mi
- Linear earthworkunder 1 mi
- Cistunder 1 mi
- Barrow - ring-barrowunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.