Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

At the E edge of a rocky hillock in undulating grassland. Named ‘Toberlauva’ on the 1838 and 1915 editions of the OS 6-inch maps. On inspection in August 1991 this spring well was surrounded by a U-shaped drystone wall (c. 0.9m N-S; c. 0.8m E-W), which was set flush with ground surface and opened to the E. A number of votive offerings, including horseshoes, religious medals and statuettes, were visible on a dead tree trunk that overlay it. Votive offerings were also tied to a tree to the S of the well. According to local information, stations still took place around the well but no clearly defined pathway was evident. The well was subsequently restored as part of a Social Employment Scheme and on a revisit in September 1992 a number of changes were evident. A mortared stone wall, built on the original drystone wall, surrounded it. The dead tree trunk had been removed the votive offerings that had been on it were removed and replaced on the mortared wall. A gravel pathway surrounded the well and an unsurfaced pathway accessed it from the N. The well is believed to cure ailments of the hand (McNamara and Madden n.d., 44-5).

Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG

Date of upload: 18 January 2023