Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Tobernagrann (well of the trees) described in 1958 as 'now dried up; the spring breaks out lower down the slope. Still known as the site of a holy well' (Ó Danachair 1958, 154, 163).
Folklore collected by Hannah Reidy a pupil of Ballymacelligott school recorded the following tradition about this well ; 'Crann an Tobair (or Tobar na gCeann) in Ballincullig at John Leen's. There were no rounds there for generations. Everyone passing by leaves some rag on bush. A girl will even leave the tassel of her shawl if she has nothing else. It is called "Crann an Tobair" (tree of the well) by the people. Sappers called it Tobar na Gean (pronounced as Irish word) - Said to be so named in maps. There were plenty rags in the whitethorn tree at the well in olden times. (?) closed it in 1915, and made a drain from it but he was later glad to re-open it. Would "Crannn an Tobair" be "Coroin an Tobair" '(The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0444, Pages 006-7; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706341/4704238).
Holy well described by O'Hare (2000, 60-1) as; 'situated in an area of pasture which slopes to the south-west. The land rises steeply uphill to Ballincollig Hill on the east, while the site commands a fine view over Tralee town and Bay to the south-west. The well was closed in 1915 and a drain made from it. However the landowner was later "glad to re-open it". The well was locally called Tobairín. A small shallow depression (c. 5m south-east/north-west, 4m north-east/south-west), over which a whitethorn tree has spread, is said to mark the site of the well. The depression was almost dry when visited by the author. However a a small trickle of water flowed down slope in a westerly direction, its progress clearly marked by the rush growth which accompanied it. The area is said to be very wet during the winter months. The present landowner recalled a high earthen bank which formally stood immediately north-east of the depression. This, local people believed, might once have served as an altar. The landowner was unaware of any saint or cures associated with the well. However, he did recall having seen rags tied to the whitethorn tree forty or fifty years ago'.

See attached photographs of Tobernagran, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00254 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16866; F025.18.00255 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31365.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 25 April 2022

References

O'Hare, P. 2000 Holy wells and other sites of pilgrimage within a portion of East Kerry. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society 29, 55-98.

Ó Danachair, C. 1958 The Holy Wells of North County Kerry. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 88, 153-63.