Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Tobernagalt/Tobar na nGealt [Well of the Lunatics/Well of the Naked: Gleann na nGealt has been the traditional resort of mad people since at least the 17th century (De Brún 1973, 197-9). They came to drink the water from 2 wells in the valley and to eat the watercress. This well is situated in an area of dense wood and its location could not be identified on this occasion but it was apparently a natural spring with a rivulet flowing from it (OSNB Kilgobban, 41). Joyce (1869, 161) recorded the following details about this well; 'There are two wells [KE036-071----] in the glen, called Tobernagalt, the lunatics’ well, to which the madmen direct their way, crossing the little stream that flows through the valley, at a spot called Ahagaltaun, the madman’s ford, and passing by Cloghnagalt [KE036-058----], the standing stone of the lunatics; and they drink of the healing waters, and eat some of the tresses that grow on the margin—the water and the cress, and the secret virtue of the valley, will restore the poor wanderers to sanity'.
Ó Danachair (1960, 77) recorded the following details about this well; ‘called "Tobar na nGealt", "Tobar na Geilte" or " Madman's Well" locally. Neither is regarded as a holy well but both held a cure for the lunatics who flocked to Gleann na nGealt, in which they are situated, to drink the water and eat the water-cresses. There are many tales of cures’.
(See also KE036-071---- and KE036-058----)

See attached colour photographs courtesy of Amanda Clarke.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 960. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 16 May 2022

References

Cuppage, J. 1986 Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne.

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.

Joyce, P.W. 1869 The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places. Dublin. McGlashan & Gill.

Ó Danachair, C. 1960 The Holy Wells of Corkaguiney, Co. Kerry. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 67-78.

de Brún, P. 1973 An Early Reference to the Legend of Gleann na nGealt. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society 6, 197-9.