Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Leataoibh Mór, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Leataoibh Mór
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Toberantappul
- Latest-edition OS map
- Toberantappul
- Coordinates
- 52.16232, -10.35043
- SMR number
- KE042-114----
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 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Toberantappul/Tobar an Chapaill: A spring well situated at the base of the W slopes of Lateevemore. It was formerly esteemed as a holy well and its name is explained by a legend which tells of a man who made the rounds on horseback; both man and beast dropped dead (OSNB Kilmalkedar, 32)
Well described by Ó Danachair (1960, 78) as; '"Tobar an Chapaill" - A strong spring at the base of a fence. Legends which explain the name are : Rounds were made there formerly for the cure of sick horses. A man made the rounds on horseback; both man and horse fell dead. An Englishman, in mockery, brought a blind horse to be cured; the horse was cured and he became blind'.
See attached photographs of Tobar an Chapaill, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00200 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16847; F025.18.00204 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31401.
The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 954. 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: 25 April 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.
Ó Danachair, C. 1960 The Holy Wells of Corkaguiney, Co. Kerry. The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 67-78.
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Moundunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.