Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

Tobernaplaw/Tobar na Plá (The Well of the Plague): A pool of stagnant water marks the site of this well which formerly consisted of a spring with a small stream flowing S from it (OSNB Kildrum, 32). It lies about 140m to NW of the early church site at Kilfountan (KE043-144002-) but was not considered to be a holy well; tradition maintains that it received its name after it had cured a plague which raged in Corca Dhuibhne (OSL).

Ó Danachair (1960, 77) recorded the following details about this well; ' "Tober na plaw" on 1842 map. "Tobar na Pláighe" - An Seabhac, op. cit. A spring in a marshy field. "Not esteemed a holy well at present, tho' according to tradition it received its name from its having on one occasion cured a plague " - OSL'.

See attached photographs of Tobernaplaw, taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00125/26/27 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16819/39805/39806.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 952. 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

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

Seabhac, An. 1939 Triocha-Céad Chorca Dhuibhne. Dublin.

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.

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.