Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
An Ghairfeanaigh, County Kerry, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- An Ghairfeanaigh
- County
- Kerry
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Toberaroon
- Latest-edition OS map
- Toberaroon
- Coordinates
- 52.14302, -10.23353
- SMR number
- KE043-233----
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Toberaroon/Tobar an Rúin (well of the secret) and Tobar Ghobnait: The field in which this well was located has been reclaimed and the spring is no longer evident. The well was still being visited on Easter Sunday until at least 1960 (Ó Danachair 1960, 73). A recent inspection by Amanda Clarke who described the site as situated; 'in a dense willow copse, is a small clear spring flowing out into the stream' (pers. comm. Amanda Clarke 31/10/2022).
See attached photographs of Toberaroon, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00298 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16885; F025.18.00299 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/31339.
See attached colour photographs of spring well courtesy of Amanda Clarke
The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 936. 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: 1 November 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.
Cuppage, J. 1986 Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne.
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Fulacht fiaunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Holed stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.