Ritual site - holy well

The National Monuments Service's description

In a verge, at the S side of a lane and c. 40m E of a children's burial ground (KE058-084----). The holy well known as Tobermurry, which is partially covered with overgrowth, consists of a flat kneeling stone with a depression in its upper surface, where water gathers. A U-shaped stone (L 0.48m; H 0.37m) stands upright and inverted on the kneeling stone and forms an arch in front of the depression, the opening (Wth 0.28m; H 0.23m) in the arch giving access to the depression. Several other stones are built up around either side of the arch. Cooke (1906, 10) noted 'an old hawthorn-tree, surrounded by bushes, brambles and ferns' in the immediate vicinity of Tobermurry and a local person recalls that up to the 1960s pieces of black cloth, rosary beads and crosses, made from a nearby bush, hung close to the well but these are no longer evident. 'Tobermurry' was described in the 1940s as 'much venerated' in the neighbourhood and surrounding districts and several cures were attributed to it by those who had made the 'rounds' there (Minutes of the Co. Kerry Field Club). Traditionally, the 'rounds' were made after dark or before daylight on 1st May and 1st August and could commence either here at 'Tobermurry' or at a bullaun stone (KE057-098001-) c. 200m to the W and involved proceeding clockwise around the remains of a possible church (KE058-084001-) in the children's burial ground (KE058-084----) which is situated between the well and the bullaun stone (Minutes of the Co. Kerry Field Club). As part of the 'rounds', pilgrims tied bits of rags on the hawthorn tree and bushes' (Cooke 1906, 10). In the 1940s, the holy well was described as being 'about 6" [0.15m] high and the same in breadth', sited on the ditch under bushes and with a slab of brown sandstone forming its roof (ITA). It was also noted that 'various holy emblems, including crucifixes, pictures, and medallions' hung on the bushes in the vicinity (ITA).

See attached photograph of kneeling stone / possible saddle quern courtesy of Amanda Clarke.

Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork.

Date of upload: 31 January 2011

References

Cooke, J. 1906 Antiquarian remains in the Beaufort district, County Kerry. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26C, 1-14.

Irish Tourist Association. Surveys undertaken in the 1940s for the Irish Tourist Association (now Fáilte Ireland) relating to ‘Natural features, antiquities, historic associations etc.' Extracts from these surveys were copied into the Topographical files of the Office of Public Works and these have been incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record files (National Monuments Service).