Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Kilmoylan Lower, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kilmoylan Lower
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Toberfantan
- Latest-edition OS map
- Toberfantan
- Coordinates
- 52.60387, -8.25176
- SMR number
- LI016-008----
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
Ó Danachair (1955, 205) recorded the following details about this holy well; ‘Toberfantan on 1840 map. A clear spring well about three feet in diameter in a grove of trees in Doon village. No devotions now, but formerly had a day of devotion on 3rd January, the feast of the patron, St Fintan of Dun Bleisce (Doon). Legend: The well moved when clothes were washed in it'. The following folklore was recorded from Doon National School about St. Fintan's Well; 'There are many wells around Doon. St. Fintan's well is situated at the side of the Barrack. Some years ago it was situated in Bottlehill a strange thing happened there, a woman washed clothes in it and it removed down to the side of the barrack' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0519, Page 256; accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922081/4850591).
See attached photos taken in 1954 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.21.00273 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/17022 and F025.21.00274 accessible online at www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/24553.
Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 30 September 2020
References
Ó Danachair, C. 1955 The Holy Wells of County Limerick Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 85, 193-217
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.