Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy well
Killala, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Killala
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Toberachrinn
- Latest-edition OS map
- Toberachrinn
- Coordinates
- 54.21007, -9.23365
- SMR number
- MA022-015----
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
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1841 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In pasture, located on a S-facing slope, close to the base of the slope. It is on the course of a natural spring, which is now channelled into a field drain.
This holy well is named ‘Toberachrinn’ on the 1838 and 1929 OS 6-inch maps. A roughly built drystone wall (H 0.4m) encloses a pool (1.1m N–S; 1m E–W) on the E side of the field drain/stream.
According to local information, the well is dedicated to St. Brigid; stations were held still being held there in the first half of the 20th century, and an adjacent hawthorn tree was used as a repository for votive offerings, such as rags, and pennies. A traditional belief associated with the well was that if a fish were seen jumping in the water, then the pilgrim’s request would be granted, however, if the fish merely floated the request would be denied. There is a rath (MA022-014----) 40m to WNW.
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 25 April 2019
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Moundunder 1 mi
- Burial groundunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.