What is recorded here

Toberkieran is a holy well in County Galway where clear water still rises into a stone basin beneath modern railings. People walked downslope from the nearby church to gather at the spring on the 9th of September, believing the water carried the presence of Chiaran. The well may have marked a boundary between the ordinary village and a older, hidden world, yet it remained practical enough for washing, drinking and remembering.

Some 195m N of and downslope from a church (GA077-016----). Known locally as Tobar Chiaráin, it consists of a natural spring in a fine stone-revetted basin, now surmounted by concrete and railings. Frequented on 9th September, the saint's day. (Robinson 1985, 55; O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 115, 125; Killanin 1954, 103) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

Linked to Saint Kieran (Ciarán), a 6th-century Irish monk and founder of the monastery at Clonmacnoise, the well is traditionally associated with cures for eye ailments and general healing. The site was frequented on 9th September, likely coinciding with the saint's feast day, when pilgrims would visit to collect and drink or bathe in the holy water.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.