St. Marys Well — Tobertown

St Mary's holy well lies in S quadrant of Balscaddan graveyard (DU001-003002-), 20m SSW of medieval church ruins (DU001-003001-). Folklore collected in 1934 from Balscadden National School recorded the following beliefs about St Mary's Well; 'Situated in centre of very ancient graveyard beside this school. Well in hollow beside ruins of ancient Church, which was blown up by Cromwell when he visited this district on his was to Drogheda. Partly covered by briars but had a whitethorn growing on it in olden times. Has a never failing outlet into river on opposite side of road. Depth of well never varies, whether season be v[ery]. dry or v[ery]. wet. Patron Day 15th August. People suffering from sore eyes come wash them in well. V[ery]. many cures locally and even a non-Catholic is reputed have been cured here. Any prayers to our lady sufficient. Water is rubbed over eyes. Not drunk. Often carried away. In olden times pieces of cloth were suspended on white-thorn. This is not done now. It is unknown that any person attempted to prepare water from well. No fish ever seen. From all times there was, and is still, a pilgrimage on 15th Aug. to Balscadden to dress graves in this graveyard and around the well.' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0783, Pages 127-8; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428167/4383165). A second story collected by the same school recorded the following details about the curative powers of the well; 'Our Local well (St Mary's) is still visited by people for washing their sore eyes in the waters. Those who believe in this cure seldom fail to get relief. A rather gruesome cure for the tooth-ache is handed down from olden time. If a person had the nerve to pull a tooth out of a skull found in a grave-yard, and carried this tooth around always that person would never suffer from teeth trouble. The ordeal was to pull the tooth out of the skull with your own teeth' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0783, Pages 163-4;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4428167/4383205/4506927?ChapterID=4428167). Folklore collected from Balrothery School recorded the following tradition; 'There is a holy well near the ruins of the monastery on Hoars land in White Hart, It is called St Mary's well, and people with tooth-ache go to it and dip a rag in it and wash their jaw with it in the name of the father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ad then they tie the rag to a branch of a tree which grows over it, and leaves it there' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0784, Page 89; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4498253/4383805). Holy well described in 1958 as follows; 'enclosed by a masonry wall. Stone steps lead down to well. Still venerated. Patterns held here annually on the 15th of August' (Ó Danachair 1958, 72). Described by Paddy Healy (1975b) as a small well enclosed by masonry in the middle of the burial ground, the water from St Mary's well was not drunk but used to bathe sore eyes. A white bush from which rags overhung the well was gone. Located downslope from the church remains to the south of the graveyard. Currently the well has been 'improved' and is surrounded by a stone wall 'funnel' set in concrete with 5-6 granite steps downwards. The wall measures 2m from the top to the base. A metal grill has been inserted. The well is dry and the base filled with stone and detritus. See attached photos (03/04/05) taken by Caoimhín Ó Danachair, courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F024.06.00136 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16654; F024.06.00137 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30783; F024.06.00138 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/30784. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Update by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 11 April 2023