Toberruane — Astee West

This well is marked on the 1841-42 and 1914 OS maps as 'Toberruane' (Tobar Eoin). The well is also known locally as St Owen's or St Senan's well. Situation and Description: This well is a small stone-lined pool with some whitethorn bushes overhanging it To the E lie two named forts, Lismoyle (Lios Maol) (156) and Lisheenanouity (Lísin an Ultaigh) (157). Rounds: Nine rounds are made while reciting three rosaries. It is visited on the Saturdays before May Day, Midsummer and Michaelmas. Legends/Offerings: (a) A few residents in the district state that they have seen the blessed trout while paying rounds at the well, (b) The patron saint, surprised at the well by priest hunters, was flown to safety to nearby Cnoc an Fhómhair. (c) A man, wishing to stop pilgrims reaching the well, released a savage bull. The bull ignored the pilgrims, but charged and killed the man. Folklore collected from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition about this well; ‘There is a Holy Well situated about three miles and a half from Ballylongford, in the lands now owned by John Dillane. The well is specially dedicated to Saint Owen. This Holy Well is visited three times during the year, - on the Saturday before May, the Saturday before Saint John's Day, and the Saturday before Michaelmas Day. The well is supposed to cure sore eyes, rheumatism, and sore ears. When the people go to the well to be cured, they take a sup of the water three times, and drink it, and then they pay nine rounds around the well saying three Rosaries. The well is situated on the side of a hill, with furze bushes around it. There is a little stream flowing from the well, in which people wash the diseased part. When people go to the well to be cured they leave some token there after them' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0402, Pages 073-4;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666580/4663713/4666985?ChapterID=4666580). A second story collected by Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition; 'There is another well in Asdee [Astee] in the land of John Dillon, and it is known as Saint Owen's well. Long ago, a very bad Catholic lived near this well and he had a wicked bull in his possession. He let out this bull around the holy well every day so as to keep the people from visiting the well. People were afraid at first but at last they got courage. They went to the well and the bull did not touch them. This man had not much luck, for three evenings after, the bull pounced upon him and killed him. People go to this well and if they are cured they leave pieces of cloth in thanksgiving' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0402, Pages 075-6;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666580/4663715). The following folklore collected from Astee School recorded that; 'There is one holy well in the parish. Its name is Tobar Naomh Eóin [St. John's Well]. It is in the townland of Asdee [Astee]. The field in which it is situated belongs to John Dillon. People still visit the well on certain days - the Saturday before May-day, the first Saturday in May and before St. John's day. Rounds are performed and prayers said. You should go round the well three times and say a rosary while you are going around. This should be done three times. There is a story told about the well. Story. One day as St. Eóin was saying Mass by the well the priest hunters came along. The people got afraid but St. Eóin told them not to be afraid and when he had Mass finished he mounted his horse and the horse rose up into the air and came down on top of Cnoc an Áir [Knockanore]. People have been cured at the well. The well is speciall recommended for the cure of sore eyes. Invalids and people generally drink the well-water. They never bathe in the well but they rub it to the affected part. Relics are left behind - pieces of strings, medals, and holy pictures' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Pages 038-9;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666582/4663889). Another story collected by Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition about this well known locally as Saint Senan's Well; 'There is a well in Asdee called "Saint Senan's Well". The well is visited by people every year. They leave pieces of cloth on a bush which is growing beside the well. The water of the well is good for curing rheumatism' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 103;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666583/4663954). In 1938 the following folklore collected from Ballylongford School recorded the following tradition about this well, referred to as Saint Luke's Well; 'A few nights ago I heard an old man telling about "Saint Luke's well" in Asdee. He said there is a cure in the water and he told us how they found it out. One day a man who was blind in one eye went to the well and started to do the rounds. When he had the rounds finished he washed his eye with the water from the well. After a while the eye was cured and when he opened his eye he saw the lump that was in it swimming in the water, and after a while a fish came to the top of he water and carried the lump away with him. Every year the people go to the well and bring a bottle of water with them' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 104; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666583/4663955). Folklore collected from Leanamore School recorded the following tradition about this well; ‘There is a well in Asdee with a little bush growing near it. Every time the people go there, they put a rosary bead upon the bush or a scapular or other holy thing' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 169; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666584/4664020). Folklore collected from Reenturk School recorded the following tradition about this well; 'There is a holy well in Asdee, "St. Senan's Well". The water in the well is as cold as ice in the warmest weather. There are prayers to be said, they consist of three Rosaries. While saying the prayers you must go round the well 9 times. The water of the well is specially for the eyes. People who pay rounds usually leave a medal, holy picture near the well. Some people leave a bit of string any colour or a tassel of a shawl. The rounds are paid on Saturdays but there are two special days the Saturday before May day and the Saturday before November day' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0403, Page 219; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666586/4664070/4668197?ChapterID=4666586). See attached photographs of holy well courtesy of Amanda Clarke. The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 879. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O’Brien Date of revised upload: 17 May 2022