Tobernasool — Glandahalin East

Marked on the 1842 and 1916 OS maps as 'Tobernasool' (Tobar na Súl - well of the eyes), this is also known as St Brigid's Well. Situation and Description: This well lies 200 yards NE of St Dahalin's Church (KE014-001----). A clear spring in a little hole has been enclosed by a wall and laid out with paths. Bord Failte signposts lead the way to the well. Rounds/Offerings: This well is still visited, especially on the Saturdays before May Day, Midsummer and Michaelmas. Rounds consist of three circuits of the well, during each of which the rosary is said. The well is renowned for the cure of sore eyes. Legends: (a) A trout lives in the well and is seen by those about to be cured, (b) Once the trout was taken away in some water that would not boil; both water and trout were returned to the well, (c) The leader of would-be despoilers of the sanctuary was struck blind by the Reverend Mother of the convent (St Dahalin). On his appealing to her charity, the saint relented and told the victim to go to the nearby well and wash his eyes. On doing so, his sight was restored. In 1841 the Ordnance Survey recorded that; 'In the Townland of Glendaghalin East is situated an old Church in ruins, called Teampall Daithlionn, about three hundred yards from the Shannon and about two miles from Kerry Head point. There is a holy well about one hundred yards Eastward of the ruin called in the Name Book Tobar na Súl, the Well of the Eyes, it’s water, it is said, is dedicated to Saint Daithlionn from whom the Church and Glen in (at) which it is situated were denominated. The festival Day of the Saint is not remembered; the well is frequented on Saturdays by persons troubled with sore eyes' (OSL). Folklore collected from Ballyduff School recorded the following tradition about this well; ‘In Ballyheigue there lived a family called the Crosby and they were Landlords and protestants. In the Crosby's estate there is a place called Glendathlion which stands on the northern shores of Kerry Head on the banks of the Shannon. People for miles around would go to pray there and pay rounds for the eyes. This day one of the Crosby family went to the well and saw people praying. He was only mocking them and caught his fetchdog that had tender eyes and threw it into the well. His hand at that moment became dead and remained so until his death. He was called ever after "(Láimhín)" Crosby' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0415, Page 221; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4666610/4666488/4682618?ChapterID=4666610). Another story collected from Slievawaddra School recorded the following tradition about this well; ‘There is a holy well in Glendallon near Ballyheigue. Here people pay rounds for their eyes and many people are cured. Several stories are told about this well. This is one of them. Long ago monks lived in the old abbey which is near the well. The monks left it and nuns came to live there instead. One day invaders came in from the sea in boats. They were to kill the nuns and destroy the convent. When the Rev. Mother saw them coming she ran to the chapel and began praying that the invaders would go away and leave the nuns in peace. When the invaders touched the land, they got blinded and they were falling and rising around the glen. The nuns took pity on them and they told them if they would go away and leave them alone they would cure them. The invaders promised to do so. The nuns washed their eyes in the water of the well they were cured. They went back to their boats went away and came back no more. That is why the people pay rounds at that well for their eyes' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0416, Pages 013-14; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4678374/4673176/4678750?ChapterID=4678374). Folklore collected from Rathmorrel School recorded the following tradition about this well; ‘Tobar na Súl is situated in Glendahalin on the northern shore of Kerryhead on the bank of the river Shannon. Near it are the ruins of a convent and chapel. It is said that St. Bridget resided for a time in this convent. At the time Carew and Mountjoy were invading Munster some English soldiers came to the convent and were about to burn it to the ground when they were all struck blind. In seeing this the nuns took pity on them and told them to wash their eyes in a holy well nearby. They did so and were instantly cured and that was why the well got the name of Tobar na Súl. It is said that a trout lives in the well and if any one sees this trout and makes a wish it is always granted but very few get the privilege of seeing the trout. Long ago a man by the name of Crosbie a cousin of the local landlord of the place put his dog into the well to catch the trout but the dog leaped out again and went mad. The man shot the dog and went away towards his horse and on the way he himself went mad. He lost his memory began to eat rubbish of all kinds. In this condition he loved for some weeks them died. "Rounds" are paid at this well and people have been known to come from other counties to pay "rounds" there. There have been no known cases of cures at the well during recent years' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417, Pages 017-18; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4678376/4673425/4678795?ChapterID=4678376). Folklore collected from Booleenshare School recorded the following tradition about Glendahalan Well; ‘About three miles north of Ballyheigue Village are the ruins of the old Church named "Teampull Daithlionn". It got its name from Saint Dathalan who spent most of her life praying in a small cabin beside the Church. The Church was built on a hillock. It was eighteen feet long, eleven feet broad, and nine feet high but before the year 1814 the walls fell and there is nothing to be seen now only the ruins of the Church and the Saint's little house. Everyone had heard of Saint Dathalan and the holy life she lived and people used to come to see her Church and tiny house. One night some wayward boys arranged that a number of them would come and upset her, and perhaps hunt her away. Perhaps by the Inspiration of God the Saint knew she was about to be attacked. She at once knelt down and begged of God to protect her from her Invaders. No sooner did she do so, than those heartless, cruel boys were struck blind. Their joy was soon turned into sorrow and they groped their way to the little cabin of the Saint. When they reached it they begged and implored of the Saint to restore their sight. In the little valley below is a well of pure crystal spring water and it is to this well the Saint sent the men who were stricken blind, to wash their eyes in the waters. No sooner did they do so than their sight was restored. Ever since people who are suffering from eye-trouble go to this well and pay "rounds" and wash their eyes in its waters and it is said their eyes are either cured, or improved and this is how it got its name "Tobar na Súile". The old people of the neighbourhood tell a story about the misuse of the waters of the well. A Farmer's wife was very busy one day and as water is rather scarce around there she used the "well-water" as she called it for boiling the potatoes for the dinner. The potatoes were boiling all day and still they were not boiled. The husband came home to his dinner, but the wife could not boil the potatoes. At last the husband asked - "Where did you get the water" and she replied "In the well". "Take it up" he said and put the water from the other well instead on them. She did so and immediately the potatoes were cooked. Even since, no one would use the waters of "Tobar na Súile" for cooking or washing. This story is told by the old people who live beside the well' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0417, Pages 361-3; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4678380/4673770). 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.