Sunday Well — Lisloose

Holy well mentioned in 1940 in the minute book of Co. Kerry Field Club which described the monument as; 'This well is nicely arched over and well kept, it is venerated as a holy well. The party found lying beside some fairly cut architectural stones, some with ogee moulding. These were somewhat of a puzzle as they did not seem to fit in with the surroundings'. Ó Danachair (1958, 163) recorded the following details; 'A well of clear water in a small low rectangular masonry structure, internally five feet by three feet vaulted over with an arch which is partially collapsed and replaced by stone lintels. Formerly much visited for the cure of sore eyes, especially on Sundays between cock-crow and sunrise. Rags, coins and medals were left as offerings. There are no devotions now. Legends: The well sprang up at the grave of a martyred priest. The water will not boil. The landlord tried to pipe the water but it would not flow over the field boundary. The landlord tried to take a carved slab away from Wethers' Well; the bullocks hauling the cart fell down at this place, and the well sprang up'. Folklore collected from Listellick School recorded the following tradition; 'There is a well in Michael Collin's farm of Lisloose called Sunday's Well. In the early Penal Times there was a priest slain there and a beautiful black-thorn tree grew up where he was slain, also a well sprung up called "Sunday's Well", People pay rounds about this well during the month of September. The rounds must be performed between Cock-Crow and the N.B. dawn of the day in order get cured - its waters are reputed for curing sore eyes. When people pay rounds there, they leave something after them, such as a rag, a hair pin, or a few pence. When performing the rounds you must slowly walk around the well saying three rosaries. Long ago there was a cover for the Well and the keys of this cover are inscribed in a stone of the high wall on the right hand side of the Tralee-Abbeydorney Road opposite the well. A rich protestant by the name of Colisands of Oak Park Demesne near the well tried to get water out of this well to his big house by means of a large water pipe, but, the water would not flow any further than the east fence of the field where the well is situated in, he did this during Penal Times (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0442, Page 429;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706337/4704023/4743586)'. Folklore collected from Strand Street School, Tralee, recorded the following tradition; 'There is one holy well in the parish. It is situated on the road to Listellick. People visit the well on Sundays. Rounds are performed there and prayers are said. There was a church near the well in the old days. One Sunday morning the priest was serving Mass to the people. He was captured by English soldiers and shot. The soldiers then took him and buried him. Afterwards a well sprung up where he was buried. This well has nothing to do with a Saint. Many people have been cured of sore eyes. When people go to the well they rub the water to their eyes. There is a tree near the well and when people are coming away they tie strings and medals to it. There is money also driven into the tree' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0439, Page 233;https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706326/4702694/4714042?ChapterID=4706326). Another story collected from Strand Street School, Tralee, recorded the following tradition; ' Sundays well is situated in Listellick. It is a very nice well. People go there on Sundays. They say prayers and in they going away they hang bits of cloth to the tree. There is a story about the well. There people bringing stones down from bullock hill and the stones fell from them and on a Sunday the well sprung up and it is called Sundays well. It is about three hundred years old. There is a tree near the well and a big heap of earth. There is a priest buried there. That is why people go there on a Sunday and pray. A priest is buried there named Rev. Father Murphy' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0439, Page 234; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706326/4702695/4714060?ChapterID=4706326). See attached colour photograph courtesy of Amanda Clarke. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 29 April 2022