Holy Well — Killurly West

Holy Well of Ahachoura/Tobar na hAbha Cumhra: This well is located at the foot of Knocknadobar mountain, to which it gives its name, in the narrow valley that extends S from Coonanna Harbour towards the Ferta river. It comprises a pool, 1.6m in diameter, which is lined by a low wall of coursed stone. The pool is fed by a natural spring, and a lintelled outlet occurs at W. The gravelled bottom of the pool is strewn with modern coins amid which is a slate slab, .28m x .16m, with an incised cross on one face. Standing above the site at E is a cement cross inscribed with 'IHS' and 'St Fursey'. This well is dedicated to St Fursey who, it is locally reputed, was cured of blindness by bathing his eyes in its water (IFC Schools' Collection). It is alternatively called Glaise Chumhra (the fragrant stream), and its water is still reputed to cure eye complaints. It was traditionally visited on the last Sunday of July when a Lughnasa assembly took place on top of Knocknadobar. This was a major religious and festive gathering with singing, dancing and games (MacNeill 1962, 138). In 1885 Stations of the Cross were erected along the route to the mountain top from the holy well. Folklore collected from An Clochar School, Cahersiveen recorded the following tradition; 'There is a blessed well in Clash a Chúmhra on the parish boundary of 'Faille Mhoíre' called the Well of "St. Fursey", a person who is the same for the sun or light of the sun founded this well. It was as if he was riding on the belly of the mountain with a dog as his guide when he felt the water under his feet. The wound of God was that he bowed down and washed his face with water. No sooner had his face washed than he saw the bright light of day for the first time. Then he made a fountain to his delight. Since he was born blind, it is not a matter of the affairs of the well that anyone but a blind person does' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0476, Page 292; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4742132/4738877). See attached colour photographs courtesy of Amanda Clarke. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 1077. 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: 3 May 2022