What is recorded here

St Tolas Well is a small spring in County Clare where people walked stations on 30 March, the day tradition marks as the death of Tola, Bishop of Clonard. The water still moves through a cut in the rock, but the field gives little else away. What is missing is as telling as what remains: no altar, no marker, no certain memory of the hands that first drank from it.

In the SE corner of a field E of Dysert O’Dea church (CL025-091001-) and 240m SE of the high cross of St Tola (CL025-091094----). St Tola’s well or Tobar Bhanala. Stations were held here on the feast of St Tola, 30 March, for on that day in 734 ‘Tola died Bishop of Clonard’ (Swinfen 1992, 23). A circular spring well (2.2m N-S; 1.8m E-W) at the base of a S-facing rock outcrop with a stream proceeding S through a channel in the rock. There is no evidence of veneration. Westropp (1900-02, 141) noted that a double bullaun (CL025-097001-), extant in 1839, was not discoverable. Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 6 September 2017

St Tolas Well is associated with St Tola, a 7th-century Irish saint known for his asceticism and connection to the Burren region. The well was traditionally visited on his feast day, 30 March, for healing and spiritual purposes, with local pilgrimages and stations held at the site.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.