Tober Kevna

Located in a thicket of blackthorn in rough wet pasture, bordered to SW by a field drain. This holy well is named ‘Tober Kevna’ on the 1838 and 1919 OS 6-inch maps. A drystone wall (Wth 0.5m; H 0.8m) encloses a roughly circular space (2.5m NE–SW; 2.8m NW–SE), which is roughly paved with flat stone slabs. In the centre of the paving is a roughly square hole (max. dim. 0.5m; D 0.4m) which must have been source of the spring, but was dry at the time of visit. A gap (Wth 0.8m) in the enclosing wall at SW allows access to the well. Immediately adjacent at SE, and partly obscured by overgrowth, are two roughly-built cairns/penitential stations. The most southerly (MA080-014004-) is circular in plan with a pillar-like appearance (diam. 0.8m; H 1.1m). Immediately to N of this, the second cairn (MA080-014003) appears to have been of a similar size and appearance but is now partly tumbled. There is no visible trace of a cross (MA080-014002-) which is shown immediately to S of the well on the 1838 OS 6-inch map, and is indicated as ‘Cross (Site of)’ on the 1919 edition. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 25 November 2021

Tober Kevna is traditionally associated with Saint Kevin, a 6th-century Irish abbot and hermit known for his asceticism and patronage of Glendalough. Holy wells named after Saint Kevin often feature rituals for healing and protection, with devotees collecting water for blessings or curing ailments, particularly those of the eyes and skin.