Tober Patrick

In a natural, lowlying basin of damp, rush-grown ground bordered at NE−SW by the steeply rising slope of a ridge. This holy well is named on the 1838 and 1922 OS 6-inch maps as ‘Tober Patrick’. It consists of a subcircular pool (diam. c. 10-12m; D c. 0.5m) fed by a natural spring. The pool has a mud base and is surrounded by willow scrub. The outflow extends to W and SW, partly flooding the ground for a distance of c. 25-30m SW of the pool. Horsetail plants grow in the pool, and more profusely in the overflow area. A post and wire fence encloses the pool and this adjacent wet area. A fulacht fia (MA040-103----) is located immediately to S of the well. A rath (MA040-070----) crowns a hillock c. 120m to WSW. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 28 February 2019

Linked to St. Patrick, the well is traditionally associated with healing and protection, with pilgrims historically visiting to seek cures for various ailments, particularly skin conditions. The site reflects the widespread veneration of St. Patrick in early Christian Ireland, often connected to the displacement of pagan deities and the Christianization of sacred landscapes.