What is recorded here

Tobercaillin Holy Well sits on a rocky Galway hillslope overlooking the sea, marked by a low circular stone wall around a natural spring. People still lay small offerings beside a modern cross and walk seven rounds through nearby stone settings on the saint's day in November. The water rises uninvited beneath a sky wide enough to drown small worries, while the ancient stones wait patiently for bodies tired of carrying them.

On a rocky hillslope close to the td. boundary and overlooking seashore to S. This well, correctly Tobar Cáillín, was noted by O'Flaherty in 1684 (Hardiman 1846, 110). It consists of a natural spring delimited by a low circular dry stone wall (1m by 0.8m), opening towards W. A small modern cross and some offerings bedeck the well. Immediately to SW is a penitential station: a subcircular setting of stones (3.5m by 3m) with a small cairn (H 0.3m) in W quadrant. Circa 20m to NNE is another setting of stones, oval in plan (5m by 3m), which is known as St Cáillín's Bed. Its grassy interior is littered with small pebbles used during the rounds, seven of which are made at this and the other penitential stations on 13th November, the saint's day. (O'Flanagan 1927a, Vol. 3, 99-101; Killanin 1954, 94) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

Tobercaillin Holy Well is associated with Saint Cáillin, a female saint of early Irish Christianity, and was historically visited for its supposed healing properties, particularly for women's ailments. The well's long history of veneration is evidenced by its mention in 1684 by O'Flaherty, indicating its significance in both religious and folk traditions.

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