Tobermacduagh

On a SW-facing rise in scrub-covered limestone pavement. Marked and labelled ‘Tobermacduagh’ on both the first (1842) and Cassini (1916) editions of the OS 6-inch maps. The holy well comprises two small limestone solution holes (diams. 0.25-0.3m) enclosed within a low D-shaped, drystone walled well-house (dims. L 3.7m E-W, Wth 3.2m N-S; H 1m) in which a SSW-facing opening (L 0.65m; Wth 0.5m; H 0.3m) gives access to the ‘well’. A wedge-shaped shelf above the ope (L 0.85m; Wth 0.65m) holds an array of votive offerings: when inspected in 1999, these included statues and - strung across the opening to the shelf – a link of 13 BIC lighters. Also present were the tops of whiskey bottles nailed in lines on boards and affixed to boxes, along with c. 20 small egg-sized pebbles. A small U-shaped enclosure abuts the E side of the well-house and the ‘well’ is surrounded by circular ring (diams. 9.5m N-S; 8.6m E-W) of spaced upright slabs (av. dims. L 0.1-0.2m; Wth 0.2-0.2m; H c. 1m), set in grykes. A larger, and later subcircular enclosure (diams. 26.1m E-W; 23.8m N-S) – not recorded on the first edition (1842) of the OS 6-inch map – surrounds the well and is defined by a well-preserved drystone wall (Wth c. 0.5m; H 1.4m), which lacks an obvious entrance gap or stile.   Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Eve Campbell    Date of upload: 22-10-2025

Linked to St. MacDuagh, an early Irish Christian saint associated with several sites in Leinster, the well is traditionally believed to have healing properties, particularly for eye ailments. The name "Tobermacduagh" reflects its dedication to the saint, with "tober" meaning holy well in Irish.