Sunday’s Well, Tobar Rí and Domhnaigh (Photo from Amanda Clarke)
2 Townland, County, GPS
Ballybunion, County Kerry
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
Sunday's Well is beachside of a cliff and has no distinct features of a typical well. It is possible that the well is gone now, but possible stone remnants are visible on the side of the cliff. There is a small stream that comes from the side of the cliff
7 Prayer rounds and stations
In a previous account of the well rounds were paid, but there is no accessible well anymore.
8 Stories
According to the Schools' Folklore Collection there was a woman who washed clothes in the holy well on a Saturday night and on that Sunday morning the well moved to the opposite side of the road.
Sundays Well, Tobereendoney, (Corrin). Dedicated to the King of Sunday
2 Townland, County, GPS
Corrin, Co. Cork
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
In 1849 this well was described as: a beautiful limpid fountain, open and uncovered, save by three large old whitethorns one of which was thickly endowed with votive rags. It is called Sunday’s Well and rounds are performed at it every Sunday morning’. (Windele, 1898)
However, by the time the Archaeological Inventory team visited it in 2009 it was described as an: overgrown depression contains stagnant water.”
Amanda Clarke noted in her holy well blog that her hopes for the well were not high when her "GPS lead me to an industrial looking area almost underneath the motorway... I was also delighted to see the well – a distinct circle in an otherwise flat and ploughed field. . . . On closer inspection, the well was obviously recently constructed with no sign of any pool, limpid or stagnant. Instead the stone walling went several metres underground. The well was dry but nicely if plainly constructed.” (Clarke, 2018, https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/2018/10/15/motorway-madness-9-possible-wells-off-the-m8/)
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
This well lies on the estate of the Toberdoney House, in a soft grassy area under a big ash tree. According to the author, the well is best visited in the dormant season, "before the grass, the nettles, and other vigorous weeds take over." The roots of the tree form a beehive-like well-house. A large stone, inscribed with the letters "SH OC 1788" and "TH 1700," serves as a water stop. (Connolly and Moroney, 1998).
4 Cure
No specific cures are mentioned, but it is mentioned that pieces of cloth and clothing used to be tied to the tree, suggesting a hope for cures (Connolly and Moroney, 1998), (Conlon, 1999).
5 Pattern day
Though a thing of the past, it is said that in the early nineteenth century, large crowds gathered on the feast day of the patron saint (which is unclear, as the well used to be called "The Lord's Well" or "Sunday's Well"). Sporting events are said to have occurred (Moroney and Connolly, 1998).
6 Offerings
Pieces of cloth are mentioned; they were tied to the big ash tree (Connolly and Moroney, 1998), (Conlon, 1999).
7 Prayer rounds and stations
In 1835, the Townland Name Book records the well as "a place frequented for ablutions of Stations by the Vulgar" (Conlon, 1998).
9 Publications
"The Holy Wells of County Louth" Larry Conlon (1999)
"Stone and Tree Sheltering Waters: An Exploration of Sacred and Secular Wells in County Louth" Susan Connolly and Anne-Maire Moroney (1998)
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
It is in boggy ground but the water continuously bubbles up, the excess water flows into a nearby stream.
4 Cure
The water cures asthma and other chest ailments. Part of the cure involves leaving something tied to a nearby thorn bush, and when it decays the ailment should be cured. If someone removes an item from the well site, they will receive the disease that the item was intended to cure.
5 Pattern day
It was celebrated on August 15th, although generally it is not now (although it may still be visited).
6 Offerings
Items left are mostly pieces of cloth such as clothing that are tied to a nearby thorn bush, other items like coins are also thrown in the well.
9 Publications
"The Holy Wells of County Louth" by Larry Conlon, 1999. Pg. 466-467: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27729850?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
"The Schools' Collection", Volume 0668, pg 381: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5008848/4960954/5077826
Sunday’s Well, Tobar Ri an Domhnaigh. The well is recorded as being a Sunday’s Well, but it now seems to be dedicated to St. Finbarr.
2 Townland, County, GPS
Cloonshear Beg, County Cork
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
Amanda Clarke notes that the restored well is active and still revered. The well house is built into a bank and is constructed out of mossy large stones. The water is fresh and clear and contained in a rectangular basin. The water seeps out over a flat stone and trickles down into the nearby river. Offerings are pressed into the moss. Cups are on-site for drinking the well waters.
4 Cure
General curing properties.
5 Pattern day
September 25th
6 Offerings
religious statues and rosary beads are left at the well but there is also a pair of scales.
9 Publications
Clarke, Amanda. "Gazetteer." Holy Wells of Cork. Accessed November 4th, 2018. https://holywellsofcork.com/gazeteer/.
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
The wells are paved in a roughly octagonal shape approached by two steps down; empty niches lie in the surrounding curved walls.
4 Cure
tooth ache, earache and general ailments of the head.
5 Pattern day
August 15
6 Offerings
statues, flowers, candles, the votives are left on a shelf on the well
8 Stories
It will not boil, and is said to assume certain shades and volumes, each change indicating a cure or the likelihood of some disaster occurring in the neighborhood. The water of the well beneath the Mass arch is only used to obtain cures.
9 Publications
Clarke, Amanda. "Gazetteer." Holy Wells of Cork. Accessed November 31, 2018. https://holywellsofcork.com/gazeteer/.
Power, D., Byrne, E., Egan, U., Lane, S., & Sleeman, M. (n.d.). Archaeological Inventory of County Cork (Vol. 3, Mid cork).
3 Physical description of well and its surroundings
Well is located by St. Sylvester’s Roman Catholic Church, the well is round in shape with a pointed top, the well appears to be made of stone, the there appears to be openings on each side of the structure
4 Cure
Known for its medicinal properties and water is reported to have cured a wide range of diseases and ailments
5 Pattern day
August 15th
6 Offerings
Eel was placed into the well until the 1890’s in order to purify its waters, Virgin Mary statues placed at well
7 Prayer rounds and stations
Approached from the North side and then move east to west
8 Stories
Well is sometimes referred to by locals as the “Sunday well”, from the fact that the water was said to have first appeared on a Sunday.