History of Tobernalt

The history of Tobernalt Holy Well predates the advent of Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. It is a natural spring well that established itself in a primeval forest.

When the Celts settled, Tobernalt quickly became the main area where the festival of Lughanasa, the harvest festival, was celebrated. Along with St Patrick bringing the Christian dimension to Tobernalt, the festival of Lughnasa also became Christianised and came to be called Garland Sunday.
 

The custom of visiting the Holy Well on Garland Sunday (the last Sunday in July) and doing the traditional Station there has been in existence for many years past. At some stage in the middle of the last century mass began to form part of the devotional exercises. Historians seem to be agreed on the fact that mass was frequently said at this shrine during Penal times.

In 1914, Very Rev. B.J. Crehan was given permission by the owner of the property to enclose a space immediately surrounding the well. The layout of the enclosure was the work of Mr. R.J. Kirwan, and cut stone crosses were erected at intervals to indicate the various Stations of the Cross. The ancient altar was remodelled and a Calvary and a Lourdes Grotto were added. It is believed that stones taken from the shores of Lough Gill were used to build the altar. This altar was irreparably damaged by a falling tree during a severe storm in 1955. A new altar was designed and built by the people of the district and the small enclosure was considerably improved.

As with many of the holy wells around the country, the water at Tobernalt is also reputed to have curative powers. Amongst the more unusual powers attributed to the water at Tobernalt is that it has the power to increase the skill of football players!

St. Patrick and Tobernalt

What makes Tobernalt different from many other holy wells around Ireland is that it does not bear the name of any of the saints associated with early Christian Ireland. Although it has traditionally been associated with St. Patrick, it has never been referred to as "St. Patrick's Well".

However, the mark of St. Patrick is indelibly on the area known locally as the "Holy Well". It is without doubt that the pagan people celebrated the festival of Lughnasa in the area of the well, and it is more than probable that St. Patrick continued to use the area of the well to assemble and baptise Christians from the locality.

It is also believed that the fingerprints of St. Patrick can be found in one of the stones of the mass rock. Tradition holds that pilgrims who place their fingers into the fingerprints of St. Patrick on the mass rock will have their petitions answered.

Penal Cross

Many improvements have taken place to Tobernalt over the years. A surrounding wall has been built, an altar erected, a scene depicting Calvary, a scene depicting the apparitions at Lourdes and a grotto to St. Anne have also been erected. Taking prominence in the centre of the altar is a replica of a penal cross, believed to be of Dominican origin, an order which has strong historical links with Sligo. The decoration of the cross is intricate and it bears many of the emblems associated with the Crucifixion - the hammer, nails, ladder, spear, flail and Peter's betrayal of the Lord is also depicted with the inclusion of the cock and the pot at the base of the cross.

Customs of the Holy Well

"A peasant always approaches a holy well on the north side, and moves from east to west in imitation of the diurnal motion of the sun; a corpse should be carried to its last resting place, a bride approach her husband, and the glass circulate around the festive board in the same manner, such being the right or lucky way, and the opposite being the wrong or the unlucky way.

At the proper season can still be seen devotees making their tour round the well of Tubbernalt which is situated on the shore of Lough Gill, not far from the town of Sligo. The spring is encircled by a wall of rude masonry, access to it being given by a few uneven steps. Against the overhanging alt or cliff is built an altar seemingly of modern construction, and below the spring there is another.

Fragments of cakes, pins, nails &c., may be seen in the well at certain periods. The locality is at all times festooned with many coloured rags - red, blue, green, white, black, and other coloured ribbons tied up to denote a finale to the round and prayers. This custom may be considered universal, as it is found all over Europe and throughout parts of Asia, Africa and even America."

An extract from "History of Sligo"

by W. G. Woodmartin, Vol. III, 1892, p.358