The Holy Girl & the Wayward Boys: St Dahalin’s Well, Kerry Head

 Once upon a time there was a holy girl who founded a small religious cell for women on the green slopes of Kerry Head. Here she passed her time in contemplation and general goodness. Some wayward boys decided to cause havoc and set out to either abduct her or make mischief. The holy girl was gifted with foresight and as the mischief makers approached, caused them to go blind. They were distraught and begged her to give them back their sight. Being a kind and forgiving girl she agreed, on one condition that they would leave her and her women alone.  The wayward boys agreed and the holy girl made a scoop in the earth and a spring gushed forth. The wayward boys washed their eyes and their sight was restored. True to their word, and the lesson learnt, they left the holy girl in peace from that day on. The well became famous for curing sore eyes and is known as Tobar na Súl, Well of the Eyes.

A surprising number of versions of this story appear in the Schools’ Folklore Collection. The holy girl was St Dalahin (spelled in a huge variety of ways, I’m going for the easiest) but sometimes she is referred to as an Abbess, accompanied by a group of women. The wayward boys also are described in many forms: Normans, Vikings, Cromwellians, pirates and even specifically as Carew and Mountjoy’s men. Other accounts place the story in Penal Times. In some versions the boys were just being bold, in others their intent was to abduct and harm the saint.

This is my favourite description:

About three miles north of Ballyheigue Village are the ruins of an an old church named Teampaill Daithleann (?). It got its name from Saint Daithleann (?) who spent most of her time praying in a small cabin beside the church. The church was built on a hillock. It was eighteen feet long, eleven feet broad and nine feet high, but before the year 1814 the walls fell and there is nothing to be seen now only the ruins of the church and the saint’s little house. Everyone had heard of St Daithleann and the holy life she lived and everyone used to come to see her church and tiny house. One night some wayward boys arranged that a number of them would come and upset her, and perhaps hunt her away. Perhaps by inspiration of God, the saint knew she was about to be attacked. She at once knelt down and begged of God to protect her from her invaders. The sooner did she do so, than those cruel heartless boys were stuck blind. Their joy was turned into sorrow and they groped their way to the little cabin of the saint. When they reached it they begged and implored of the saint to restore their sight. In a little vallery below is a well of pure crystal spring water and it is to this well the saint sent the men who were stricken blind, to wash their eyes in its waters. No sooner did they do so than their sight was restored. Ever since people who are suffering from eye troubles go to this well and pay rounds and wash their eyes in its waters and it is said their eyes are either cured or improved, and this is how it got its name Tobar na Suile.

St Dahalin’s Well, Tobar na Súl

St Dahalin’s Well or Tobar na Súl is a few kilometres from St Erc’s well visited in the last blog and there are more connections for St Erc is said to be St Dahalin’s brother. The route looked torturous on the map, ending up on one of those roads which is marked grey, never a promising sign in my experience. Our host, Richard, assured us that, yes, the road was small and winding but we would be grand and that there was a parking spot at the very bottom so no cause for alarm. We decided to trust him and ventured forth. The roads were small enough, the views sublime and the well was even signed.

The final descent was very steep but, as Richard had assured us, there was a spacious and not too damp parking area. Instantly we attracted the attention of the keeper of the well, a large and friendly dog. He’d obviously been waiting for days for someone to visit the well and was thrilled to see us. He lead the way with authority. Interesting that a dog was there to greet us, as will be seen later.

The well is approached through a metal gate surmounted by a cross, the adjoining walls painted a jaunty custard yellow.

The area was restored in the early 1980s mainly thanks to the Reverend  Jerry Kirby. The Kerryman was there to record the event:

They may not have flocked in their hundreds to Tobar na Suil (St Daithleann’s Holy Well) a few miles outside Ballyheigue in June 1982 but there was no doubting the pride of the locals who made their way to this place of pilgrimage. The day of celebration was the Feast Day of St Daithleann, the patron saint of the Well and it was indeed a day of celebration for the many local people who have worked so hard restoring this area, building a road and erecting a plaque, kneeler and seats for those who went to pray there. Last year [1981] the local people under the direction of the Ballyheigue Race Committee decided to restore the well and make it accessible to members of the public. They have through voluntary labour and in many cases through the donation of materials, managed to develop it and now they plan to tar the approach road and sometime in the not-too-distant future to have Stations of the Cross erected there. Local people who came to honour St. Daithleann at the Well were only too anxious to speak of the traditions of the area and the legends attached to the Well. Mrs Rita Nelligan pointed out the ruins of St. Daithleann’s Convent on a hill beside the Well and told how when the nunnery was attacked, the saint struck the attackers blind and later told them that if they washed their eyes in the local well they would recover their eyesight. (The Kerryman, Archives – June 1982)

The site remains beautifully kept, a gentle green slope with gravelled pathways and decorative shrubs, with big views out towards the sea.

The well is tucked up against the incline of the slope, and includes an altar, handy bench and  an exuberant flowering rose bush at its head.

Behind the rose bush is a crucifix and a plaque which informs:

This well is named after St Dahillan, who is reputed to have stricken blind would-be despoilers of her convent. On undertaking to decease their molestations, she told them that to regain their eyesight they were to bathe their eyes in the well. They did so and their sight was restored. According to tradition the well still retains this miraculous quality.

The well is a clear spring emerging from below ground and is encircled by large rocky slabs. One entry from the Schools’ Folklore Collection describes how the saint:

… went over to a rock and tipped it and water came out of it. (SFC: 185a: 0415)

Others refer to the saint scooping out a hollow with her hands whilst some claim that the well was already in existence. All agree that the water held miraculous powers.

The water is fresh and abundant if leaf strewn and holds a cure for sore eyes. Ladles are provided should you wish to partake.

The water of course should never be used for domestic purposes but there is always someone who thinks otherwise and regrets it:

The old people of the neighbourhood, tell a story about the misuse of the waters of the well. A farmer’s wife was very busy one day and as water is rather scarce round there, she used the ‘well water’ as she called it, for boiling the potatoes for the dinner. The potatoes were boiling all day and still they were not boiled. The husband came home to his dinner, but the wife could not boil the potatoes. At last the husband asked: ‘where did you get the water’, and she replied ‘in the well’. ‘Take it up’, he said, ‘and put the water from the other well on them instead’. She did so and immediately the potatoes were cooked. Ever since, no one would use the water of Tobar na Suile for cooking or washing. (SFC: 360-363: 0417)

A trout, or possibly a salmon, lives in the well:

It is said that a trout lives in the well and if anyone see this trout and makes a wish, it is always granted but very few get the privilege of seeing the trout. (SFC017:0417)

The trout is connected to another extraordinary story and as usual there are several versions:

Long ago there lived in Ballyheigue a well known man called Crosbie. He was one of the Cromwellian soldiers who helped conquer Ireland, and for that reason he got the largest tract of land in Ballyheigue and became landlord of the whole parish. He was a Protestant and despise the poor, downtrodden people of this place. He heard of Tobar na Suil  but he did not believe there was any cure in its waters. One day he took out his three dogs and went in the direction of the well more to scoff than to pray. When he reached the well, with contempt, he threw one of his dogs into it. No sooner did he do so than it  began to howl and to scream and he had to pull it out again. When he did so it swelled up and died almost immediately.  He tried the second dog and the third dog and all three met with the same fate. When the three dogs lay at his feet he began to bark and howl like a dog himself, and he went round the country like this until the day of his death. It is said that from that day to this a Crosbie never again interfere with a holy well or a Catholic church, and the people said they would never refuse a priest any request. (SFC:366-368:0417)

Laimhín Crosby, as he is called in another version, was obviously a bit of a slow learner. The Crosby/Crosbie family were initially given their lands by Elizabeth1 and became major landowners in Kerry. They built Ballyheigue Castle in 1809, which was destroyed by the IRA during the War of Independence In the 1920s and whose gaunt shell makes an atmospheric backdrop for the current owners, Castle Golf Club. The dogs (or possibly only one dog) were Kerry Blue, according to Bryan MacMahon in his book Ballyheigue: Our Christian Heritage. Another story says that a dog was put into the well to catch the trout, with equally bad results for its master. Our dog who joined us for the visit was unconcerned by trout and remained in rude health.

And just one other odd fish story:

Glendathalion Well is situated about two miles from Ballyheigue. Long ago people often used to visit this well and they saw small fishes jumping in the water. At this time a man called Cantillon lived in Ballyheigue and like many others he tried to catch the fish. At Last he succeeded in doing so and took one of the fishes from the water but what a surprise and shock his friends got the following day when they found he had completely lost his sight. People go to this well now on Fridays for a cure for the eyes. (SFC:224:0417)

The eye connection continues, the fish have multiplied and another well known Ballyheigue figure is brought into the folklore – Richard Cantillon: an entrepreneur and economist who amassed great wealth in the early eighteenth century through buying the MIssissippi Company; who may have been murdered or who may have staged his own death to get out of financial difficulties brought on by the spectacular collapse of his business. A fascinating story in itself but there’s no mention of him ending up blind.

The water flows off downwards in a watercress filled channel and eventually joins a stream.

Traditionally the well is visited on a Friday or Saturday. The saint’s feast day is the 4th June and other popular times for visiting included May Day, midsummer and Michaelmas. Three rounds of the well are required whilst reciting the rosary:

It is the usual custom for people to drink the well water and sometimes they rub it to the affected part. People always leave something at the well after them, such as money, holy pictures, medals and other holy things. (SFC:190: 0147)

A Mass is still held here on St Dahalin’s Feast Day when the altar, part of the restoration programme, is used.

The site may have been used as a cilleen in the past. The scant remains of St Dahalin’s church or cell lurk in the undergrowth just across the bridge from the main site but we were unable to penetrate the dense fuchsia and bracken. The area remains known as Glendahlin – St Dahalin’s Glen. It’s a lovely spot, well worth a visit.

The location of this well can be found in the Gazetteer.