Toberlaughteen, Toberlaghteen, Tobar Laictín, Kilnamona

Toberlaughteen, Kilnamona

James Feeney

Toberlaughteen, Kilnamona

James Feeney

Toberlaughteen, Kilnamona

James Feeney

Toberlaughteen, Kilnamona

James Feeney

Toberlaughteen, Kilnamona

James Feeney

Townland: Kilnamona Townland, Kilnamona

Description of Holy Well and Landscape Setting

Toberlaghteen is the first of two wells lying to the south of Kilnamona’s 15th century church. The well is now lost in a pile of briar bushes. An old photo shows that the well is rounded, about a metre deep and the same in diameter, with a dry-stone wall.

Saint and Feast Day Associated with Holy Well

Saint Laictín’s feast day is 19th March. This coincides with the feast day of Saint Joseph, whose name has replaced that of Saint Laictín at three other Clare wells. The Kilnamona Well is now largely forgotten, with no pilgrimage activity noted for many years. It is thought that the water source may have dried up.

Natural Heritage around the Holy Well

The well is fenced to prevent animal damage and lies on a slope below the church. The ground here is damp, with irises indicating the wet terrain.

Heritage Attractions Nearby

Kilnamona lies between the village of Inagh and Ennis Town.

Additional Information

The cult of Laictín is found in many parts of the country including counties Cork, Galway and Kerry. His following was once very strong in Mid-Clare, especially around Kilnamona. A medieval reliquary known as ‘Lámh Laictín’ (Laictín’s Arm) was previously housed in Kilnamona Church. It was said to contain a splinter of bone from the saint’s arm, which was surrounded by a highly decorative metal casket in the shape of an arm. The reliquary is now in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.