08/06/21 - Re-discovering St Colmcille Holy Wells during the 1500th anniversary year

Did you know that there are more than twenty Holy Wells dedicated to St. Colmcille in Donegal?  Given this historic year as the 1500^th anniversary of Colmcille’s birth and his Feast Day on the 9^th June, this could be an opportunity for local communities to re-discover these wells.    

Holy wells have been one of the most numerous sites of Christian worship in Ireland with an estimated 3,000 wells throughout the country, sometimes associated with early ecclesiastical sites and mostly dedicated to a saint of local or national importance.

Veneration of wells is a widespread and ancient tradition with some wells once being important sites of pre-Christian ritual activity – reflecting their significance in areas associated with the Celts, such as Ireland and Scotland. The earliest reference to holy wells in an Irish context appears to be Adomán’s seventh century ‘Life of St. Columba’ (Vitae Columbae).

A survey commissioned by Donegal County Council in 2012 as part of the County Heritage Plan identified 180 holy wells in the county – 16 more than the 164 listed in the Record of Monuments and Places and protected under the National Monuments Acts. This is nearly as many as the total number of wells across all of Northern Ireland which is recorded at 187 by the Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record. The survey also confirmed the existence or non‐existence of 26 of 43 wells of unknown location.

Of the wells that have an associated saint, it is no surprise that St Colmcille is the most prominent in Donegal with at least 22 dedicated to him – more than St. Patrick and St. Brigid, Ireland’s other two patron saints. A further number feature Colmcille in their folklore stories – such as St. Fionnan's Well near Dunfanaghy where Colmcille is said to have caused the water to flow from the rock to quench St. Fionnan's thirst.

Where wells are associated with a ‘Patron or Pattern’ the tradition is to visit the Holy Well on the feast day of the Saint.  Therefore for most of the St. Colmcille wells, the tradition had been to make a special visit on 9^th June – with this date or 15^th August still currently being marked by at least seven holy wells. 

Many wells also had the tradition of a ‘Turas’ where pilgrims walk on a route to the holy well – or as in Gleann Cholm Cille and Gartan - a holy well is one of a number of stations on the Turas.  

Wells are also known for their healing powers, which are often attributed to the patron saint. At some wells, the custom of hanging strips of cloth from a tree or leaving other ‘Votive’ offerings is still practiced.  This is still the case at five of the wells - in the townlands of Lenan, Carryblagh, Knocknafaugher, Biofán and Disert. 

A number of Colmcille wells are also associated with specific ‘cures’ – with the wells at  Magherawarden and Gartan said to cure loneliness whilst Tobar na Súl Well in Stackarnagh was regarded as a cure for sore eyes.  A visit to the well in Masiness was a traditional cure for rheumatism and it was believed that cattle would be immune from disease if driven between the well and the shore at full tide in Binnion.

Of particular interest also is the folklore associated with the wells.  St. Colmcille is said to have left his foot prints when he jumped from a hill at the Tobar na Súl Well behind Church Hill Railway Station and to have left knee prints in Tullyarvan when he stopped at the well on his way to Stroove (Inishowen Head) where he departed for Iona.  Whilst for the holy well in Knocknafaugher, folklore suggests there are no fish in Loch Colmcille as the Saint gave it a left‐handed blessing because a fisherman there denied he had any fish.

“Holy Wells are important sites of heritage, historical, cultural and religious interest and significance” said Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.  “A large number of them continue to be used up to the present day. The practice of local communities visiting them has declined over recent decades, and subsequently the knowledge of history or folklore surrounding the wells – or even their very locations – can be lost if not documented”. 

There are four such holy wells dedicated to Colmcille that are ‘missing’ in that the location is currently unknown beyond that of their townlands of Cashelard, Tullyhorky and Coolcholly near Ballyshannon and Ballymagroarty Scotch near Ballintra.

There are also three St. Colmcille Holy Wells where the location is known but the wells have not survived  to the present day. A well in Inis Bó Finne has eroded and disappeared into the sea, the site of a holy well in Ballymaquin has been forested and there are no surviving features from the site of a holy well, graveyard and church known as ‘Cill an Leabhair’ in the townland of Glen Lower.

Welcoming the potential for renewed interest in the St Colmcille Holy Wells as part of the 1500^th celebrations, Deirdre Harte, Colmcille 1500 Project Manager said “If you visit one of the St. Colmcille Holy Wells or know of any of the missing sites, we would love to hear from you. You can share your stories or photos on the Colmcille 1500 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Colmcille1500NW. You can also find details of events planned throughout the 1500^th anniversary year by visiting www.colmcille1500.com”.

Ag teacht athuair ar Thoibreacha Naofa Cholm Cille le linn an chuimhneacháin 1500 bliain

An raibh a fhios agat go bhfuil corradh le fiche Tobar Naofa tiomnaithe do Cholm Cille i nDún na nGall?  Ó tharla gurb í an bhliain stairiúil seo cuimhneachán 1500 bliain bhreith Cholm Cille agus go dtiteann a Fhéile ar 9^úMeitheamh, d’fhéadfadh seo faill a thabhairt do phobail áitiúla teacht ar na toibreacha seo arís.    

Tá toibreacha naofa ar na suíomhanna is mó a ndéantar adhradh Críostaí iontu in Éirinn agus meastar go bhfuil 3,000 tobar ar fud na tíre, cuid acu a bhfuil baint acu le luathshuíomhanna eaglasta ach a mbunús tiomnaithe do naomh atá tábhachtach sa cheantar agus ar fud na tíre.

Is traidisiún forleathan ársa é toibreacha a adhradh agus in am amháin bhí cuid de na toibreacha tábhachtach mar shuíomhanna do dheasghnátha réamh-Chríostaí – rud a léiríonn a dtábhacht i gceantracha a bhaineann leis na Ceiltigh, mar Éire agus Albain. Is cosúil gurb é ‘Beatha Cholm Cille’ (Vitae Columbae) sa tseachtú céad le hAdhamhnán an chéad tagairt riamh do thoibreacha  naofa i gcomhthéacs Éireannach.

I suirbhé a choimisiúnaigh Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall in 2012 mar chuid de Phlean Oidhreachta an Chontaeaithníodh 180 tobar naofa sa chontae – 16 níos mó ná an 64 atá liostaithe i dTaifead na Séadchomharthaí agus na nÁiteanna agus atá cosanta faoi Achtanna na Séadchomharthaí Náisiúnta. Tá sin chóir a bheith chomh mór le méid iomlán na dtoibreacha ar fud na Sé Chontae atá taifeadta mar 187 i dTaifead Suíomhanna agus Séadchomharthaí Thuaisceart Éireann. Dearbhaíodh fosta sa tsuirbhé go raibh nó nach raibh 26 as 43 tobar ann nach raibh a fhios cá raibh siad.

I measc na dtoibreacha a bhfuil baint acu le naomh, ní nach ionadh gurb é Colm Cille an duine is suntasaí i nDún na nGall nó tá 22 tiomanta dó – níos mó ná Pádraig agus Bríd, dhá naomhphátrún eile na hÉireann. Luaitear Colm Cille i gcinn eile sna scéalta béaloidis – mar Thobar Naomh Fionnán gar do Dhún Fionnachaidh an áit a dúradh a dtug Colm Cille ar uisce teacht amach as an charraig leis an tart a bhaint de Naomh Fionnán.

An áit a bhfuil baint ag toibreacha le Pátrún is é an traidisiún atá ann cuairt a thabhairt ar an Tobar Naofa ar lá fhéile an Naoimh.  Mar sin de i gcás bhunús thoibreacha Cholm Cille, ba é an traidisiún cuairt speisialta a thabhairt ar an 9^ú Meitheamh – agus tá an dáta sin agus an  15^ú Lúnasa á gceiliúradh le seacht dtobar naofa ar a laghad. 

Bhí an traidisiún ann fosta ‘Turas’ a bheith ag mórán toibreacha nuair a shiúlann oilithrigh ar shlí chuig an tobar naofa – nó i nGleann Cholm Cille agus i nGartán – tá tobar naofa ar cheann de na stáisiúin ar an Turas.  

Tá cliú ar thoibreacha fosta mar gheall ar a gcumhachtaí leighis agus is minic a luaitear sin leis an naomhphátrún. Ag cuid de na toibreacha, leantar leis an nós píosaí éadaigh a chrochadh as crann nó ofrálacha ‘Móideacha’ a fhágáil.  Sin an cás i gcónaí ag cúig cinn de na toibreacha – sna bailte fearainn An Líonán, Ceathrú Bhláthach, Cnoc na Foithre, Biofán agus Disert. 

Luaitear ‘leigheasanna’ áirithe le cuid de thoibreacha Cholm Cille – deirtear go dtógann na toibreacha i Magherawarden agus i  nGartán an chumha de dhuine agus bhí aird ar Thobar na Súl  i Stacarnach mar leigheas ar shúile tinne.  Le cuairt ar an tobar i Más an Easa bhí leigheas traidisiúnta ar scoilteacha agus creideadh go mbeadh eallach saor ó aicíd dá seolfaí idir an tobar agus an cladach iad i mBinnín.

Rud atá fíorspéisiuil ná an béaloideas a bhaineann le toibreacha.  Deirtear gur fhág Colm Cille lorg a chos nuair a léim sé de chnoc ag Tobar na Súl ar chúl Stáisiún Traenach Mhín an Lábáin agus gur fhág sé lorg a ghlún i dTulaigh Armhaoile nuair a stop sé ag an tobar ar a bhealach chun na Srúibhe in Inis Eoghain an áit ar fhág sé le dul go hOileán Í.  Agus maidir leis an tobar i gCnoc na Foithre, deirtear sa bhéaloideas nach bhfuil iasc ar bith i Loch Cholm Cille mar gur bheannaigh an Naomh é lena láimh chlé cionn is gur shéan an t-iascaire go raibh iasc ar bith aige.

“Tá Toibreacha Naofa ina suíomhanna tábhachtacha oidhreachta, stairiúla, cultúrtha agus creidimh” arsa Seosamh Ó Gallchóir, Oifigeach Oidhreachta Chontae Dhún na nGall.  “Baintear úsáid as lear mór acu go dtí an lá inniu. Tháinig laghdú le tamall de bhlianta ar an nós ag pobail áitiúla cuairt a thabhairt orthu, agus mar gheall air sin seans go gcaillfear eolas na staire agus an bhéaloidis a bhaineann leo nó go ndéanfar dearmad cá bhfuil siad mura scríobhfar síos é”. 

Tá ceithre thobar naofa dá leithéid atá tiomnaithe do Cholm Cille atá ‘ar iarraidh’ sa mhéid is nach bhfuil a fhios faoi láthair cá bhfuil siad ach go bhfuil siad sna bailte fearainn seo, an Caiseal Ard, Tullyhorky agus Cúil Chalbhaigh cóngarach do Bhéal Átha Seanaigh agus Ballymagroarty Scotch cóngarach do Bhaile an tSratha.

Tá trí Thobar Naofa Cholm Cille ann fosta an áit a bhfuil a fhios cá bhfuil siad ach níor mhair siad go dtí an lá inniu. Tháinig creimeadh ar thobar in Inis Bó Finne agus cailleadh san fharraige é, cuireadh suíomh tobair bheannaithe i mBaile Mhic Coin faoi fhoraois gus níl gnéithe ar bith a mhaireann ón tsuíomh ar a raibh tobar, reilig agus eaglais darbh ainm ‘Cill an Leabhair’ i mbaile fearainn Glen Lower.

Agus í ag cur fáilte roimh an tseans go gcuirfear spéis arís i dToibreacha Naofa Cholm Cille mar chuid de na himeachtaí ceiliúrtha 1500 bliain, dúirt Deirdre Harte, Bainisteoir Tionscadail Cholmcille 1500  “Má thugann tú cuairt ar cheann de Thoibreacha Naofa Cholm Cille nó má tá eolas agat ar cheann ar bith de na suíomhana atá ar iarraidh, ba deas linn cluinstin uait. Tig leat do chuid scéalta agus do chuid grianghrafanna a roinnt ar leathanch Facebook Cholmcille 1500  ag www.facebook.com/Colmcille1500NW. Gheobhaidh tú mionsonraí ar imeachtaí atá pleanáilte don cheiliúradh 1500 bliain má thugann tú cuairt ar www.colmcille1500.com”.