Unofficial guide. Not the National Monuments Service, the OPW, Fáilte Ireland or the landowner. Disclaimer
At a glance
- TypeRitual site - holy well
Picked out from the Archaeological Survey description below.
Can you visit?
- No source says it is open to the public.Most monuments in Ireland stand on private farmland.
- Ask the landowner before crossing fields, close gates, leave the stones as you find them.Visiting responsibly
History and description
Indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and on the 1948 revision as 'Toberakin'. According to the OS Letters (1839), this holy well is, 'called Tobar a Chinn, i.e., the Well of the Head, but why so called is not known.
Full archaeological record 63 words
Indicated on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map and on the 1948 revision as 'Toberakin'. According to the OS Letters (1839), this holy well is, 'called Tobar a Chinn, i.e., the Well of the Head, but why so called is not known. It is not now frequented for any devotional purpose'. This information is also provided by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 329).
Archaeological Survey of Ireland, National Monuments Service (CC BY 4.0) · Compiled by Jean Farrelly · Updated 8 May 2023. It describes the site as it was when surveyed.
More holy wells nearby
St. Bridget's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Newtown (Shea) · Kilkenny · 1.3 km away
Well of the Rags
Ritual site - holy well · Castle Eve · Kilkenny · 2.1 km away
Maon's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Tullamaine (Ashbrook) · Kilkenny · 3.3 km away
Saint Dallan's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Burnchurch · Kilkenny · 3.6 km away
St. Dallan's Well
Ritual site - holy well · Burnchurch · Kilkenny · 3.7 km away
Well of the Virgin
Ritual site - holy well · Caherlesk · Kilkenny · 4.0 km away
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Around Well of the head
Other heritage nearby
- Newtown Church ruinAncient church · 1.0 km
- Newtown Erly CastleCastle · 1.1 km
- St Dallan's ChurchAncient church · 2.7 km
- Burnchurch CastleCastle · 2.7 km
- Kells CastleCastle · 2.9 km
- Tullamaine ChurchAncient church · 3.3 km
Recorded within 5 km
- 10 holy wellsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 ancient churchesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 8 castlesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 5 ringfortsArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 2 monastic sitesArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 abbey or friaryArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 high crossArchaeological Survey of Ireland
- 1 round towerArchaeological Survey of Ireland
Walks and trails
- South Kilkenny Cycle LoopRoad Cycling Trail · 43.2 km · nearest point 3.5 km
- Coille an Fhaltaigh Millennium Park - Red TrailWalking Trail · 3.3 km · nearest point 7.2 km
- Coille an Fhaltaigh Millennium Park - Green TrailWalking Trail · 2.5 km · nearest point 7.6 km
Outdoors, towns and places to stay
- Coill an FhaltaighForests · 8.0 km
- CastlemorrisForests · 12 km
- Ballykeefe Nature ReserveNature reserves · 8.5 km
- Garryricken Nature ReserveNature reserves · 9.4 km
- CallanWalled towns · 5.5 km
- KilkennyWalled towns · 12 km
- Clomanatagh CastleHistoric stays · 22 km
Other attractions nearby
- Kells PrioryHistoric Houses and Castle · 3.4 km
- Kilree High CrossHistoric Houses and Castle · 4.8 km
- Edmund Rice Heritage CentreHistoric Houses and Castle · 5.9 km
- Mount Juliet Equestrian CentreNature and Wildlife · 8.7 km
What's on nearby
- Pa Sheehy The Magic We Found Tour2026-11-05 · 12 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-06 · 12 km
- Kilkenomics2026-11-07 · 12 km