Tobar Phádraig, or St. Patrick’s Well, sits below the high tide mark, surrounded by a careful arrangement of stones that mark its sacred status. When the Atlantic tide sweeps in twice daily, salt water completely submerges the spring, yet remarkably, when the waters recede, the well runs fresh and clear; a small miracle that has captivated locals for centuries.

The well’s origins are deeply rooted in early Christian tradition. Local lore tells that St. Patrick himself, travelling with his sister and her two sons, established the monastery of Both Chonais on the southern slopes of Binion Hill. One son went on to found a church at Glenelly, whilst Patrick’s sister was laid to rest at the monastery. The well became a focal point for religious observance, with pilgrims beginning their turus, or station rounds, at the old church in Straid before making their way through five prayer stations to reach the sacred spring. Though formal pilgrimages have long since ceased, the site retained its practical importance well into the twentieth century.

Until relatively recently, local farmers held fast to the belief that the well possessed remarkable curative properties. Cattle driven through the narrow space between the well and the shoreline at high tide were thought to gain immunity from disease, whilst the waters themselves were sought as a remedy for infertility. The ethnographer Ó Muirgheasa documented these practices in 1936, noting that whilst the formal religious rituals had faded, the well’s reputation as a place of healing endured. A second well dedicated to St. Colmcille is mentioned in historical records from the area, though its exact location has been lost to time, leaving Tobar Phádraig as the sole surviving testament to the region’s rich tradition of sacred springs.