placenamesTubber
An Tobar
Tubber’s Lucan setting connects an old country lane with the surviving remains of Tobermaclugg well.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- An Tobar · Irish · main form
- Tubber · English · main form
Place & story
Along Tubber Lane
The Society for Old Lucan describes Tubber Lane as an old route from the golf-course crossroads towards Stacumny, retaining the shape seen on early surveyed maps. Its account connects the lane’s name with nearby Tobermaclugg holy well and follows the stream, farmland and church remains along the road. [2]
The excavated well
South of Tubber, archaeologist Georgina Scally partly exposed the Tobermaclugg well in 2001, finding cut stone and steps beneath the ground. Amanda Kelly investigated it again in May 2006 before construction of a pumping station. She recorded a substantial capstone and four descending steps; further steps may have continued below the excavated level. No dating evidence was recovered. A five-metre buffer was established between the remains and the proposed station. [3] [4]
A remembered healing tradition
Helen Farrell’s contribution to Ireland’s Holy Wells County-by-County records a belief that Tobermaclugg’s water could cure eye and ear diseases. Her account also states that no pattern day remained associated with the well. [5]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Tubber. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Tubber Lane · Society for Old Lucan
- Excavations2001:475:Tobermaclugg,01E1152 · Georgina Scally, Margaret Gowen and Co.
- Excavations2006:672:Lucan,Tobermaclugg,06E0289 · Amanda Kelly, Irish Archaeological Consultancy
- Tobermaclugg Holy Well · Helen Farrell, Ireland’s Holy Wells County-by-County
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2010-02-09. How this page was prepared.