Toberbour, in the townland of Garraun in County Galway, translates from the Irish as something close to "the deaf well" or "the dumb well", a designation applied in Irish tradition to holy wells that were considered silent or lacking the curative properties attributed to more celebrated sites. Holy wells of this kind are scattered across the Irish landscape in enormous numbers, each one a small node of pre-Christian and early Christian practice that survived, often only just, into the modern era. They range from elaborate pilgrimage sites with stone surrounds, votive offerings, and associated pattern days, to little more than a damp hollow in a field that local memory has not quite let go of.

Toberbour at Garraun appears to be among the quieter examples. The prefix "tober" comes from the Irish tobar, simply meaning a well or spring, and wells bearing this name were frequently associated with local saints, seasonal ritual, or the curing of specific ailments. The qualifier "bour" sets it apart, suggesting a well regarded as inert or spiritually mute in contrast to its more potent neighbours. Whether it was once an active site of devotion that fell into disuse, or always occupied a lesser place in local tradition, is difficult to say with any certainty from what survives.