Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

KE044-019---- occupies an area of open ground in the centre of the village of Knockane, about three-quarters of a mile S of Lough Anscaul.

The original context of the graves is not certain and they have been interpreted both as megalithic cists (Henry 1937, 776) and as ceallúnach graves (Fanning 1981, 149). An Early Christian presence at the site is indicated by the cross-slab and by a 2nd possible grave-slab, now missing, and the graves may relate either to this phase or to a later reuse of the site as a calluragh burial ground. However, the large size of the stones used is not typical of Christian burials and, perhaps, the suggestion that the structures may be megalithic cists should not be dismissed entirely. They have, however, been rejected as megalithic tombs by the Megalithic Survey of Ireland.

The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 831. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 8 August 2013