Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on a S-facing slope, overlooking the valley of the Laune River. This rectangular children's burial ground (26m E-W; 15m N-S) is indicated on the 1895 OS 6-inch map by a dotted line. The ruins of Dungeel Church (KE057-064----) are indicated on the same map, immediately inside the N boundary of the burial ground. The intermittent remains of a scarp (H 0.1-0.3m) is evident on the S and W sides of the burial ground, where the dotted line is indicated on the 1895 OS 6-inch map. A farm trackway crosses the burial ground on an E-W axis. A D-shaped kerbed area (2m N-S; H 0.35m) with a straight N side (L 3.4m) abuts the S wall of the church and is immediately N of the trackway. The remains of three roughly D-shaped raised areas (dims. of the largest: 7m E-W; 5.5m N-S; H 0.2m; dims. of the smallest: 3.6m E-W; 3m N-S; H. 0.45m) defined by kerbing and a scarp, occur immediately to the S of the trackway. According to Dennehy (1997, 159), these areas are believed to be the remains of the 'ceallúnach' which was last used 40 years ago for the burial of stillborn and unbaptised children, burials taking place here during the night.

Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork.

Date of upload: 31 January 2011