Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on the lower S-facing slopes of Barrerneen. The ruins of Temple Feaghna (church of St. Fiachna)(KE102-038001-) stands in the N quadrant of a subrectangular-shaped burial ground (KE102-038001-) defined by an earthen bank which may have originally been constructed as the ecclesiastical enclosure (KE102-038----) of a monastery associated with St. Fiachna. The 1841 ed. OSi 6-inch map shows the curving arc of the ecclesiastical enclosure from WSW-W-N, this curving field boundary is not indicated on the revised editions of the OSi historic maps. The burial ground lies within a second larger rectangular, stone-walled enclosure (82m N-S; 62m E-W) of 19th century date which has a pillared entrance gate at NE. Low uninscribed grave-markers were noted, especially to S and SE and there is a mound of loose stones at the centre. According to Dennehy (1997, 161), the use of the graveyard as 'a ceallúnach is substantiated by the presence of three short, low mounds on the N side of the enclosure, between the inner and outer enclosing elements'. A bullaun stone (KE102-038003-) lies c. 20m to the S and Toberfeaghna holy well (KE102-038004-) lies c. 50m to the E. A second bullaun stone (KE102-038005-), now in the roadside fence lies c. 50m to the N, and is said locally to have been formerly in the graveyard.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 28 September 2022

References

Dennehy, E. 1997 The ceallúnaigh of county Kerry: an archaeological perspective. Unpublished M.A. thesis, University College, Cork.