Burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

On top of a low hill, on the W side of Ballinalee or Saint Johnstown village (LF009-023----). Named 'Grave Yard' on the 1837 ed. of the OS 6-inch map and 'Bullys Acre Grave Yard (Disused)' on the 1911 OS 25-inch plan, where it is shown planted with coniferous trees. The term 'Bully's Acre' often refers to the burial grounds of insurgents who were hanged in the aftermath of the 1798 rebellion. This subrectangular burial ground (max. dims. c. 72m E-W; c. 32m N-S) is defined by a post-and-wire fence along the N, E and most of the S sides. The E end of the S side is occupied by a farm building. A largely collapsed stone wall (Wth c. 1m; max. H 0.8m) encloses the W side, which is bounded by a laneway. Access is via an entrance in the centre of this wall. Centrally located within the interior is a large, shallow rectangular depression of unknown significance. A considerable number of very low, upright stones presumably mark burials. Only two inscribed memorials were noted. One dates to 1763; the second inscription was incomplete. Trial excavations in 1995 and 1996 (Carroll 1996, 56; 1997, 72), in advance of a residential development immediately to the S of the burial ground, yielded traces of human remains and remnants of post-medieval fences (LF009-023005-). In 1998 a stone structure, comprising four large thin stone slabs forming three sides of a rough box and a capstone (H 1.5m; Wth 1.05m), which did not conform to any known archaeological monument type, was exposed, surveyed and removed (ibid. 2000, 138). Also in 1998 (Higgins 2000, 138) monitoring of the excavation of the sockets for a post-and-wire fence yielded an Irish halfpenny coin of George II dated 1760. Other remains comprised clay pipes and animal bones, some bearing saw or knife marks. These were dated to the late 19th/early 20th centuries (ibid.). (Lennon 2005)

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan

Date of upload: 21 May 2013