Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Children's burial ground
Aughinish East, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Aughinish East
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 52.62546, -9.05690
- SMR number
- LI010-020002-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On Aughinish Island overlooking the River Shannon; site now part of industrial complex (Aughinish Alumina) but excavated in 1974 prior to this industrial development (Lynch 1974). Excavations at Aughinish Castle (LI010-020----) revealed the base of a bawn wall (LI010-020001-) enclosing a 'roughly circular' area, with well cobbled entrance on S side. Whilst 'legal reasons prevented the investigation of the keep' (ibid.) considerable area-excavation was carried out within the bawn, revealing the base of 'a domed oven' (ibid.). Finds included sherds of late and post-medieval pottery, a wide range of iron objects, and an Irish halfpenny dating to the late 17th century. Also uncovered were the skeletons of 31 individuals, 'of which 'the majority were young children and babies' (ibid.). This latter suggests the presence of a burial ground for unbaptised children (killeen)' (www.excavations.ie).
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 13 May 2020
References
Lynch, A. 1974 Aughinish Island Site 7, Limerick. Department of Archaeology, University College Cork, Database of Irish Excavations, 1974:0028.
Nearby in the register
- Castle - tower houseunder 1 mi
- Bawnunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Excavation - miscellaneousunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.