Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in gently rolling pasture immediately S of Abbey Owney graveyard (LI014-014006-). The site of possible graveyard associated with Abbey Owney (LI014-014002-) located on the crest of a gentle ridge which falls more sharply to the S down towards the Mulkear river. Possible graveyard not marked on any edition of the OS 6-inch maps. According to Seymour (1907, 180) the 'old graveyard is said to have been in the field between the river and the present entrance to the graveyard. Stepney, thinking it a pity that good land should be thus wasted, rooted up all the graves, gathered the coffins and remains together, and tried to burn them. They refused to burn, so he piled them on the river bank, and threw them in when a big flood came down. But the river, as if abhorring such desecration, washed them back again ; so he was at last compelled to bury them at a spot in the field which is now marked by the mound mentioned above'.
No surface remains visible of this 'old graveyard' in the field to the S of the graveyard.
Immediately S of the existing graveyard (LI014-014006-) and E of the abbey site (LI014-014002-), a raised area (Wth. 20m; H 0.25m) is visible running N-S towards the edge of the natural ridge. The purpose or function of this raised area in unclear.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien and Matt Kelleher

Date of upload: 3 July 2017

References

Seymour, Rev. St. J. 1907 Abbey Owney, County Limerick. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 37, 165-80, 360-73.