Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture on slight N-facing slope, good views in all directions, a post-1700 field boundary intersects the site at S through W to N. Depicted on the 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map as a semi-circular shaped area enclosed by two banks with intervening fosse transected at W by a field boundary running N-S.
Present remains consist of semi-circular shaped area (dims. 20m E-W; 39m N-S) enclosed by an earth and stone bank (Wth 3.5m; H int. 0.2m; ext. H 0.6m) from N through E to S. The interior of the site is strewn with rubble and divided in the N by an earth and stone bank (Wth 3.2m; H 0.45m). S of this bank there is a circular shaped concentration of stones (diam. 2.3m; H 0.2m). A rectangular-shaped area (2.8m E-W x 1.3m N-S ) defined by a row of stones on N and S sides and two upright slabs (H 0.15m) on the W side is located just S of the centre. According to the landowner this was the site of a children’s burial ground (SMR File). In 1840 the Ordnance Survey recorded that this monument 'is a burial place for children in a fort' (OSNB Adare parish, 74). This suggests that this site was originally a ringfort that was reused as a children's burial ground. Outline of burial ground visible on Google Earth orthoimage taken 14/02/2020.

See attached Google Earth orthoimages and ASI sketch plan of burial ground

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date of upload: 16 July 2020

References

OSNB - Ordnance Survey Name Books. Pro-forma books arranged by Civil Parish for recording townland and other name-forms and compiled in the course of the OS 6-inch survey 1824-1841. The name books also include minor names and incidental references to antiquities. National Archives of Ireland.