Children's burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture on slight W-facing slope, 19m W of townland boundary with Attyflin, 200m N of townland boundary with Ballygeale, adjacent to earthworks of a possible medieval deserted settlement (LI021-025001-), trackway (LI021-025003-) and moated site (LI021-168----) located 193m to S. Excavations on the realignment Cork-Limerick (N20) road, 50m to the E revealed numerous features dating to the medieval period. Annotated 'Killasragh Childrens Burial Ground' on 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map. Described in 1840 as, 'Killasragh burying ground for children and adult strangers is situated in this townland' (OSNB Killonahan Parish, 1025). Burial ground used as a Killeen according to local tradition (Westropp, 1904-5, 380).
Site visited by Celie O’Rahilly in 1990 during field work for the N20 road and described the site as following; ‘ The enclosure still survives but is very overgrown; it is possible that there are remains of a structure or enclosure wall on the perimeter’ (O’Rahilly 1991). Present remains consist of a roughly rectangular shaped area (dims. 30m N-S; 16m E-W) defined by an earth and stone bank (Wth 4.7m; H int. 0.35m; ext. 0.2m) from NW through E to SE and an earth and stone scarp from SE through to NW. Interior is undulating and overgrown, with lightly strewn loose rocks, none of which appear to be set as burial markers. Monument visible as a tree-covered earthwork covered on Google Earth orthoimage taken 2020.

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date of upload: 21 July 2020

References

O'Rahilly, C. 1991 Archaeological report on Limerick to Adare Road. Unpublished report submitted to Limerick County Council.

Westropp, T.J. 1904-5 A survey of the ancient churches of Co. Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 25C, 327-479.

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.