Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

The following account was given by Celie O'Rahilly about the discovery of a burial possibly belonging to a graveyard associated with the Augustinian Abbey (LI029-031006-) in Rathkeale ; 'In 1992 during pipe-laying for a sewerage scheme, mechanical excavations uncovered human remains in Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, in the main street of the village opposite the abbey [LI029-031006-]. The bones and associated soil were lying on the footpath in a very disturbed condition at the time of inspection. The site was reported to the NMI and an investigation was carried out on its behalf by Celie O'Rahilly, archaeologist with Limerick Corporation. The human remains were examined by Barra Ó Donnabháin. The site was in the townland of Abbeylands, in the town of Rathkeale, Co. Limerick.48 It lay in the main street of the town, Boherboy, close to the grounds of the abbey in the town, at an altitude of 40—50m above sea level. The cut for the pipe measured 0.7m east/west by 1.2m north/south by 0.55m deep. The gravepit was 0.63m long from the south side to the edge of the footpath, and the remaining portion continued underneath the road. The grave-cut was visible in the eastern section of the pit. It was cut into very hard, dark orange natural clay. At the base of this cut, which was backfilled with a darker, more mixed soil, was a layer of soft brown soil. In situ human remains were also visible at the base of the cut, just above the bedrock. The grave had contained an articulated skeleton (2007:21), apparently aligned west/east, with the skull to the west. The remains represented an adult female, aged 25—35 years at the time of death. No associated artefacts were found in the grave. The in situ bones in the east section of the cut may be the lower half of the body. No further details were available as to the disposition of the burial. In the absence of associated finds or other dating evidence this burial must be regarded as undated' (Cahill and Sikora 2011, vol. 2, 364-367).

Compiled by: Denis Power

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 26 July 2019

References

Cahill, M. and Sikora, M. (eds) 2011 Breaking ground, finding graves - reports on the excavations of burials by the National Museum of Ireland, 1927-2006, 2 vols. Dublin. Wordwell Ltd. in association with the National Museum of Ireland.