Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Children's burial ground
Athea Upper, County Limerick, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Athea Upper
- County
- Limerick
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Killeen Grave Yard
- Latest-edition OS map
- Killeen Childrens Burial Gd. (1923)
- Coordinates
- 52.45493, -9.31338
- SMR number
- LI034-001----
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 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Possible ringfort (LI034-001001-) reused as a children's burial ground. In pasture, on N-facing slope. Egg-shaped area enclosed by broad eroded earthen bank with external fosse SW->NW. Field boundary truncates enclosing bank at narrowest point to E. Interior slopes down gently towards centre; no visible surface trace of burials or burial markers.
In 1838 the Ordnance Survey Name Books recorded that in the townland of Athea Upper. A large fort (LI034-001001-), in which children, who die without baptism, are buried' (OSNB Rathronan Parish, 1482).
Compiled by: Denis Power
Revised by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of revised upload: 20 May 2019
See attached ASI aerial photograph ASIAP – taken on 04/03/2006.
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.
ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rath1 mi
- Ringfort - rath2 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.