Burial

The National Monuments Service's description

In the eroding face of low cliff, located at the S end of Trabaun beach on Kilcummin Head, overlooking Killala Bay.
Human bones were found eroding from the cliff face in April 2003. The find was investigated by the Gardai, who removed most of the bones, and subsequently excavated by the National Museum.
The bones were concentrated in an area of 1.06m in width, at a depth of c. 0.36-0.54m below the top of the low cliff, and underlay a naturally-occurring layer of water rolled cobbles. The burial had been completely disturbed, but appears to have consisted of the inhumed remains of one individual. No evidence of a grave structure was found. According to the Gardai, a corroded iron object was found amongst the bones but was not retained. During the investigation by Museum staff, a second, smaller, concentration of bones (MA015-076002-) was found c. 4m to SE of the first bone concentration; they may represent bones displaced from this burial, or they may represent a second burial. (Cahill and Sikora 2011, 383-4).

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 7 December 2018

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.