Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the NE side of Inishkea South, on a small headland flanked by two sandy bays, Porteenbeg at S and Portavally at N. The ruined stone-built houses of the 18th-20th century settlement are located immediately to W and N.
Indicated as ‘Burial ground’ on the 1838 OS 6-inch map and as 'Ancient Burial Gd.' on the 1921 edition. This unenclosed, sod-covered subcircular sand hill/mound (c. 28-30m E−W; 32m N−S; H c. 1m at W, c. 2.5m at E) was used for burials in the past. At the S and E, the mound slopes down steeply to the rocky shore; at W and N, it grades gradually into surrounding ground and is bordered by the ruined houses of the 18th-20th village. A church (MA023-020001-) is shown at roughly this location on the 1838 and 1921 OS 6-inch map; a partly sod-covered concentration of large stones and slabs toward the N end of the mound may mark the site of church.
A few low upright slabs, possibly grave markers, protrude from the N and S edges of the mound, but there is no other evidence of graves on the surface of the mound. The sandy core of the mound is exposed by erosion in parts on the steep slopes at NE and E. Large quantities of sea shells, mostly limpets, mixed with fragments of animal bones, spill from the eroding sections. At times, human bones have been exposed here. A cross-slab (MA023-020002-) is located on the mound.
A row of upright slabs form a revetment on the N edge of the mound; these appear to be relatively late in date, related to a ruined 19th-century house which is located 5m to N.

Attached images:
MA023-021----_01.JPG viewed from E
MA023-021----_02.JPG viewed from S
MA023-021----_01.JPG eroding NE slope, viewed from N
MA023-021----_04.JPG Concentration of stones towards the N end of the mound, viewed from S

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 19 December 2022