Graveyard

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture at the top of a gentle W-facing slope. Depicted as a rectangular structure (est. L c. 22m WNW-ESE; Wth c. 7m) and labelled ‘Abbey in ruins’ and ‘Graveyard’ on the first edition (1837) of the OS 6-inch map. However, on the slightly later OS 25-inch plan (1893), no structure is depicted and the site is labelled ‘Abbey (Site of)’. O’Donovan, writing in 1838, stated, ‘There is a burying place now for children in Curraun Townland where, it is said, there was formerly an Abbey’ (O’Flannagan, 1927, 370 (152)). Aldridge (1969, 85) stated, ‘ In Corraun, Abbey Church site is marked east of the Castle [MA070-110----]; foundations measure 60 feet [c. 18m] by 24 feet [c. 7.3m] and used as C.B.G. [Children’s Burial Ground, MA070-111002-]’

A rectangular structure aligned WNW–ESE (L 24m; Wth 13m) is defined by a moss-covered stony bank (av. Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.1m; ext. H 0.7m along S and E - to 1.1m along W) with no indication of an entrance. Heavy grass cover on most of the interior may conceal burial markers but some undressed stones at the WNW end may mark burials associated with its use as a graveyard (MA070-111003-) and later as a Children’s Burial Ground (MA070-111002-). The site is still known locally as a Children’s Burial Ground.

A castle (MA070-110----) stands on lower ground c. 170m to the WNW and a possible motte (MA070-109----) stands c. 150m to the NW. 

Date of visit: 27-9-2025

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Leo Morahan

References

Aldridge, R.B. 1969 Notes on children's burial grounds in Mayo. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 99, 83-87. O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1927 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Mayo collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1838. Bray.