Burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

The files of the National Museum of Ireland records that the discovery of human remains at Ballybrennan, Co. Westmeath in October 1989 was reported to the NMI (Cahill & Sikora 2011, vol. 2, 518-9). The discovery was investigated by Vincent Hurley of the Archaeological Survey Office, OPW, (at that time based in Mullingar) at the request of the NMI. The burials were inhumations which were laid lengthwise, lying roughly east/west. At least six and possibly up to twelve individual burials had been disturbed. There was no indication of stone lining or pits but it was clear that each burial had been placed individually, side by side. There were no associated finds. The presence of a holy well name Tober Patrick (WM032-060) was noted a short distance (160m) to the north-east. There was no known tradition of a church or burial ground locally. The landowner agreed to cover the burials and not ot disturb them further. Some human remains (1989:57) were collected and acquired by the NMI (NMI File).

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.