Burial Ground in Cuilleendaeagh

In a tree copse on a SE-facing slope in undulating pastureland. Depicted on the 1838 edition of the OS 6-inch map as a rectangular burial ground with a pathway running N-S through its centre. A holy well, named ‘Lady’s Well’, (GA125-050002-) and a ‘Monument’ (GA125-050004-) were located in the SW sector. A small building in the NE sector was labelled ‘Hermitage’ in Roman font. On the Cassini mapping (1920), the W side of the burial ground (c. 52m N-S; c. 21-29m E-W) is depicted as being irregular in plan and the ‘Hermitage’ is recorded as being in ruins. On inspection in August 1985, access to the burial ground was gained over a stile in the N wall, only this wall and the E wall survived; the S and W limits of the site were difficult to define. The interior was much disturbed overgrown and uneven. Numerous loose unmarked boulders were scattered about as well as some inscribed and uninscribed grave-markers, the majority of the latter were not in-situ. One decorated and inscribed slab (H 1.2m; Wth 0.6m), lying semi-recumbent on a pile of stones c. 4m to the ENE of the holy well, was dedicated to Edmund Mullan who died in 1806. This slab may originally have been incorporated into the monumental structure beside the well. The upper part of it bears a crucifixion scene with the following inscription beneath it: This monument/erected by Edmd/Mullen in hoh/of Our Lord and/Saviour Jesus Ch/rist and the Ble/ssed Virgin Mary/As you are now/so once was I/Pray for me/As you pass by There was a separate piece of worked stone at the base of the slab. According to local information, Edmund built the 'Monument' during his lifetime. A moss-covered holy water stoup (diam. 0.3m; H 0.2m; D of bowl 0.09m) lay 2m to the W of the slab. The rim of the bowl was chamfered and well worked but was partially chipped. Two more inscribed slabs (0.39m x 0.39m and 0.33m x 0.33m) lay 1.5m to its SW. One bearing an IHS monogram, with a Latin cross rising from the bar of the H, was dated 168(9?). The other inscription was illegible. A slab (L 1.02m; Wth 0.25m; T 0.1m) noted 2m to the S of the ‘Monument’ bore the following unfinished inscription: NYMPH OF THE GROT THOSE SACREDS AND IN THE M On re-inspection in March 2010, the interior of the burial ground was found to be heavily poached and had greatly deteriorated. The following images have been uploaded: GA125-050001-_01.jpg General view of interior of burial ground, looking S from road GA125-050001-_07.jpg Graveslab, dated 1806, bearing crucifixion scene GA125-050001-_09.jpg Displaced graveslab and worked stones GA125-050001-_11.jpg Decorated graveslab bearing IHS monogram Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 24 July 2023