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Burial Ground for Children

Children's burial ground

What is recorded here

Dromagarrum in County Limerick is a children's burial ground where unbaptized children were laid to rest. The rectangular pasture holds uneven stone hollows and low upright slabs that mark small chambers for the youngest dead. Brambles and tall grass still cover the place, keeping the children hidden from ordinary sight.
In undulating pasture. Rectangular area (19m N-S; 28.7m E-W) defined to N by straight E-W field boundary and to E, S and W by scarped edge (max. H 0.7m) with rounded corners to SE and SW. Mid-way along S scarp are two recumbent slabs (L c. 0.445m; Wth c. 0.25m; H c. 0.35m). Interior is uneven and stony, covered with tall grass and brambles. Just N-of-centre is hollow area (3.15m N-S; 2.7m E-W) lined irregularly by low upright slabs, with concentration of loose stones at N end, and at NE corner upright stone (H 0.46m; Wth 0.35m) with pointed top. Between latter and scarped edge to W is another setting of low slabs roughly-defining rectangular area (c. 1m N-S; c. 0.6m E-W). Described by Begley (1906, 109-10) as 'may be the place now called Dromagarrum, where unbaptized children are buried. This site may be that referred to by Lewis (1837, 664) as 'remains of a very ancient church (LI018-015001-) ... at Flean'. Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 12 November 2018

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What survives
Recorded monument

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