Burial in Ratheven

The remains of an extended inhumation were uncovered by local workmen on the site who reported the find to their site manager Mr Sean Keane. Upon discovery, the manager contacted Portlaoise Garda station. Once the guards had examined the scene they were satisifed that it was not a recent burial and contacted the DOEHLG on the 02/12/2004. On the 03/12/2004 I visited the site and inspected the findspot of the skeleton. The burial was located in the SW facing section of the northern field boundary of a large field which is being prepared for a large housing estate. During the course of constructing infrastructure for a future housing estate workmen uncovered the skull of an extended skeleton orientated on a SW-NE axis with the skull exposed approx. 0.4m below the top sod in the SW face of the section. All development work in this area has been completed and the skeleton was only exposed when the workmen were tidying up the boundaries of the site. According to the local workmen no other skeletal material was uncovered during the development work in the vicinity of the burials. The skeleton is located in the NE corner of a large field which is being prepared for the construction of a housing estate in the immediate future. Other skeletal material was visible to the W of the surviving skull. It is possible that there may be more burials to the N and NE of the extant burials. No evidence for any cut or any grave lining around the skeleton and no artefacts were uncovered or were visible in the exposed section. The site is situated on top of a hill with panoramic views in all directions with a small lake called Red Lough in the adjoining field to the E of the skeletons. The burials have been assigned an SMR number and entered into the sites and monuments database as a burial site. This burial is on sheet No. 13 of the OS six inch series and is located in the townland of Ratheven which is on the outskirts of Portlaoise town.