What is recorded here

Maeve Sikora reached Lunniagh to find bones already stolen from the eroding sand dune. Caroline Carr had seen them earlier, but local men took the remains before official hands could record the death. The cist may have held a Bronze Age person, yet it gave up its secret to greed rather than history.

Maeve Sikora of the NMI travelled to Gweedore, Co. Donegal to investigate a report of discovery of human remains (DG032-012001-) in a sand quarry at Lunniagh, Bunbeg, Co. Donegal. The site had been previously visited on behalf of the National Museum by a member of staff of Donegal County Museum, Ms Caroline Carr. When we arrived to the area in which the bones were, and noticed immediately that the remains had been removed. When last examined the site, skeletal remains had been visible in the section of the sand dune, 2-3 metres (estimated) from the surface. The section was eroding as we looked at it but it was clear that the remains had been removed recently by hand (fresh damp sand was visible in the area, clearly having been removed from the section). Investigation of the disturbed sand found no trace of bone or other artefacts. We also cleaned down the section around the site of the burial but did not locate any further remains or trace of grave structure. A local man had apparently told Caroline Carr that some 20 years ago he had found ' a stone oven containing burnt material' (a Bronze Age cist?), so I was also looking for stones which might indicate the presence of a cist, but none was visible. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 07 May 2010

Cist in An Luinnigh is a small stone burial chamber, likely dating to the Early Christian or medieval period. Its significance lies in the presence of human remains, suggesting it was used as a local burial site, possibly associated with early Christian settlement in the Gweedore area.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.