Enclosure in Tonafarna

In November 1989 while digging sand, human bone was exposed near Stradbally, Co. Laois. According to the report on file, three or four skeletons had been discovered and work was suspended on site. The discovery was reported to the Garda Siochana at Stradbally, who informed the NMI. The site was visited by Mary Cahill on November 24, 1989. The human remains were examined by Laureen Buckley. The site was located in the townland of Tonafarna in east Co. Laois, close to the border with Co. Kildare. The site lay at an altitude of 70-80m above sea level. The burials seem to have been inserted into the side of an enclosure, which is not marked on the six-inch OS 6-inch map of the area. The enclosure survived as a very low, approximately sub-rectangular, banked area with an outer ditch now very much silted up. The burials (LA014-086002-) were placed on the south side at a depth of 0.30-0.40m, just above the deposit of sand and gravel. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload / revision : 15 September 2010