What is recorded here

Newtown Hill holds a forgotten churchyard where unbaptized children were buried until around 1800. The field keeps no fence, cross or stone, only low mounds and greener grass beside the Durrow road. What was taken from the earth in later digging suggests the hill still remembers the small bodies it swallowed for centuries.

Unlocated graveyard within townland that is described by Carrigan as 'In the field formerly called "Caar Hill" (that is Cahir Hill), but now best known as "Newtown Hill", and the "Castle Hill" there is a churchyard, which ceased to be a burial place for adults very long ago, but continued to be used for the interment of unbaptized children till 1800, or thereabouts. It comes to within a few perches of the public road from Durrow to Cullahill; has no enclosing trench, fence, nor head-stones; and can only be distinguished from the rest of the field by some low mounds and the tell-tale richnesss of the grass. Human bones have been found in large quantities wherever this churchyard has been interfered with. The church (LA035-075) that stood here was a parish church in ancient times. On the 2nd July, 1516, William McGilapadricke, Canon of Ossory, acting as Papal delegate, held a court in the parish church of Cahir, to investigate the rival claims of two aspirants to the Archdeaconry of Ossory. Scarcely a trace of Cahir church now remains' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 228-9). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 December 2007

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