Kilcaskin Grave Yard

Kilcaskin burial ground described in 1840 as 'a small burial ground about the centre of the townland, but latterly there have been no burials in it. There is a large ash tree growing on the west side, which is visible from a great distance' (OSNB Fedamore Parish) Graveyard described in 1942-3 as following; 'This may have been a graveyard, but there is nothing on the site now to show definitely that it was. It consists of a small rectilineal structure, which is almost square, measuring 78' [24m] east-west by 69' [21m]. On the south side there is a slight bank, which seems to have been faced outside with boulders, a few of which remain in position. On this side, too, there is a slight fosse which is densely overgrown. On the north and west sides there is no trace of the bank or fosse. Everywhere there are small rough stones showing through the turf. The site now looks more like a small rectangular fort than a graveyard. Locally it is called a graveyard, but no one has any recollection of burials taking place there. It may have been a Killeen. O'Donovan calls it a graveyard but says it had gone out of use at that time' (O'Kelly 1942-3, 230). Outline of Kilcaskin graveyard visible today on Digital Globe aerial photographs. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 2 March 2020