Grave Yd — Mitchelstown

In demesne of Mitchelstown Castle (14918), in grounds of Dairygold Co-operative plant. Roughly square graveyard (L c. 30m) enclosed by low brick wall erected c. 1900. Depicted on 1842 OS 6-inch map as oval graveyard (c. 50m NNW-SSE; c. 40m ENE-WSW), defined by broken line and surrounded by wooded area, with rectangular structure (c. 12m E-W; c. 7m N-S), also defined by broken line, and marked 'Church (Site of)' (14445) in NW corner. Graveyard no longer in use; interior in grass; number of headstones lying on ground near SE corner, including three which have been re-set close together. Burials continued until graveyard closed in 1876; church demolished prior to 1900; interior of graveyard bulldozed c. 1949-50; local tradition that headstones dumped into nearby lake; 18th-century burial vault of Ryder family damaged by earthmoving machinery in 1982 (pers. comm. B. Power). Possible 18th/early 19th century vaulted tomb uncovered during trench digging along southern perimeter wall of graveyard in April 1998 (Cleary 1998). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009