Burial Ground — An Fál Mór

Located on elevated ground c. 150m N of the rocky shore on the S end of the Mullet Peninsula. There is a small bay, bordered by a beach, 280m to W. Shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a sub-oval area (c. 50-55m EW; c. 35m N-S) delimited by a dashed line, and annotated as 'Burial Ground', with 'Fallmore church' (MA033-001001-) and 'St Derivla's Grave' (SL033-001005-) indicted in the E half. By the time of the 1921 edition, the graveyard had expanded to its current subrectangular extent (75m E−W; 60m N−S). It is enclosed by a stone wall, bordered at S by a road, and encompasses a natural rise or small knoll, with a steep slope down at S−W. The wall on the S side, which is built against the base of the slope, describes a shallow curve, mirroring the curve of the hill. There is a dense concentration of graves, occupying both the level high ground and the steep slopes. Many graves are marked by low, uninscribed headstones; the majority are roughly rectangular unshaped stones, but a few have been cut to a simple cross-shape. Interspersed amongst these, are formal inscribed headstones, dating to the 19th and 20th centuries. Several graves are outlined by an accumulation of white, quartzite beach cobbles. The church (MA033-001001-) is located on a level area at the highest point in NE quadrant of the graveyard, and immediately to N of the church is a graveslab (MA033-001005-), which according to tradition, marks the grave of St. Dairible. At N the graveyard wall overlies an earthen bank which may be a remnant of an early ecclesiastical enclosure (MA033-001008-). The graveyard was in use until the early 1970’s; a large, modern graveyard is located to S. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 19 June 2018