Burial ground in Derryvilla

In 1997 quarrying operations at Derryvilla unearthed human remains which after examination was revealed to belong to a large unrecorded burial ground. This burial round was situated on top of a hill with good views in all directions. An earthen track known as 'The Friar's Togher' (OF034-001----) is located immediately S of the hill and is orientated on a N-S axis and appears to be connecting this hilltop containing the burial ground with an area to the S of the hill. An arcaheological evaluation of this burial ground was undertaken by Clare Mullins under licence No. 98 E 0315 between 20-31 July 1998. A total of 22 test trenches were opened on the west and northwest side of the hilltop. These trenches revealed that the top soil was approx. 0.3m in depth that overlay a brown humic sand in which the skeletons were deposited. This brown sand occurred up to a max. depth of 1m and overlay an almost pure white sterile sand. Within trench 1 a skeleton was found at a depth of 0.3m below the surface and lay within the brown sand and this articulated burial was orientated E-W with the head to the west. Trench 4 revealed the remains of a burial within the brown sand which seemed to be orientated E-W with the head to the W. Another burial was uncovered in trench 5 at a depth of 0.4m below the surface and was orientated E-W with the head to the W. A fragment of this skull showed evidence of damage from and edged weapon injury. Trench 7 revealed the redeposited remains of more than one individual. In trench 9 a burial was found at a depth of 0.5m below the surface and the remains were orientated from NW-SE with the head to the NW. Trench 14 revealed the remains of an undisturbed skeleton which was orientated on and E-W axis with the head to the W. Within trench 19 a ditch was discovered running NE-SW at a depth of 0.2m below the topsoil and consisted of a continuous layer of of dark brown silty sand which had moderate amounts of charcoal fleck. This in turn overlay the upper fill of the ditch which consisted of a dark brown/black silty sand with occasional angular stones and occasional inclusions of animal bone as well as frequent charcoal flecks. This external ditch measured 2.8m in width and 0.6m deep with possible internal ditch measuring 1.2m wide by 0.4m deep. In trech 16 the remains of this enclosing ditch were found at the NW end of this ditch, a shard of what has tentatively been described as medieval pottery was found at the topsoil/brown sand interface. This ditch feature appears to run from NE-SW across the platform possibly acting as an enclosing element for the burials that can be found on the E side of the ditch and which are totally absent from the W side of the ditch. In total burials, either disturbed or in situ, were found in 11 of these test trenches. Trenches 21 and 22 were located in an area outside of the burial ground. All undisturbed burials, with the exception of that found in Trench 10, were orientated precisely or closely E-W with the head to the W indicating that the burial ground belongs to the Christian era (Mullins 1998, 9). On the basis of the evidence revelaed during the archaeological evaluation of the site it would seem most probable that the remaining part of the burial ground is confined to the E part of the hilltop on the N side of the quarry. The feature revealed in Trench 19 and Trench 16 most likley represents a ditch which delineated the boundary of the burial ground. The National Museum of Ireland recorded that 'In September 1970 human remains were discovered during the bulldozing of a hill at Derryvilla, near Portarlington, Co. Offaly,224 close to the border between counties Laois and Offaly. The NMI was informed of the find by a local man, Mr H. Milner, and the site was investigated on the Museum's behalf by Dr Barry Raftery of University College, Dublin. The hill is described as a prominent eminence, 89m above ,sea level, 1.5km north-east of Portarlington town. The hill appeared to be of glacial origin, as the bulldozer revealed its upper levels, at least, to be entirely composed of sand and gravel. More than half of its surface had been completely stripped to a depth of approximately 1 m. Raftery noted that it was the only area of dry land in a considerable expanse of bog. Substantial amounts of human bone had come to light, all in a good state of preservation, but were scattered over the bulldozed area. According to Mr Milner, they were associated with pockets of red material, apparently sunk into the ubiquitous grey sand, but this could not be verified on site owing to the level of disturbance. Most of the burials appear to have came from the upper, southern slope of the hill and did not appear to have been buried at any great depth below the ground surface. According to Mr Milner there was a strong local tradition of a monastic settlement on the hilltop. A low earthen bank, approximately 2m wide by lm high, was visible on the lower slope of the hill in the south-east. This bank, known locally as `the Friar's Togher; extends for about 250m in a fairly straight line. This is recorded in the SMR for County Offaly as a togher. A second bank, parallel to the first and west of it, is marked on the map but is not evident on the ground. The remains were not acquired, and it was decided not to excavate the site at that time. In 1998 further human remains were exposed during quarrying operations. Trial excavations were carried out by Clare Mullins to the east of the togher (Mullins 2000), and burials were found in eleven of the trenches. Burials occurred at various depths, suggesting that the site was used over an extended period. Mullins interpreted the burials as medieval in date, based on the layout and the ditch feature (this would appear to be the togher mentioned above; Mullins 2000), and suggested that the ditch acted as an enclosure for the burials. Given that burials were also found to the west of the togher, however, it seems likely that the burials extended over the entire plateau' (Cahill and Sikora 2011, vol. 2, 507). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 5/2000).