Grave Yard — Ballyduagh (railstown Par.)

On a low rise of ground in undulating terrain, with an area of wet, marshy ground immediately to the W of the graveyard, in pasture. Ballyduagh 17th-century house (TS061-095003-) is visible 150m to the S. The remains of a church (TS061-095002-) are placed off-centre to the N within this rectangular graveyard (dims. 41.7m N–S; 30m E–W). According to the OSL in 1840 the graveyard was 'not enclosed by any wall or rampart and but seldom used as a cemetery at present' (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1, 81, 216-17). However, one was built within the subsequent fifty years as White (1892, 104) noted that the 'graveyard is surrounded by a good wall'. The wall survives in good condition with an entrance near the E end of the S wall and a stile immediately to its W. The headstones are clustered in the SE corner of the graveyard. The earliest identified dates to 1802, though the shape of the headsone S of this suggests a late 18th-century date for this and maybe one or two others. The headstones range in date from the late 18th to the first half of the 20th century, but the majority are late 19th century in date. There is only one headstone within the interior of the church, near the W wall, the inscription is not legible but it is similar to the headstone dating to 1802. A slab with a chamfered edge in the graveyard, 3.8m SE of the SE angle of the church, is similar to one within the church, neither have any visible inscription. Despite a slight difference in thickness, both may be portions of a 17th-century graveslab/s or an altar. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 12 December 2011