Children's Burial Grounds

Children’s burial grounds or Killeens are quite a common feature in this area. According to tradition they were used as a burial place for unbaptised infants. In the townland of Scotland there is a fine example of a killeen in the centre of a univallatte ringfort. It is difficult to estimate the number of burials due to the abundance of trees and undergrowth. Also in the townland of Ballinastack, about four miles to the north of Glenamaddy there is a children’s burial ground beside the megalithic tomb. It has been suggested that cairn material from the tomb may have been used in the construction of the children’s simple stone lined graves. The burial ground is roughly square in plan and is well preserved. It is clear that the graves are aligned east-west. Many of the graves have head and foot stones but a number of stone-lined graves still survive. It is believed that children were buried here up to thirty years ago.