Burial ground, Doire Leathan, Co. Donegal

Burial ground, Doire Leathan, Co. Donegal

Tucked away in the countryside of County Donegal, Garrynakilla burial ground forms a distinctive oval enclosure measuring roughly 22 by 17 metres.

Burial ground, Doire Leathan, Co. Donegal

The site, also known as the burial ground at Doire Leathan, is surrounded by a stone wall with a single entrance gap facing east-northeast. Though the flat interior shows signs of agricultural disturbance from ploughing over the years, it retains its character as an ancient place of rest.

Local memory preserves an intriguing detail about this graveyard; a cross-inscribed stone once stood in the north-northwest section, though it has since vanished from the site. What remains in its place is a natural erratic boulder, a glacial remnant that now serves as the only stone marker in that portion of the grounds. Whether the inscribed stone was removed, destroyed, or simply lost to time remains unknown.



The site was documented as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, conducted by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. This ambitious project catalogued field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century, preserving knowledge of places like Garrynakilla that might otherwise fade from collective memory. The burial ground stands as a quiet testament to the generations who once lived, died, and mourned in this corner of rural Ireland.

Rated 0 out of 5

Good to Know

Tags

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of IrishHistory.com
IrishHistory.com
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Burial ground, Doire Leathan, Co. Donegal. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Doire Leathan, Co. Donegal
54.63163041, -8.63139042
54.63163041,-8.63139042
Doire Leathan 
Burial Grounds 

Related Places