Children's burial ground, Carrick, Templedouglas, Co. Donegal
In the townland of Carrick, near Templedouglas in County Donegal, a circular earthwork marks the site of an ancient children's burial ground, known locally as a caldragh.
Children's burial ground, Carrick, Templedouglas, Co. Donegal
The enclosure measures approximately 20 metres across, though time has not been kind to its original form; only the southwestern half of the earthen bank remains intact, standing a modest 30 centimetres high. The southern portion of the interior has been deliberately raised at some point in its history, creating a level platform within the circular space.
What makes this site particularly intriguing is the recorded presence of a souterrain, or underground passage, noted on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey maps as a ‘cave’ at the northwestern edge of the enclosure. These subterranean features, found throughout Ireland, were typically used for storage or refuge during the early medieval period, though their exact purpose often remains debated. The souterrain here sits amongst rocky outcrops that punctuate the landscape, a reminder of the geological forces that shaped this corner of Donegal.
The choice of location seems deliberate and practical; whilst rocky in places, the surrounding land offers good grazing, and the site commands impressive views across the countryside in nearly every direction, with only the northern approach obscured. Such positioning was common for burial grounds of this type, which often served isolated rural communities well into the post-medieval period. These unconsecrated grounds, or cillíní, were typically reserved for unbaptised children, reflecting complex religious and social beliefs that persisted in rural Ireland long after the arrival of Christianity.





