Burial ground, Glasán, Co. Donegal
In the rolling countryside of County Donegal, the Calluragh Burial Ground presents something of a mystery to archaeologists and historians.
Burial ground, Glasán, Co. Donegal
Whilst it appears clearly marked on the 2nd and 3rd editions of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch maps, modern surveys have been unable to pinpoint its exact location. Today, the area where this burial ground should stand consists of good pasture land interspersed with patches of scrubland, offering no visible traces of the graves that once lay here.
This elusive site near Glasán represents one of many such burial grounds scattered across Donegal’s landscape, each holding centuries of local history within their boundaries. The difficulty in locating Calluragh speaks to a common challenge in Irish archaeology; many historical sites recorded by earlier surveyors have since been lost to agricultural development, natural overgrowth, or simply the passage of time. The Ordnance Survey maps, created during the 19th century, often captured features that have since vanished from the visible landscape.
The information about Calluragh comes from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983 by Brian Lacey and his team of researchers. This survey attempted to catalogue the county’s field antiquities from the Mesolithic Period through to the 17th century, providing an invaluable record of sites both extant and lost. Whilst Calluragh’s physical presence may have faded, its inclusion in these historical documents ensures that the memory of this burial ground, and those who were once laid to rest there, remains part of Donegal’s recorded heritage.





