Burial ground, Aghaglassan, Co. Donegal
In the townland of Aghaglassan, County Donegal, a mysterious earthwork has puzzled archaeologists and locals alike.
Burial ground, Aghaglassan, Co. Donegal
This roughly circular mound, measuring about 50 feet in diameter, is partially edged with large stones and an earthen bank; a feature that local tradition firmly identifies as an ancient burial ground. While no formal excavations have confirmed this belief, the site’s characteristics certainly suggest it could have served as a final resting place for communities who once inhabited this corner of northwest Ireland.
The mound was documented by M.R. Colhoun as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled in 1983. This ambitious project catalogued field antiquities across the county, spanning from the Mesolithic Period right through to the 17th century. The survey, led by Brian Lacey and his team of archaeologists, remains one of the most important archaeological resources for understanding Donegal’s rich prehistoric and historic landscape.
Sites like the Aghaglassan mound represent the countless unmarked and unexcavated monuments scattered across the Irish countryside. Whether it truly is a burial ground, as local memory suggests, or served another purpose entirely, it stands as a tangible link to the people who shaped this landscape long before written records began. The presence of deliberately placed stones around its perimeter hints at careful construction, suggesting this was a place of some significance to those who built it, whatever its ultimate purpose may have been.





