Local historians and archaeologists have noted it sits somewhere between a rocky outcrop to the west and a stream to the east, though pinpointing its precise boundaries has proven challenging over the years. This uncertainty adds an intriguing layer to what is already a significant archaeological site in this corner of northwest Ireland.

The burial ground forms part of Donegal’s rich tapestry of field antiquities, documented in the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. This survey catalogued sites spanning from the Mesolithic period right through to the 17th century, placing Balleelaghan’s burial ground within a broader historical context that stretches back thousands of years. Like many rural Irish burial sites, it likely served the local community for generations, though the specific dates of its use remain unclear.

What makes sites like Balleelaghan particularly valuable is how they reflect the continuity of human settlement and ritual practice in rural Ireland. These burial grounds, often unmarked and unassuming in the landscape, serve as quiet reminders of the communities who once lived, worked, and mourned in these areas. The fact that its location is described in relation to natural features; a rock outcrop and a stream; speaks to how our ancestors understood and navigated their landscape, using the permanent markers nature provided rather than the maps and coordinates we rely on today.