Burial ground, Cashel, Gleneely, Co. Donegal
On the lower slopes of Crockaughrim Mountain in County Donegal, amidst rough and boggy terrain, lies an intriguing archaeological site that has captured local imagination for generations.
Burial ground, Cashel, Gleneely, Co. Donegal
Stone-lined graves containing human remains have reportedly been discovered here, though the full extent of the burials remains undocumented. Local tradition holds that this remote spot once housed a monastery, a belief that persists despite the lack of visible monastic structures today.
The site at Cashel in Gleneely offers a glimpse into Ireland’s complex religious and burial practices, though its exact origins and purpose remain somewhat mysterious. Whether it served as a monastic cemetery, a secular burial ground, or perhaps fulfilled both functions at different times is unclear. The stone-lined graves suggest careful, deliberate burial practices that were common throughout medieval Ireland, when such sites often marked important religious or community spaces.
This archaeological curiosity was documented in the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983, which catalogued field antiquities from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century. The remote, boggy location has likely helped preserve whatever remains lie beneath, though it also makes proper archaeological investigation challenging. For those interested in Ireland’s hidden historical landscapes, this windswept corner of Donegal represents one of many sites where local memory and archaeological evidence intertwine, creating stories that blur the boundaries between legend and history.





