When a plough broke through the soil sometime around 1868, it revealed a long cist, a type of grave constructed from upright stone slabs or drystone walling, roofed over with flat lintels, that had lain undisturbed for an unknown length of time. The find was unremarkable in the sense that such burials appear across Ireland, but its location on a now-deserted island gives it a particular stillness.

The grave itself is carefully made. It measures two metres in length and roughly 45 centimetres in width, constructed from drystone walling and sealed with stone lintels laid across the top. The body had been placed inside in an extended position, lying flat rather than crouched, oriented along an east-west axis with the head positioned at the western end, resting on small square flags. This east-west orientation is commonly associated with early Christian burial practice, where the body was laid out so as to face the rising sun, though without additional dating evidence it is difficult to be precise about when this individual was interred. The discovery was recorded in the literature of the period, cited with reference to sources from 1866 to 1869, and the site was later compiled by Geraldine Stout as part of an ongoing effort to document archaeological features across the country.

Ireland's Eye is accessible by small ferry from Howth Harbour, with boats running seasonally during the warmer months. The island has no permanent facilities and visitors are largely left to their own devices once ashore. The terrain is uneven and the interior rises sharply toward a Martello tower at the eastern end. The burial site itself is not marked or interpreted on the ground, so those with a particular interest in finding it would need to consult the relevant records in advance. The island rewards careful looking rather than a hurried visit, and the knowledge that someone was buried here, in a well-made grave on what is now a windswept and largely forgotten patch of land, sits with you as you walk.