- Piercetown, Co. Meath, Meath

In July 1955 human remains were discovered during bulldozing operations to clear a mound at Piercetown, Co. Meath.²¹³ The discovery was reported to the Gardaí, who informed the NMI. The bones were discovered at a depth of c. 0.9m below the surface of the mound, a site marked ‘site of Piercetown Castle’ on the first and second editions of the OS 6in. sheets. This site has, however, been recorded as a mound barrow by the SMR. A site inspection was carried out by Breandán Ó Ríordáin. The site originally consisted of an oval mound of earth and stone measuring approximately 23m north/south by 22m east/west by 1.5m high at the centre. Ó Ríordáin notes that it was a conspicuous structure at the time of his visit but had been reduced to 19m north/south by 13m east/west by 1.1m high. According to the bulldozer driver the burials occurred at intervals, were aligned on an east/west axis and were fully extended. The remains recovered include an almost complete human skull and other remains of individuals of various ages, including at least one child and one young adult (1955:81).²¹⁴ Ó Ríordáin also suggested that the site might be an Iron Age burial mound. According to local reports, the site was used as a cillín, a burial ground for unbaptised children.

213. Parish of Dunboyne, barony of Dunboyne. SMR Barrow—Mound Barrow; ME050-011——; IGR 300930 245078.
214. This number was used for all the human remains.