- Drumone, Co. Meath, Meath

In October 1977 human remains were discovered during the digging of a septic tank on the site of a dwelling house at Drumone, Co. Meath.²⁰⁵ The site was reported to the National Museum by a local schoolteacher, and an investigation was carried out by Patrick F. Wallace. The bones were found in a small field at the rear of a newly built house. The surface of the field had been lowered by a bulldozer and was characterised by a large gravel ridge running north/south across its width. The burials were deposited on top of the gravel and were covered by approximately 0.9m of topsoil where the gravel ridge tapered off on its eastern side. The remains of at least five individuals were found—two adults and three children—but were all ex situ at the time of Wallace’s visit. The bones were unaccompanied by grave-goods and there was no evidence of coffins or any other stone settings around the burials. According to Wallace’s report, the adjoining field contained numerous raised areas, hollows and marks that could be interpreted as settlement and road patterns, and there was a local tradition of the village having extended into this field in former times. This tradition, coupled with the features noted in the adjacent field, may indicate that the area in which the bones were found was an unmarked graveyard. There was also a tradition of a church in the adjoining field, and a font is reputed to have come from this part of the field, although its whereabouts could not be established. The only monument recorded for this townland is a ringfort.²⁰⁶

205. Parish of Loughcrew, barony of Fore. SMR ME015-117——. IGR 256058 274773.
206. ME015-059——. IGR 256704, 274642.