County: Donegal Site name: INISHBARNUG ISLAND
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DG073-046---- Licence number: 03E1702
Author: Richard Crumlish
Site type: Burial
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 564079m, N 896302m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.813340, -8.558830
Following the discovery of portions of two separate human skeletons on Inishbarnug Island, Co. Donegal, in August 2003, a rescue excavation was commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. This took place over a six-day period between 16 and 23 October 2003.
The island is located c. 1.5km off the west coast of Donegal, in Loughros More Bay. There are no extant features on the island nor is there a tradition of burial here. The skeletons were located on a grassy promontory, just north of an inlet called Bealinillan Port, on the north-east coast of the island. The skeletons were revealed due to the burrowing of rabbits and consisted of the skull of one individual, visible down a rabbit burrow, c. 12m to the north-west of the lower leg bones of a second individual.
One cutting, which measured 3m long and 1.5m wide, was excavated to investigate the burial to the south-east (i.e. the lower leg bones). The excavation revealed five more skeletons, four of which were orientated roughly east–west. Three lay side by side, with the lower legs and feet of two more extending into the cutting to the west. The sixth skeleton was located below the first three individuals. No grave goods were in evidence.
Two of the six skeletons were removed and are undergoing analysis. Following this, it is intended to send samples for radiocarbon dating.
61 An Cladrach, Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
