2010:838 - Rathbran cemetery, Goldenfort; Manor Kilbride cemetery, Kilbride; Leitrim cemetery, Leitrim, Wicklow

Wicklow County Council is considering extending three existing cemeteries in west Wicklow. It required site information on the depth of bedrock at each site to assess whether the cemeteries are suitable for extension. Monitoring was carried out during the excavation of seven test-pits opened adjacent to the three historic cemeteries, at Rathbran cemetery in Goldenfort townland, Manor Kilbride cemetery in Kilbride townland and Leitrim cemetery in Leitrim townland.
The cemetery at Rathbran, WI021–042
Ráith Bran is the old Irish name for the site located within the civil parish of Rathbran in the diocese of Leighlin. Bran is reputed to have been a local king and was known as ‘Brandubh’, as recorded in the Liam Price Notebooks. The townland of Rathbran adjoins Goldenfort. The remains of an ecclesiastical site are thought to be located under a low circular mound, roughly 80m in diameter. One hundred and fourteen headstones are present on the site dating largely from the 19th and 20th centuries. The earliest headstone marks the grave of William Coogan, who died on 6 June 1770. A granite pillar exists at the site that may be an early surviving element from the ecclesiastic site that is now covered by later burials. A possible font base is also located at the cemetery.
The cemetery at Manor Kilbride, WI001–022
The placename Kilbride is translated from the Irish ‘cell Brigte’ or St Brigit’s cell or church. The placename would suggest that the church at Manor Kilbride was a daughter church to the church at Kildare, which is dedicated to St Brigit. The church site is mentioned in medieval texts that date from the 13th century.
The old cemetery at Manor Kilbride is roughly circular and has been extended to the south; a total of 166 legible headstones are present at the site. The oldest dated headstone marks the grave of John Simpson, who died in 1767. Clearly many other older unmarked graves are present at the site. Two holy wells are also present, one dedicated to St Brigit and one to St Kevin.
The cemetery at Leitrim, WI022–011
There is a folk tradition of a pattern at the site on 25th July (St James’s day). A circular enclosure survives at the site; it is 55m in diameter and surrounds the modern graveyard. There are over 90 burials with headstones within the graveyard dating from the mid-19th century; many other unmarked graves were clearly interred at the site. A bullaun stone and holy well are also located at the site. The Monasticon Hibernicum suggests that the site may be associated with the feast of Mo-Chaín or Mochainne.
No definitive archaeological material was uncovered as part of the programme of monitoring; however, a single shallow pit/ditch was uncovered at Rathbran and Manor Kilbride that could be archaeological in nature. Testing and geophysical survey are planned at the site in 2011.