Sir, – Given what is known from archaeological, historical and folklore sources in Ireland about the treatment of stillborn and other babies who died before baptism, it is almost inconceivable that these babies would have been buried in consecrated ground.
I have had the experience of excavating at two sites where several burials of babies were discovered. In one case the interments took place within the walls of a long-abandoned early church site some distance from any other cemetery. Prior to the excavation, there was no indication that the burials were present. At the second site a small number of burials were inserted around the plinth of a medieval wayside cross, the adjacent roadway long incorporated into the field boundaries. This site was said locally to have been used for the burial of unbaptised children within living memory. This was confirmed by the excavation although this was not its primary purpose.
These occurrences can be replicated at the many cilliní (killeens) and other repurposed sites around Ireland. These sites were chosen as proxy burial grounds because they retained some association with a church that would not permit burial of these infants within the regulated/consecrated cemeteries.
It is essential that every possible archaeological technique available should be applied to the highest possible standard in any location where the unregulated burial of babies may have taken place.
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
Measures should then be put in place to either protect the site or, if appropriate, for the removal of the burials using archaeological best practice at each stage of the process. – Yours, etc,
MARY CAHILL, FSA
Adjunct Professor
School of Geography,
Archaeology
and Irish Studies,
NUI Galway.