Heritage event in Drumgoon

A series of events commemorating the Irish Famine will take place tomorrow (Saturday), August 18, in Drumgoon as part of National Heritage Week. The event ‘Making the Connection’ will be hosted by the Drumgoon Hill Maintenance and Support Group. The programme of events commences at Gallonray House, Maudabawn, at 10am. It will be officially launched by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys.
An information workshop will explore aspects of cultural heritage with speakers on History, Archaeology, Geophysics - Ecology and Genealogy.
“It’s also an opportunity to learn of the ‘work to date’ and the discoveries of Drumgoon Hill Graveyard. It’s a perfect opportunity of discovering our past, and present landscape, culture, heritage and history,” said the committee PRO Roseabby McGorry. 
“On Drumgoon Hill we have history, archaeology, we have a medieval graveyard and the site has never been interfered with apart from human burials. For the past 2,000 years, we have a very rare place of biodiversity,” she enthused .
After lunch, at 2.30pm, group members will host a field walk on Drumgoon Hill Graveyard. There will also be prayers, an unveiling of a monument for the souls of those buried in unmarked graves and famine victims, as well as demonstrations and talks.
Then, at around 4.30pm, it is back to Gallonray House Maudabawn for refreshments, entertainment, and storytelling with special guest Eddie Lenihan, one of the few practicing seanchaithe (traditional Irish lore-keepers and tale-spinners) remaining in Ireland.
Roseabby revealed that extensive research has been carried out on the graveyard with 736 graves discovered - two thirds of which are unmarked. Details of the 235 marked graves have been digitised by Irish Graveyard Surveyors and uploaded onto graves.ie
There are also references indicating that St Patrick visited the area and St Patrick’s Church, Maudbawn, was the first Roman Catholic Church in the parish.
“We also located a deposit of charcoal and slag on the outer bank, that with carbon dating may show ‘what was made’ (likely iron). The carbon dating will confirm this and give us an idea of the age of the fort. We know the word Dhroin Dun means the ridge on the hill, the word Dun always used for the residence of a Chieftain of prominence, so we are dealing with a Medieval graveyard sitting on an Iron age Ringfort, a vast array of biodiversity - as it has had no interference but for burials in at least 1500 years,” continued Roseabby.
The earliest legible headstone recorded by the committee is 1710. “Although as the site was a place of pre-Christian worship and the first Christian church was well established by AD, this gives us reason to believe burials took place long before that. There are also interesting memorials with skulls and crossbones on the site,” she added.
The committee received support for the project from the Heritage Council. “The entire community really showed their dedication rolled up the sleeves and provided the manpower in a voluntary capacity. They acquired training from Kevin Barton Landscape Geophysical Services and created a legacy for the next generations,” she said.
Bookings for the heritage events can be made through 087-0695196. There is a cost of €10pp for lunch.