Bray Head cemetaries, history of foot traffic......

Rasmus

This is somewhat of a historical query, specific to Bray Head. I'm wondering if anyone knows if and where there is an unmarked cemetery on the Bray side of the Head near Raithin A Chlig old church ruin, and the old faerie fort in the next field. Info is thin on the ground about particular things, and what the area was used for about 200 years ago besides for church goers and what transit routes were in use. Cheers for any help!
L

Dr Strange

Very interesting. I'd love to hear about this, too.

Judgement Day

I spent a heck of lot of time in the immediate area of the church during my youth and never came across anything like an unmarked cemetry. I do remember years ago reading about an ancient grave being found there with two Roman coins - the payment for Charon to ferry the dead across the Styx I believe. Here is a reference to the grave I found a few minutes ago:
http://www.kilkennycityonline.com/commun_15_d.asp?ID=59&redirect=1

- 'Contrary to the previously accepted opinion, there is now a school of thought which believes that there was a Roman settlement in Ireland. Apparently a Roman grave was discovered in Bray in 1835. The theory which accounted for this was that a Roman ship was wrecked off Bray head and the victims were buried locally. Using old ordnance survey maps a cartographer believes she has found the site of the grave on the Bray sea-front and suggests there may have been a Roman settlement there. She is supported by another academic who believes that Romans had settled along the entire east coast.'

Though the grave is mentioned as being on the seafront I am fairly sure that the earlier report I read specified the area of Bray Head near the church.

Dr Strange

I do remember an old photograph of an excavation of the Roman graves in Bray. Can't remember where butthe graves were at the seafront somehwere in the region of Nailors Cove.

Rasmus

Thanks Preusse and Judgement day. I did read about the Roman grave before, and I thought the burial site was somewhere around where the base of the chairlifts was/is. I have heard that the area around there - (the church and hnd the the surrounding fields) were used as a kind of hospice camp or settlement for starving famine victims. I have no weblinks, this is just word of mouth from years ago. I guess older ordinance survey maps might offer an insight, or land registry records.... I grew up around there (hence the interest) and never came across anything there either, but really I was never looking to such a degree to unearth anything, physically or info-wise!