A possible burial mound rediscovered and a solution to a townland name at Townlough

The Mound from the shoreline

Two of my interests came together in the rediscovering and recording of a possible burial mound in the Castletown Arra area of Tipperary between Portroe & Ballina.

While working through deceased local historian Mikey Joy's archives I came across reference to a place known as the Sally Point in the townland of Townlough Lower. Initially I always thought of Townlough as being up in the "hills", I didn't really realise that the townland stretched all of 2kms down to the lake.

It was described as a mound where there was some folklore related to fairies interfering with workers at harvest time. With the scanning work continuing with this large archive of material I didn't think too much more about it but slowly I think I turned it over in my head.

I knew that the meaning of the name Townlough was "Tuaim an Lacha" or "Burial Mound by the Lake" and this had always bothered me, what tomb / burial mound was it referring to? I had actually wondered was it the Graves of the Leinstermen, which is just on the edge of the townland in Coolbaun but actually about 2km away from the lake.

I wondered was there anything unusual along the lake shore in the townland and thanks to aerial photos on archaeology.ie I could see that there was an unusual grove of trees that "kicked" out from the natural tree line.

Copyright OSI / NMS

I looked on the old maps and this little "kick" seems to date back till at least the 1840s and is included in all of them.

Copyright OSI / NMS

I then went through all the stuff that has been scanned as part of the Mikey Joy Archive and found a more detailed version within the archive with some more information on this mound at the Sally point.

"The Sally Point

This mound is known locally as The Fairy Clump and is situated at The Sally Point, Townlough Lower.  

Iniscealtra or Holy Island is approximately 3 1/2 miles away in Scariff Bay. In the 9th and 10th centuries the monastery there was the target of several attacks by the Norsemen. The monks built a round tower for protection and it is at this point we enter the realm of folklore. The story is that, as well as the round tower, the monks also built an underground passage all of 3 1/2 miles long with an exit at this point. It sounds incredible, but old residents of the area would tell you that in the early years of the century the site was explored by an archaeologist, who was rewarded for his efforts by finding the exit of the tunnel. He entered the passage, but after proceeding a considerable distance, his lighted candle failed indicating lack of oxygen, so he had to abandon his mission and return to the daylight.


Other stories from this locality concern the activities of the 'good people' especially around the mound at the eerie hour of midnight. In the last century this land was farmed as part of Derrycastle. This particular field was usually a meadow and mown at the time with scythes. In hot weather the men would work in the early morning and again late in the evening, sometimes continuing until one or two o'clock with moonlight. On one particular midnight they edged their scythes beside the Fairy Mound, but when they went to mow, the grass was lying and they couldn't cut it.  

In this case the men decided they weren't welcome and went home for a few hours sleep. When they came back in the morning the hay was standing, the edge had returned to their scythes and they were able to continue their work unhindered".

What seemed particular persuasive was the mention of a "tunnel" in the mound. Now of course it isn't possible that is went all the way under the lake to Holy Island but often mounds with passages or cists within have folklore like this.

Finally I got a chance between everything to head over that way by fishing boat (weather and life in general) and amazingly my hunch was correct. There was a mound at this location (see picture above).

Is is a definitely a burial mound? That will be difficult to ascertain for sure. In the townland there are also the remains of a towerhouse linked to the Rollestons and the field boundaries could suggest that there was formerly some kind of estate gardens here. Could this mound be some kind of garden feature, a tree ring perhaps? I don't think so.

I sent on the information I have to the National Monuments Service and it has since been added to the Sites and Monuments Record. The local archaeologist has not inspected it yet, only the information I was able to put together.

However I would argue that the case is strong for the discovery of Tuaim an Lacha or the Burial Mound by the Lake. A burial mound that gives its name to an entire townland must have been of importance.

Anyway I'm posting this to see if there is anymore information about the mound, for or against.