New Paper Reveals Hidden History of County Sligo’s Cillíní
I’m proud to announce the publication of our latest research paper, ‘The cillíní (children’s burial grounds) of County Sligo: memory, folklore, archaeology’, authored by Dr Marion Dowd, Dr James Bonsall, and Leo Leydon, published in the Journal of Irish Archaeology (Volume XXXV, 2026). This study offers new insights into the archaeology, historical memory, and folklore surrounding infant burial practices and marginalized communities during the historic and modern periods in County Sligo.
For generations, children who died unbaptised—alongside others in society who were denied burial in consecrated ground—were interred in informal, unrecorded burial spaces known as cillíní (children’s burial grounds). Spanning from at least the seventeenth century through to the mid-1960s, these sites represent a poignant, often hidden, chapter of Ireland’s social and cultural heritage. Our latest publication presents the first comprehensive, county-wide study of cillíní in County Sligo.
Key Findings & Highlights
- Expanding the Record: When our research began in August 2025, only 25 cillíní were officially recorded for County Sligo. Thanks overwhelmingly to the generosity, family memory, and local knowledge supplied by the people of Sligo—as well as archival work in the 1930s National Folklore Collection—that figure has now increased to 60 cillíní across the county (a 140% increase).
- UAV Drone Photography: This research included photographs of Sligo’s cillíní captured using UAV (drone) photography, offering fresh visual perspectives on how these sensitive sites sit within the modern landscape.
- Landscape & GIS Analysis: By combining Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis with historical mapping, soil data, and local folklore, we explored the topography, aspect, and positioning of these sites. Our findings challenge traditional assumptions about strict “liminality,” revealing instead how local land availability, pre-existing archaeological monuments (such as ringforts and early medieval ecclesiastical sites), and community access heavily influenced where families chose to lay their loved ones to rest.
Journal Cover Features our Work!
I’m especially proud to share that one of my UAV drone photographs—featuring a cillín (SL026-066002-) located within ringfort (SL026-066001-) at Knockmullin townland, south Sligo—was selected for the cover of Volume XXXV of the Journal of Irish Archaeology.
Drone flying in County Sligo can be challenging as it frequently requires specific flight permission – much of the county lies within restricted airspace. Knockmullin lies in EIU36 EISG Green Zone, an airspace designation regulated by Sligo Air Traffic Control (ATC). The drone flight received specific UF101 permission (‘Approval to operate an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in Sligo Class C Airspace’) from Sligo ATC that allowed us to fly a drone at Knockmullin on the 13th January 2026. By a wonderful quirk of fate, a rainbow appeared, with one end extending towards the cillín and ringfort, making a truly lovely photograph.
Of the 60 cillíní investigated for this research, 23 were photographed by separate drone missions over a five month period, and drone-acquired photographs of 13 cillíní were published in the Journal of Irish Archaeology article. We received similar specific UF101 permission for three survey missions in airspace regulated by Ireland West Airport Knock ATC, and ten survey missions from Sligo ATC. The remaining survey missions were for cillíní that lay beyond regulated airspace.
Acknowledgements & Community Collaboration
This research would not have been possible without the extraordinary openness of local landowners, farmers, and community members who shared family histories and local traditions with us. By acknowledging these sites, we hope to help restore visibility, dignity, and respect to the infants and families who were once relegated to the margins of society.
Publication Details
Dowd, M., Bonsall, J. and Leydon, L. 2026. ‘The cillíní (children’s burial grounds) of County Sligo: memory, folklore, archaeology.’ Journal of Irish Archaeology, Vol. XXXV, Wordwell, Dublin, pp141–169.
- Hard Copies: Hard copies are currently being distributed to all members of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland and are available for purchase to non-members from Wordwell Books at a cost of €20.
- Online Access: The paper is available to read online via Exact Editions at Exact Editions Journal of Irish Archaeology and will shortly be live on JSTOR at JSTOR Journal of Irish Archaeology.
