School: St John of God Convent, Rathdowney (roll number 16203)
- Location:
- Rathdowney, Co. Laois
- Teacher: The Sisters
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0828, Page 160
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- Rathdowney takes its name from the Rath of the Domhnach or Church. The "Rath" from which the name has its origin was situated at the north side of Rathdowney in Mr Carroll's garden, 150 yards north-east of the Protestant Church, It was circular in shape, 25 or 30 yards in diameter and flat at the top, and raised about 8 feet over the surrounding land. John Howard of the Garrison, Rathdowney, who levelled the Rath, about 1840, said that he found it filled with human bones, but there were no skulls and that he removed five cart-loads of them thence for interment elsewhere, that there were no traces of foundations of walls, nor headstones and that if any such were ever there, they were removed before he could remember, the rath having been used as a cabbage garden even before he was born, and that he found there some bone pins 2 or 21/2 ins long, but no objects of iron or bronze, or anything else of interest. The presence of such a great quantity of bones would certainly point to the rath, as the site of and ancient churchyard, and consequently of a Church,(continues on next page)
