Bog Bodies found in Tipperary

Bog Bodies found in Tipperary

DISCOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS IN A BOG

SUPPOSED CASE OF MURDER

On the 1st inst. John Hickey of Garryclough, while engaged in cleaning a turf-bank for Mr. Michael Duggan, came upon a human foot about four feet under the surface. On clearing away the turf, with the assistance of a man named McBride, they discovered the body of a full-grown female. Hickey immediately informed the Constabulary at Gortnahoe, who took possession of the body, and the Coroner (J. Cormack, Esq.) having been informed, an inquest was held on the 2nd inst., when a jury was sworn.

The first witness examined was John Hickey, of Garryclough, who detailed the finding of the body as above. He first saw one of the feet, and then stripped away the turf carefully and found the body. Witness was born in the locality, and recollects over thirty years, and never knew of any female being missed from the neighbourhood; the surface of the bog where the body was found was quite hard and firm, and does not believe it was recently disturbed; was of the opinion that the body was placed there by some persons; it was lying at full length on its back.

Dr. Joseph MacNamara, of Urlingford, on being examined, deposed that he examined the remains, and found they were that of a full-grown female. He found a depressed fracture of the frontal bone of the skull, which he believed was inflicted during life, and was quite sufficient to have caused death. He also found that the radius and ulna of the left forearm were missing, and could not account for it. He could give no opinion as to the length of time the body was buried in the bog.

The Coroner having briefly addressed the jury, they brought in a verdict as follows:- "We find that the said woman was found dead in Garryclough bog on 1st June, 1880, and that she died from a fracture of the skull, but we have no evidence to show how such fracture was inflicted."

The spot where the body was found is in the same townland as that where Edmond Brereton was murdered on the 4th January last. The surface of the bog over the body was quite firm and hard, and presented no appearance of having been recently disturbed; in fact, there is little doubt that the body must have been a considerable time buried there. It appeared to be that of a person about 5 ft. 5 in. in height. At first the body appeared in a good state of preservation, but on being exposed to the air for a little time the flesh blackened and shrivelled up considerably.

Another correspondent who saw the body after it had been placed in the coffin immediately after discovery, stated that it had been wonderfully preserved by the action of the bog, and that it emitted not the slightest offensive smell. The limbs were still showing their natural symmetry, and the skin quite perfect. The remains, after the inquest, were removed for internment in the ancient burial-ground at Boulick, unattended, our informant states, by any person but a policeman and the gravedigger. Up to the present no person is spoken of as missing from that neighbourhood, but the general belief is that the deceased was murdered as far back as 50 years ago, and the body was placed where it was, denuded altogether of clothes to prevent identification.

Clonmel Chronicle, 5 June 1880

 

The Grave Gives Up Its Dead – A Grim Discovery

“We find that this is the body of some person unknown; how, when, or where he came by his death we have no evidence to show.” A jury empanelled on Thursday by John Cormack, Esq., coroner for mid-Tipperary, to inquire into what had deprived of life a once human form, but now a grim, gaunt, ghastly skeleton stretched in a bog at Kilcurkee, returned this verdict. Kilcurkee is a small bog, cut away and reclaimed for the most part, and having peat only in a small portion. On Wednesday the owner of a peat bank was removing the surface, and had stripped the bank three feet, when he found embedded in the turf the skeleton intact of what has turned out to be a full-sized adult. A large limestone pressed on the frontal bones, and the skull was badly fractured. The fracture of the skull, the limestone pressing on the head, and the out-of-the-way place where the skeleton had been secreted, convinced the local authorities that the remains were those of a person who had been “done to death.”

No trace of clothing was found, nor was anything which would lead to identification discovered. The stone found on the skull is the same as that which breasts the fence, and a vacancy in the lining is filled by the placing of the stone in the hole. This fact indicates that the body had been placed where it was discovered, since the ditch was breasted. How long it is since that was done has not been ascertained. Dr. Mitchell, who inspected the skeleton, and was examined at the inquest, stated that the person had been murdered, as an instrument was used in smashing the skull. It is believed that he was beaten, stripped (as no clothes or the remnants of clothes were found); laid in the turf grave, and the large stone, which weighs 28lbs, thrown on the skull, so as to extinguish life, if any flickering of it had remained. About three years ago a young man living in the locality mysteriously disappeared, and no trace of him has ever been discovered. The skeleton may be his, or it may be (and it is conjectured that it is) the remains of a farmer from the neighbourhood who thirty years ago sold his cattle at the fair of Thurles, left for home with a large sum of money the proceeds of the sale, and was never heard of afterwards.

Nenagh Guardian, 31 May 1890

 

Remarkable Find

Whilst some turf cutters were digging a bog beside Killballyskeagh Castle, the residence of Mr W.R. Clarke, JP, near Shinrone, on Friday, they discovered the skeleton of what has since been determined to be the that of a female of abnormally large proportions. The remains lay about three feet beneath the surface, and were enshrouded in a hide. Beside them was a wooden goblet. There is no record of this bog having ever been cut before, but there is of the existence in the locality in very early ages of calf worshippers who buried their dead in the hide of a cow and enclosed a cup of charms in this strange winding sheet. This practice gave to the mountain on whose slopes this discovery was made its present well-known name, Knockshegowna, or the Hill of the Calf of the Heifer Spirit.

Head-constable Comerford, of Shinrone, had the remains properly re-interred, and retains the remnant of the goblet.

Supplement to The People 24 June 1899

Thanks to Raghnall Ó Floinn, National Museum for this source, which was given to him by Aideen Ireland, National Archives.

 

Skeleton Found Near the Devil's Bit

As Pat Dwane, of Borisofarney, was cutting turf on the Devil's Bit Mountain he came across a human skeleton buried three feet below the surface. The body must have lain there a number of years, as the flesh had rotted away, but the hair on the head was quite unchanged. Dr. Mitchell (Templemore) examined the remains, and found they were those of a man aged about 45 years. A whip and some twisted sally twigs were also found in the grave. No clue has bee found as to who the dead man was. Some people think he was one of those who assembled at the time of the Fenian rising in 1867, and that he died and was buried secretly. The grave is about 1,500 feet above sea level, and in a place seldom visited by anyone.

Nenagh Guardian 7 June 1905.

 

Skeleton Found Near Thurles

A skeleton has been unearthed in a bog, at Noard, Two-Mile-Borris. It appears that a workman named Moloughney, while engaged cutting turf on Saturday, discovered human remains about four feet from the surface. The remains consisted of the trunk of a woman's body, on the head the skin and hair, owing to the peaty soil, were in a state of preservation. The body was enshrouded in a ram skin. The old inhabitants of the locality relate that many years ago a caretaker and his wife mysteriously disappeared from the district, and it is surmised that the skeleton discovered is that of the missing woman. Some thirty years ago the skeleton of a man was found under similar circumstances adjacent to where the recent discovery was made, and the remains are supposed to be those of the missing couple.

Nenagh Guardian 17 June 1905.

 

Transcribed By Patrick Bracken

 

last updated on: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:10 IST

DISCOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS IN A BOG

SUPPOSED CASE OF MURDER

On the 1st inst. John Hickey of Garryclough, while engaged in cleaning a turf-bank for Mr. Michael Duggan, came upon a human foot about four feet under the surface. On clearing away the turf, with the assistance of a man named McBride, they discovered the body of a full-grown female. Hickey immediately informed the Constabulary at Gortnahoe, who took possession of the body, and the Coroner (J. Cormack, Esq.) having been informed, an inquest was held on the 2nd inst., when a jury was sworn.

The first witness examined was John Hickey, of Garryclough, who detailed the finding of the body as above. He first saw one of the feet, and then stripped away the turf carefully and found the body. Witness was born in the locality, and recollects over thirty years, and never knew of any female being missed from the neighbourhood; the surface of the bog where the body was found was quite hard and firm, and does not believe it was recently disturbed; was of the opinion that the body was placed there by some persons; it was lying at full length on its back.

Dr. Joseph MacNamara, of Urlingford, on being examined, deposed that he examined the remains, and found they were that of a full-grown female. He found a depressed fracture of the frontal bone of the skull, which he believed was inflicted during life, and was quite sufficient to have caused death. He also found that the radius and ulna of the left forearm were missing, and could not account for it. He could give no opinion as to the length of time the body was buried in the bog.

The Coroner having briefly addressed the jury, they brought in a verdict as follows:- "We find that the said woman was found dead in Garryclough bog on 1st June, 1880, and that she died from a fracture of the skull, but we have no evidence to show how such fracture was inflicted."

The spot where the body was found is in the same townland as that where Edmond Brereton was murdered on the 4th January last. The surface of the bog over the body was quite firm and hard, and presented no appearance of having been recently disturbed; in fact, there is little doubt that the body must have been a considerable time buried there. It appeared to be that of a person about 5 ft. 5 in. in height. At first the body appeared in a good state of preservation, but on being exposed to the air for a little time the flesh blackened and shrivelled up considerably.

Another correspondent who saw the body after it had been placed in the coffin immediately after discovery, stated that it had been wonderfully preserved by the action of the bog, and that it emitted not the slightest offensive smell. The limbs were still showing their natural symmetry, and the skin quite perfect. The remains, after the inquest, were removed for internment in the ancient burial-ground at Boulick, unattended, our informant states, by any person but a policeman and the gravedigger. Up to the present no person is spoken of as missing from that neighbourhood, but the general belief is that the deceased was murdered as far back as 50 years ago, and the body was placed where it was, denuded altogether of clothes to prevent identification.

Clonmel Chronicle, 5 June 1880

 

The Grave Gives Up Its Dead – A Grim Discovery

“We find that this is the body of some person unknown; how, when, or where he came by his death we have no evidence to show.” A jury empanelled on Thursday by John Cormack, Esq., coroner for mid-Tipperary, to inquire into what had deprived of life a once human form, but now a grim, gaunt, ghastly skeleton stretched in a bog at Kilcurkee, returned this verdict. Kilcurkee is a small bog, cut away and reclaimed for the most part, and having peat only in a small portion. On Wednesday the owner of a peat bank was removing the surface, and had stripped the bank three feet, when he found embedded in the turf the skeleton intact of what has turned out to be a full-sized adult. A large limestone pressed on the frontal bones, and the skull was badly fractured. The fracture of the skull, the limestone pressing on the head, and the out-of-the-way place where the skeleton had been secreted, convinced the local authorities that the remains were those of a person who had been “done to death.”

No trace of clothing was found, nor was anything which would lead to identification discovered. The stone found on the skull is the same as that which breasts the fence, and a vacancy in the lining is filled by the placing of the stone in the hole. This fact indicates that the body had been placed where it was discovered, since the ditch was breasted. How long it is since that was done has not been ascertained. Dr. Mitchell, who inspected the skeleton, and was examined at the inquest, stated that the person had been murdered, as an instrument was used in smashing the skull. It is believed that he was beaten, stripped (as no clothes or the remnants of clothes were found); laid in the turf grave, and the large stone, which weighs 28lbs, thrown on the skull, so as to extinguish life, if any flickering of it had remained. About three years ago a young man living in the locality mysteriously disappeared, and no trace of him has ever been discovered. The skeleton may be his, or it may be (and it is conjectured that it is) the remains of a farmer from the neighbourhood who thirty years ago sold his cattle at the fair of Thurles, left for home with a large sum of money the proceeds of the sale, and was never heard of afterwards.

Nenagh Guardian, 31 May 1890

 

Remarkable Find

Whilst some turf cutters were digging a bog beside Killballyskeagh Castle, the residence of Mr W.R. Clarke, JP, near Shinrone, on Friday, they discovered the skeleton of what has since been determined to be the that of a female of abnormally large proportions. The remains lay about three feet beneath the surface, and were enshrouded in a hide. Beside them was a wooden goblet. There is no record of this bog having ever been cut before, but there is of the existence in the locality in very early ages of calf worshippers who buried their dead in the hide of a cow and enclosed a cup of charms in this strange winding sheet. This practice gave to the mountain on whose slopes this discovery was made its present well-known name, Knockshegowna, or the Hill of the Calf of the Heifer Spirit.

Head-constable Comerford, of Shinrone, had the remains properly re-interred, and retains the remnant of the goblet.

Supplement to The People 24 June 1899

Thanks to Raghnall Ó Floinn, National Museum for this source, which was given to him by Aideen Ireland, National Archives.

 

Skeleton Found Near the Devil's Bit

As Pat Dwane, of Borisofarney, was cutting turf on the Devil's Bit Mountain he came across a human skeleton buried three feet below the surface. The body must have lain there a number of years, as the flesh had rotted away, but the hair on the head was quite unchanged. Dr. Mitchell (Templemore) examined the remains, and found they were those of a man aged about 45 years. A whip and some twisted sally twigs were also found in the grave. No clue has bee found as to who the dead man was. Some people think he was one of those who assembled at the time of the Fenian rising in 1867, and that he died and was buried secretly. The grave is about 1,500 feet above sea level, and in a place seldom visited by anyone.

Nenagh Guardian 7 June 1905.

 

Skeleton Found Near Thurles

A skeleton has been unearthed in a bog, at Noard, Two-Mile-Borris. It appears that a workman named Moloughney, while engaged cutting turf on Saturday, discovered human remains about four feet from the surface. The remains consisted of the trunk of a woman's body, on the head the skin and hair, owing to the peaty soil, were in a state of preservation. The body was enshrouded in a ram skin. The old inhabitants of the locality relate that many years ago a caretaker and his wife mysteriously disappeared from the district, and it is surmised that the skeleton discovered is that of the missing woman. Some thirty years ago the skeleton of a man was found under similar circumstances adjacent to where the recent discovery was made, and the remains are supposed to be those of the missing couple.

Nenagh Guardian 17 June 1905.

 

Athscríofa ag Patrick Bracken

nuashonraithe ar: Tuesday, 03-Aug-2010 15:40:10 IST