‘Why would anyone interfere with the dead?’ — interference with skeleton in Ballyfermot for ‘social media’ condemned by councillor

Local People Before Profit Councillor Hazel de Nortúin said people’s ideas of what is right and wrong when it comes to social media have “gone out the window”.

The skeleton of the child, thought to have been buried around 600AD, was recently uncovered during archeological works at the site of the former De La Salle monastery in the Dublin suburb which is being examined prior to a private development.

In the video, posted on social media last week, a person recorded the small skeleton and can be seen touching its teeth.

There have since been calls from the National Museum of Ireland for people to stop sharing and remove the video.

“As part of archaeological testing in advance of the construction of a strategic housing development within the grounds of the former Mount Le Salle Monastery and the De La Salle Boys School, a number of Early Medieval burials were identified,” a Museum spokesperson said.

“These are in a low burial mound, within a shallow-ditched enclosure. The majority are aligned west to east.

“A full understanding of the significance of the site must await the excavation, analysis, radiocarbon dating and subsequent reporting by the licensed archaeologist.”

Cllr de Nortúin said: “I was shocked when I saw it. Where people’s minds go and what they think is right or wrong for a social media post has just gone out the window. Why would anyone interfere with the dead?

“Ballyfermot doesn’t have much when it comes to evidence of archeology because everything has been knocked and gone for development over the decades, and this find is very significant for the people of the area and it could give them a sense of their history.

“Archeologists are trying to sketch and record the remains so they can determine how they were buried, and under what circumstances, and this was being interfered with by someone touching it.”

The site is a secured building site with a security presence, leading to speculation that the person who made the recording had permission to be on the site rather than being a member of the wider public.

It is understood more remains could yet be found in the dig which was started after a Section 26 licence was issued by the National Monuments Service to ensure the site is examined by archeologists and recorded before for development can occur.

It is understood the remains were found behind the site of the old De La Salle monastery.

Ken Larkin, a member of the local Ballyfermot Heritage Group, said the site may uncover more finds from the period between 400 and 800 AD.

“I heard other finds like buckles have been located, and any other finds will have to be noted. I think what happened last week was disgraceful and I hear the matter has been reported to gardaí,” he told the Irish Independent.