This is the famine graveyard in the Waterford Gaeltacht, it is located in An Sean Phobal, off the N25 from Dungarvan to Cork just before An Seanachaí pub about 4 km south-west of Dungarvan.
The field itself was owned by the Villiers-Stuart family.
In July 1847, the Clerk was directed to advertise for contractors to erect a stone wall around the site, four feet high and five feet wide, faced with stones on both sides ’the stones to be laid on edge.’
Two men were employed assisted by the workhouse inmates.
On 28 August William Veale’s tender to make an iron gate 5½ feet high by 8 feet wide for 14 shillings was accepted.
The graveyard was to be ready in a matter of weeks.
In early September the Guardians ordered that any paupers who died were to be buried in the new graveyard for Grange and Ardmore until the site at Slievegrine, as the area in which Reilig an tSléibhe is located was then recorded, was opened.
Henry Villiers-Stuart was chairperson of the Board of Guardians who ran the workhouse at the time.
There are possibly 3 mass graves in the field that were used to cope with the large numbers and as the deaths declined, it is believed single graves were dug.
The corpses were brought by pony and trap from the town along what would have been the old Cork road.
A Mr Fitzgerald made this journey with his cart up to three times a day.
A Mr Barron was also in charge of the burials.
Currently, it is not known how many were buried there but there are certainly 100s if not up to 1000.
Officialdom, at the time, had such disregard for the inmates of the workhouse, they only had a number and no names were recorded.
Many literally had to dig their own graves a matter of days before they themselves would be tipped in.
They were buried without coffins or even shrouds.
There is a local story of a young baby that was about to be buried with a number of other corpses and just before the cart was tipped in, she left out a loud cry.
That child emigrated to America and lived into her 90s.
An Seanachaí, which is located beside the graveyard obtained its first licence in 1845, issued to John Ketts.
The public house was originally established to provide food and drink for the gravediggers and the Kett family were caretakers of the graveyard in the immediate aftermath of the famine.
In the early 1860s some members of the Board of Guardians felt that a small monument should be erected at Reilig an tSléibhe to commemorate those buried there, but nothing came of the idea.
The subject came up again in August 1866 when it was proposed that a monument should be erected at a cost not exceeding £50.
Denis McGrath’s plan for the monument was accepted in August 1866 but the Commissioners objected once again.
The plan was eventually dropped, probably because of the opposition from the Commissioners.
According to Seamus Clandillon writing in 1925 a wooden cross marked the site, this had reportedly crumbled well before 1943.
In 1953 a new monument, which still stands on the site, was erected to commemorate the Holy year and a small inscription was included to mention the famine victims.
The unveiling took place as part of the celebrations of the An Tostal festival in Dungarvan on Sunday 19 April 1953.
This monument consists of a large plain limestone cross with inscriptions in Irish and English.
On 20 August 1995, for the 150th commemoration of the famine, a commemorative mass was celebrated at Reilig An tSléibhe by Dr. William Lee, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.
A new memorial which was inscribed with part of Máire Ní Dhroma's poem, Na Prátaí Dubha was unveiled and a moving recital of Na Prataí Dubha was given by Peig, Bean Uí Reagáin.
Also to be seen at the site is a solitary figure in mourning, at the side of the field.
This sculpture was created by Seán Creagh, however, he died before it was complete and so the fiberglass structure that would have been used to create the mold for the final piece was erected instead.
As such it is not very weather proof and is showing signs of damage.
Within the field if you look at the surface of the grass, there are
This is the famine graveyard in the Waterford Gaeltacht, it is located in An Sean Phobal, off the N25 from Dungarvan to Cork just before An Seanachaí pub about 4 km south-west of Dungarvan. The field itself was owned by the Villiers-Stuart family. In July 1847, the Clerk was directed to advertise for contractors to erect a stone wall around the site, four feet high and five feet wide, faced with stones on both sides ’the stones to be laid on edge.’ Two men were employed assisted by the workhouse inmates. On 28 August William Veale’s tender to make an iron gate 5½ feet high by 8 feet wide for 14 shillings was accepted. The graveyard was to be ready in a matter of weeks. In early September the Guardians ordered that any paupers who died were to be buried in the new graveyard for Grange and Ardmore until the site at Slievegrine, as the area in which Reilig an tSléibhe is located was then recorded, was opened. Henry Villiers-Stuart was chairperson of the Board of Guardians who ran the workhouse at the time. There are possibly 3 mass graves in the field that were used to cope with the large numbers and as the deaths declined, it is believed single graves were dug. The corpses were brought by pony and trap from the town along what would have been the old Cork road. A Mr Fitzgerald made this journey with his cart up to three times a day. A Mr Barron was also in charge of the burials. Currently, it is not known how many were buried there but there are certainly 100s if not up to 1000. Officialdom, at the time, had such disregard for the inmates of the workhouse, they only had a number and no names were recorded. Many literally had to dig their own graves a matter of days before they themselves would be tipped in. They were buried without coffins or even shrouds. There is a local story of a young baby that was about to be buried with a number of other corpses and just before the cart was tipped in, she left out a loud cry. That child emigrated to America and lived into her 90s. An Seanachaí, which is located beside the graveyard obtained its first licence in 1845, issued to John Ketts. The public house was originally established to provide food and drink for the gravediggers and the Kett family were caretakers of the graveyard in the immediate aftermath of the famine. In the early 1860s some members of the Board of Guardians felt that a small monument should be erected at Reilig an tSléibhe to commemorate those buried there, but nothing came of the idea. The subject came up again in August 1866 when it was proposed that a monument should be erected at a cost not exceeding £50. Denis McGrath’s plan for the monument was accepted in August 1866 but the Commissioners objected once again. The plan was eventually dropped, probably because of the opposition from the Commissioners. According to Seamus Clandillon writing in 1925 a wooden cross marked the site, this had reportedly crumbled well before 1943. In 1953 a new monument, which still stands on the site, was erected to commemorate the Holy year and a small inscription was included to mention the famine victims. The unveiling took place as part of the celebrations of the An Tostal festival in Dungarvan on Sunday 19 April 1953. This monument consists of a large plain limestone cross with inscriptions in Irish and English. On 20 August 1995, for the 150th commemoration of the famine, a commemorative mass was celebrated at Reilig An tSléibhe by Dr. William Lee, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore. A new memorial which was inscribed with part of Máire Ní Dhroma's poem, Na Prátaí Dubha was unveiled and a moving recital of Na Prataí Dubha was given by Peig, Bean Uí Reagáin. Also to be seen at the site is a solitary figure in mourning, at the side of the field. This sculpture was created by Seán Creagh, however, he died before it was complete and so the fiberglass structure that would have been used to create the mold for the final piece was erected instead. As such it is not very weather proof and is showing signs of damage. Within the field if you look at the surface of the grass, there are 
Old Parish