ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GALLOWS HILL
In September 1969, County Council workers were quarrying sand from a pit beside the scout den on Bennetsbridge Road when they unearthed a macabre discovery. Thousands of human bones tumbled from the side of the excavation. These were hastily packed into bags, with some eventually finding their way to the National Museum of Ireland.
Among the remains, one body was examined and found to be an adult male of unusually strong build, over six feet tall, and about 30 years old. Given the townland's ominous name, Gallows Hill, and the presence of a large tree bearing the same name, it's possible that some of the bones belonged to those executed there.
However, many of the bones were disarticulated, suggesting a more gruesome fate. They may have suffered a grisly end in a gibbet, a gallows-type structure used for public display of corpses as a deterrent to criminals. In medieval times, execution sites like this were often located on the outskirts of towns, making this a plausible theory.
The discovery in Kilkenny adds another layer to the town's rich history, hinting at a darker past and the brutal realities of medieval justice.
Among the remains, one body was examined and found to be an adult male of unusually strong build, over six feet tall, and about 30 years old. Given the townland's ominous name, Gallows Hill, and the presence of a large tree bearing the same name, it's possible that some of the bones belonged to those executed there.
However, many of the bones were disarticulated, suggesting a more gruesome fate. They may have suffered a grisly end in a gibbet, a gallows-type structure used for public display of corpses as a deterrent to criminals. In medieval times, execution sites like this were often located on the outskirts of towns, making this a plausible theory.
The discovery in Kilkenny adds another layer to the town's rich history, hinting at a darker past and the brutal realities of medieval justice.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GALLOWS HILL