Graveyard, Dungiven Priory, Priory Lane, Dungiven, Co Londonderry, BT47 4PF

This is a large graveyard, dating back before 1600, which serves as the enclosure for the ruins of Dungiven Priory. The site covers approximately 0.5 hectares of undulating grassland, with the Priory ruins located towards the southwest end. It holds significant historical and social importance due to its long history of use, encompassing pre-medieval, medieval and plantation periods, and demonstrating mixed funeral practices across different communities.

The graveyard contains many grave memorials, some of which are of note. One memorial consists of a flat grave slab resting on two stone supports, commemorating Patrick McCloskey, who died on 6/7/1779, and John McCloskey, who died in 1797. Carved symbols on the slabs include a cross, a book, a ball, and a possible chalice, which, if authentic, would suggest one or both of the interred were priests. Another memorial is an upright stone slab with a chamfered and shaped top, commemorating John Money, who died on 24/5/1774. This stone appears to be made of hard sandstone, with early lettering neatly inscribed in lowercase, while later lettering is smaller and dates to the early 19th century. A prominent memorial features a rectangular vertical stone with a pitched top, below which is a recessed narrow band. The stone is made of greenish limestone, with neatly cut, though not particularly artistic, lettering. This memorial rests on a moulded base made up of separate pieces and commemorates Henry Haslett, who died in 1861 at the age of 19.

Burials likely took place here from the time a monastic settlement was established, and after 1600, both Protestant and Catholic individuals were interred here. While no 17th-century memorials were identified, several date to the late 18th century. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland (1824, 1833-5, p. 58) document the graveyard's memorials, specifically referencing a 17th-century stone commemorating “McCloskey Mor McCloskey, 1672.” The graveyard enjoys a pleasing and secluded setting overlooking Benady Glen and the River Roe, and is easily accessible via Priory Lane.