Archaeologists believe they have found the human remains of the first victims from the Battle of Aughrim.

The discovery was made late last month as archaeologists assessed a site before an extension is built to a school in the east Co. Galway village.

A total of 32 skeletons were found on a site that is within the historic 1691 battleground.

Experts from The Archaeology Company in Birr, Co. Offaly were carrying out an assessment as required under the terms of planning permission granted for an extension to Glebe National School in the village.

The site is also within the grounds of a Church of Ireland rectory and a medieval Augustinian burial ground.

Thirty of the 32 skeletons discovered were lying in the classic Christian burial position and were almost certainly the result of normal interments.

But archaeologists found that one of the skeletons appeared to be cut in half with the feet close to the head of the body.

And another skeleton looked at having been flung into a grave with a severed head facing the opposite direction to the rest of the body.

"These two were very different from the other remains and it may be that they were from the Battle of Aughrim," said archaeologist, Michael Tierney.

"That is our working hypothesis at the moment. They have now been sent off to an osteo-archaeologist for forensic analysis and this will look at the possibility of trauma in the bones. We expect to have the results back in about six months."

The Battle of Aughrim was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691. Over 7,000 people killed were killed in Ireland's worst battle.

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