Weir - fish

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in the middle of the tidal Fergus Estuary, N of the archipelago of islands and close to other fish weirs (Boarland Rock 3 (CL050-072----)and 5 (CL050-079----)). Described by O’Sullivan et al. (2010) as follows: Boarland Rock 4 has one line of posts c. 9m in length and a shorted line of posts just a couple of metres in length. It is orientated N-S. The uprights were smaller in diameter than in the previous three weirs, being just 3cm in diameter. A sample of wood from the weir has produced a calibrated radiocarbon date of AD 1224-1291 (739+/- 30 BP). A well preserved double basket is situated at the southern end of the weir. Several uprights surrounding the baskets were probably used to hold them in place. Each basket measured c. 1.5m long and c. 0.45m wide at its widest point. Excavation revealed that the baskets were no longer connected, but it is likely that one basket sat into the other. The baskets had a very narrow weave, with rods of less than 1cm in diameter. The wood used in the baskets was mainly hazel and alder. The two baskets were made differently, which reflects the different uses the baskets had – Basket 2 was the inner basket, where the fish were held, while basket one was the outer basket, where the fish entered and moved to basket two. Basket 1 was constructed mostly of hazel, used in both the upright and horizontal elements (stakes and strands). Basket 2 was mostly or entirely made from alder. The alder stakes and strands in Basket two were slimmer than the hazel stakes in Basket 1. All of the wood was cut in autumn/winter which is the best time to cut wood fro basket making (the sap is down). However it could be stored and re-soaked later on so it doesn’t mean that these baskets were made in the winter .’ (O’Sullivan et al. 2010, Appendix 1, 36-8, Boarland Rock 4)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 8 October 2019

References

O'Sullivan, A., Dillon, M., Sands, R., McDermott, C., Shaw, R., Devlin, G. 2010 The Fergus Estuary and Islands: discovering a maritime historic landscape in Co. Clare. Report to the Heritage Council. University College Dublin, School of Archaeology in association with the Discovery Programme.