Crannog

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in the middle of the central part (dims c. 1km NE-SW; c. 300m NW-SE) of Lough Scur. There may be medieval references to this monument from 1345 when four sons of Cathal Mac Raghnaill were executed on Loch an Scuir, and in 1390, O'Rourke escaped to the castle of Loch an Scuir (ALC, vol. 1, 646-9; vol. 2, 70-71). In 1580 Loch an Scuir was taken, and Maelsechlainn Mac Raghnaill was slain (ALC, vol. 2, 432-3). A large disc quern and a stone mould for a palstave were also found here (Wood-Martin 1886, 72, 241-2). This is an overgrown oval island (dims 20.5m N-S; 15.5m E-W; H 1m) of stone surrounded by a timber and wattle palisade which is intermittently visible at the water's edge around the mound, but is best preserved S-W.

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 23 September 2008

References

ALC - The Annals of Lough Cé: a chronicle of Irish affairs, 1014-1690, ed. W.M. Hennessy (2 vols., London, 1871; reflex facsimile, Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin, 1939)

Wood-Martin, W.G. 1886 (Reprint 1983) The lake dwellings of Ireland: or ancient lacustrine habitations of Erin, commonly called crannogs. Dublin. Hodges, Figgis and Co.