Crannog

The National Monuments Service's description

Close to the N shore of a bay (dims c. 150m N-S; c. 130m E-W) on the E shore of the central part of Lough Rinn (dims c. 3.8km N-S; c. 200-400m E-W). This may be the site close to which an O'Conor king was killed by an arrow in 1345 (ALC vol. 1, 647-9). The island is depicted on an estate map (Wogan 1750, 22), and it is described as ‘Crane Island’ on later OS maps. In 1847, when the lake levels were lowered, two dug-out canoes and a manacle were found at a crannog, probably this one, and a bronze arrow and spearhead were found in the vicinity of the same site (Wood-Martin 1886, 242). The crannog is an overgrown circular cairn of stones (diam. of base 26m; diam. of top 15m; H 2m) with timber beams radiating outwards from the base.

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.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 23 September 2008
Amended: 7 January 2020

References

Wogan, W. 1750 A Book of Maps of the Estates belonging to Nathaniel Clements Esqr. In the Parishes of Mohill & Cloone, in the County of Leitrim. Unpublished folio of manuscript maps in the National Library of Ireland (14 A 16)

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.