Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the S shoreline at the W end of Oyster Island, in Sligo Bay.
Not indicated on OS 6-inch maps, this enclosure was first recorded using Low Altitude Aerial Photography in 2009 (Kytmannow et al, 2009, 29 (Pl. 33), 30 (Pl. 34)). It is evident at ground level as a subrectangular or roughly D-shaped area (c. 100m E−W; c. 35m N−S) defined in a shallow and irregular curve on the W, N and E sides by a low-profile, sod-covered bank, and on the straight S side by an eroding scarp, which defines the shoreline and borders a stony beach. A break in the bank towards the E end of the N side may represent an entrance feature. A circular feature in the E half of the interior may be a hut site (SL008-208001-).
In 2012 a portion of the enclosing bank at its eroding E terminal was archaeologically sampled (licence: 12E0255) for the purposes of environmental and dating analysis. A shell retrieved from one of the samples produced a calibrated radiocarbon date of 1264-1297 AD (Read 2012).
There is a shell midden (SL008-207----) dated to the Iron Age on the shoreline immediately to S of the enclosure.

Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 24 January 2016

References

Kytmannow, T., Hunt, C., Malone, C. and Kahlert, T. 2009 Living on the Edge: Archaeological Survey of shell middens on five islands in Sligo Bay. Unpublished Report to the Heritage Council of Ireland, 25th of Nov 2009.

Read, C. 2012 2012:527 Oyster Island, Sligo. http://www.excavations.ie