1 



subject. But to prove what important aid the discovery of anti- 

 quities, and a correct examination and record of the circumstances 

 affecting their discovery, may furnish in the illustration of history 

 and topography, I may, perhaps, without trespassing on the proper 

 field of the antiquary, be permitted to make a few remarks. 



I find by the very cursory examination of the Annals of the 

 Four Masters which I have had time to make, direct reference to 

 these crannogs, from the year 1150 to 1603, a period of 453 years. 



In reference to the crannogs found in the Strokestown district, 

 county of Roscommon, referred to in Mr. D. Kelly's paper, and 

 from which so many beautiful articles of antiquity are now pre- 

 sented, I beg to say that the principal of these crannogs is Arde- 

 killan, through the remains of which we have had a deep cut made, 

 as shown on the accompanying plan and section, prepared by Mr. 

 O'Flaherty, the resident engineer. 



At this crannog upwards of fifty tons of bones were found by 

 the peasantry, and sold at the rate of 2s. per cwt., being purchased 

 for the Dublin market. 



In reference to this very interesting place, I beg to call atten- 

 tion to the following extracts from the Annals of the Four Masters : 



" A. D. 1368. Teige, son of Manus, son of Cathal, son of Dom- 

 nall O'Connor, was treacherously taken prisoner by Rory, son of 

 Turlough (i. e. the O'Connor), in his (Rory's) own fortress at Ar- 

 danchoillin, after he had been brought thither by Cormac Mac 

 Donough to O'Connor's house." 



" A. D. 1388. Domnall O'Connor made an incursion into Ma- 

 chaire Connacht, and burned Ardanchoillin and the island, Lough 

 Carrigan. Donnell Oge Mac Donnell (i. e. the constable of gallow- 

 glasses) was slain in this incursion." 



"A. D. 1489. War was conjointly waged against O'Connor by 

 Rory, son of Felim," &c. " They made a conjoint incursion against 

 him into Ardanchoillan, where they struck and knocked down 

 Cathal Roe O'Connor," &c. 



Dr. O'Donovan in his note identifies the Ardanchoillan here 

 mentioned properly with the Ardakillen near Strokestown, but says 

 no ruins (alluding to the "fortress" spoken of in 1368) are now 

 to be seen here, except three earthen forts. The drainage of the 

 lake has, however, now clearly exposed the " fortress" — the " cran- 

 nog" — to view. There can be little doubt it is that shown in 

 Mr. O'Flaherty's plan, and from which a large proportion of the 



