66 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
XV.—On an Ancrent SETTLEMENT FOUND ABouT TwentTy-onE FEET 
BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE Prat IN THE CoAL-BoG NEAR Bono, 
Co. FermanacH. By THomas Pirunxert. (With Plate IL.) 
[Read, June 28, 1880. ] 
One of the most interesting antiquarian discoveries yet made in 
Fermanagh is that of the remains of an ancient settlement lately 
exposed in the Coal-bog near Boho, on that part of the bog attached 
to the townland of Kilnamadow, 
On the 25th of last May I was informed that while Mr. Bothwell 
was cutting a floor of peat in the Coal-bog he laid bare the 
ends of two posts, which projected a few inches above the floor, 
and that they seemed to have been cut with some sort of blunt in- 
strument. 
I at once went to the place. On removing the surface for a few 
inches here and there, three other posts were found, all standing in a 
vertical position ; their tops were much decayed. On digging deeper 
down, we found that every one of the posts bore marks of some kind 
of axe. 
After a minute inspection, I perceived that we were standing on 
what was once an artificial island, oval in shape, slightly elevated in 
the centre, and dipping with a gentle slope on all sides, the outlines 
of which can still be easily traced. It is 60 yards long, and 
14 yards across at its greatest width. Piles, or stakes, with 
rudely sharpened ends, and varying in size, are found at intervals all 
over this area, and rough oak planks, about the size of railway 
sleepers, may be seen lying in rows here and there, and generally 
resting on a layer of branches, the whole being covered over with a 
stratum of clay and stones, mingled with charcoal and ashes. It is 
quite manifest that this is the site of an ancient crannog, or artificial 
island. The surrounding depression, now filled with peat, known as 
the Coal-bog, and covering some scores of acres, once formed a large 
sheet of water. This, indeed, is the history of most of our lowland 
bogs. The evidence I adduce to support this hypothesis is the 
presence of lacustrine shells and shell marl underlying the peat. 
This ancient lake was connected with the Sillees River (which 
winds through the valley about a furlong from the bog) by a 
smaller stream, which sweeps round the margin of the bog at 
present. 
My next step was to make the acquaintance of the owner of the 
plot of bog containing the antiquities, and ask permission to explore 
it. He at once acceded to my request, and also added, that he and 
his son would assist by cutting turf around or between the posts, 
according to my wishes. After securing the help necessary to carry 
