480 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
LXVIII.—Description oF A Crannoce Srre In tHe County Mrarna. 
By Lieut.-Colonel W. G. Woop-Martiy, Fellow and General 
Secretary R.H.A.A.I. 
[Read, June 28, 1886.] 
CootnanincH (the angle of the island)—In this townland! Mr. Owen 
Smith, of Nobber, discovered a crannog on the eastern side of a 
small bog, called Monalough (the bog of the lake), situated in the 
parish of Moynalty, and about two miles north of the village of the 
same name. On the edge of the swamp there is a small hillock, still 
called by the country people ‘‘the island,’’ which is remarkable for 
its fresh green appearance, contrasting pleasingly with the bleakness 
of the surrounding moor. It is distant four perches, or about thirty 
yards, from what is described as ‘‘dry land,” 7.e. the ancient shore of 
the lake; and the space being greatly ‘‘cut away” leaves it, and 
indeed the entire bog, in a very swampy state during the winter 
months. The hillock, or site of the crannog, is now about four feet 
above the morass, and when closely examined is found to consist of 
several heaps of stones, which are about the size of those used in 
repairing the public roads; from their appearance they would seem to 
have been subjected to an intense heat. Around the hillock was a 
circle, showing in some places a double row of stumps, of thick 
stakes of black oak, which penetrated the bog to a depth of several 
feet. These were more clearly observable on the face of some of 
the turf banks, which have encroached on the original area of the 
crannog; but the obliteration of the site has recently progressed at 
such a rate that the stakes have now disappeared, with the exception 
of the few shown on the plan (H) at the south-eastern corner. The 
greatest length of the crannog (A—B) from N. to S. is now twenty- 
two paces ; its breadth (C-D) from E. to W. seventeen paces. 
The faces of the bog-holes, when examined, appear to be pure 
clay, mixed with branches of some kind of wood; now, however, 
quite spongy and rotten. 
Why the country people should take the trouble of cutting away 
what would seem to be quite useless as fuel is fully accounted for b 
the fact, that underneath this layer is found the best of black turf, 
and to get at it it is necessary to dig through and clear away a depth 
of four feet of earth and stones, the artificially piled up work of the 
constructors of the former crannog. The labour of the turf-cutters 
was, in Mr. Smith’s opinion, amply repaid by the quality of the fuel 
1 Since writing this Paper I find that owing to the squaring of the townlands 
the crannog site is now actually in the denomination of Quigelagh, and not in the 
townland of Coolnahinch.— Vide sketch Map. 
