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remains. The interior of the dwelling is generally paved with 

 round logs, cut in lengths, and covered with stones or clay. Flat 

 stones, supposed to serve as hearth-stones, are always found, some- 

 times in different parts of the enclosure. Large quantities of bones 

 are also found — those of black cattle, sheep, and deer being most 

 abundant. In one instance, the remains of two extinct races were 

 found — those of the Irish Elk and the short-horned Irish Ox. In 

 some cases skulls and other human remains were found, but not 

 often. Antiquities of different periods are brought to light in the 

 examination of the Irish Crannoges ; the most usual being querns, 

 swords, knives, fibuke, chains, bronze spear-heads, beads, stone 

 hatchets, and arrow-heads. 



Frequent references are made by the Four Masters to the Cran- 

 noges of Ireland, which, undoubtedly, were very important as strong- 

 holds, and as the seats of marauding robbers. The first mention 

 of them is dated 848, when the son of Conaing plundered the 

 island of Loch Gabhor, and burnt it doAvn to the ground. In 933 

 the "iland" of Loch Gavar was pulled down during one of the 

 Scandinavian expeditions, thus proving that the first investiged 

 Crannoge was occupied more than one thousand years ago. From 

 the 3 r ear 991 to the year 1601 we meet with frequent mention of 

 Crannoges in the "Annals of the Four Masters;" and it is generally 

 supposed that Marshal Bagenal referred to one when, in his des- 

 cription of Ulster, in 15S6, he mentions " O'Neill's lodging in the 

 fens, where he built his lodging, and kept his cattle and all his men." 

 The most celebrated Crannoge in this country was the one at 

 Ballylough, in the parish of Billy. The name sufficiently indicates 

 the existence of one, although the lough had gradually diminished, 

 so that at the present day there are no traces of it save a marshy 

 bog which surrounds the elevated mound, the former island whereon 

 stood the Crannoge. The annals mention it as one of the many 

 Crannoges which were plundered during the raids of rival chieftains. 

 The following passage, dated 1544, refers to it : — " An army was 

 led by O'Donnel into the Route, and took the Castle of Bailie an 

 locha, (Ballylough,) where he obtained many spoils — weapons, 

 armour, copper, iron, butter, and provisions." There are other 

 references to this important stronghold ; but, of late years, its exist- 



