31 



Y. — Notes on a Crannoge in Lough Naneevin. By G. H. Kinahan, 



E. E. G. S. I. 



[Read December 10, 1866.] 



I beg to call the attention of the Academy to an unrecorded Crannoge 

 in Lough JSTaneevin, townland of Gortacarnaun, parish of Killanin, 

 barony of Moycullen, and county of Galway — Ordnance Map, No. 67. 



Last summer (1865) I remarked that this island seemed to be a 

 Crannoge, but did not land on it. This summer, hearing that there 

 were wooden piles around it, I had a boat conveyed to the lake, and, in 

 company with George O'Fnahertie, Esq., of Lemonfield, examined it. 



ideal sketch of the crannoge,* 



The near half of the huts being removed, to show the interior restored from the 

 discoveries in this and other Crannoges, more especially those in Loughs Rea and 

 Ballin. In most, if not in all, of these Crannoges, there seemed to have been a space 

 in the centre devoid of huts, which may have been used in common by the inhabitants, as 

 in it are found the remains of fires, with stone seats and kitchen middens near them. The 

 height of the huts seems to have been about five feet, as Mr. Hemsworth, of Loughrea, 

 informed us that, when the large Crannoge there was first opened, " on some of the vertical 

 beams were tenons fitting into mortises on horizontal beams;" and, as these latter were 

 about five feet above the basket floors, they point to the height of the chambers : more- 

 over, this is the average height of the subterranean dwellings or earth caves in the Raths, 

 Cahirs, Liss, &c. Whether the roofs sloped inwards or outwards has not been proved. 

 Doorways 2*5 feet wide were found in Shore Island Crannoge, Lough Rea: but their height 

 has not been proved ; in the sketch they are made low, similar to those found in Cloghauns, 

 Earth Caves, &c. No windows have been represented, as none up to the present have 

 been found ; but it is not likely the huts were without them. 



* The wood engraver has not been successful in his representation of the inhabitants 

 of the Crannoge, as they are very diminutive compared with the supposed height of the 

 huts; moreover, they are dressed similar to the people of the present day. 



