Derragh Lough Crannóg

Crannógs in Ireland

There are over 1,200 crannógs in Ireland, with most dating to the early Medieval period. They are surrounded by water, found in shallow lakes, bogs and occasionally in turloughs (lakes fed by groundwater) and rivers.

They were generally used as dwelling spaces, containing one or two post-and-wattle or timber houses.

Derragh Lough Crannóg

The crannóg on Derragh Lough appears as a small, oval tree-covered island surrounded by a reed bed. It would have been originally surrounded by a timber fence.

A small stone elevation has been identified in the north-east part of the island. This occurs at several other crannógs. It may represent the remains of a house dating to the end of the Early Medieval period or later.

Long, radial timbers, dating to around 1000AD, project out from underneath these stones.

In recent years, two iron knives were found at Derragh Lough. They are now housed in the National Museum of Ireland.

Nearby, but inaccessible to the public, is the Lough Kinale Mesolithic site. Here, there are the remains of several ancient monuments, including a platform crannóg dating back about 7000 years.