Sir W. Wilde states that a few months after the discovery of Lagore,
an island "artificially formed of timber and peat" was brought to
light upon lowering the water of Roughan Lake, near Dungannon, on
which "numerous fragments of ancient pottery and bones, a few bronze
spear-heads," and an upper ornamental quern stone, were discovered.
Other discoveries of a similar character are successively noted
as having been made in various other localities. An island became
exposed on the lowering of the waters of Lough Gur, county of
Limerick, from which it is said a vast collection of bones and a
great number of antiquities have from time to time been obtained.
Among the latter is a most interesting stone mould (=Fig. 107=)
for bronze spear-heads.[72] In 1845, Mr. Shirley, in his "account
of the kingdom of Farney" (B. 8, p. 94), describes another crannog
which was brought to light two years previously, as constituting
"The island Ever Mac Cooley's house." "The foundations," writes Mr.
Shirley, "of this ancient residence were discovered in the autumn
of 1843, seven feet below the present surface of the earth, in the
little island at Lisanisk, and two feet below the present water level
of the lake a double row of piles were found sunk in the mud; they
were formed of young trees, from 6 to 12 inches in diameter, with
the bark on. The area enclosed by these piles, from which we may
judge of the size of the house, was 60 feet in length by 42 feet in
breadth." In the following year the same writer describes two other
lake-dwellings in the same district, one in Lake Monalty and the other
in Lough-na-Glack, on and around which the following relics were said
to have been found:--
[Illustration: =Fig. 107.=--LOUGH GUR. Stone Mould, 6½ x 2½ x 1¾
inches.]
"Three bronze celts with loops on the sides, and the remains of the
stick were found in one of them; a very perfect small dagger of
bronze, one foot in length; two bronze arrow-heads, double pointed;
a bronze gouge or chisel, rarely found in Ireland; the head of a
bronze hunting-spear; part of a bronze sword or dagger; a bronze cap,
apparently the end of a wooden hilt of some weapon; the bronze handle
of a javelin or spear, with loop attached; the boss of a shield of
bronze; a bronze knife which appears to have been gilt; a bronze
knife or dagger, measuring 10½ inches in length; a smaller one 7
inches in length; a bronze bolt, with loop, measuring 16½ inches in
length--this was found sticking in the mud, close to the island on
Lough-na-Glack; another, 12 inches in length, has been since found in
the island itself. Of bronze ornaments found on these islands there
are the following: Several bronze rings of different sizes, two of
them with transverse spring openings, others hollow, and probably
parts of armour or horse trappings; two bronze needles, one of them
with the eye entire; a bronze pin, the head hollowed like a cup, and
bearing a striking resemblance to the ends of the golden ornaments
often found in Ireland; several bronze pins like modern shirt pins;
parts of several bronze fibulæ or brooches, with fragments of several
bronze instruments, rivets, etc.; a small circular bronze bell, like
a sheep-bell; three harp keys of bronze of different sizes. Of other
ornaments found on the island on Lough-na-Glack I may particularly
mention several amber and blue glass beads, three bone pins, and
a comb apparently of ivory. Of iron instruments, an iron dagger,
measuring with the hilt 15 inches; several iron coulters of ploughs
of very primitive form, 7 inches in length; parts of iron instruments
the use of which it is impossible to determine; a long gun-barrel, 3
feet 8 inches in length, of that sort, I believe, formerly called a
calliver; part of the lock of a pistol; many large bullets of lead
were also found. I may add to this list a pair of quern stones, found
on the Monalty Island; some burnt corn; remains of coarse broken
earthenware vessels, and bits of thick dark glass; an earthen pot,
shaped like a hat; another of Dutch manufacture, with the figure of
a man's head below the spout, used in Ireland during the seventeenth
century, and called grey-beards; some small Dutch tobacco pipes; cut
oval stones, apparently intended for pounding in mortars; several
circular stones, with holes in the centres, often found with ancient
remains, and considered in Ireland to belong to the ancient spinning
wheels; also several stones, or hones, of different shapes and sizes,
for sharpening weapons and tools; a brass token, nearly defaced,
probably of the reign of Charles II." (B. 9, p. 44.)
In 1845, when the lake of Corcreevy, county of Tyrone, was drained,
its crannog was examined by Mr. Burnside, when the following articles
were recovered from among its remains:--A pair of bronze and iron
manacles, an ornamental comb of bone, parts of a musical instrument,
an arrow-head, a spear-head, and a hammer-stone.[73]
[Illustration: =Fig. 108.=--BALLINDERRY. Bone Comb (⅔), 3 Bone Pins,
length 3⅓, 4½, and 5½ inches, and Bronze Tweezer (½).]
[Illustration: =Fig. 109.=--BALLINDERRY. Stone Amulets.]