Adjacent to the ancient palace of the Kings of Connaught are three
lakes, viz. Cloonfree, Cloonfinlough, and Ardakillen, in each of which
one or two crannogs became exposed during the drainage operations of
the Board of Works.
The following antiquities found in the lake of Cloonfree were
presented to the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, by Alonzo Lawder,
Esq. (B. 11_a_, p. 219):--
"A horseshoe, made of iron; a fragment of iron, probably the hilt of
a sword; an iron spike, for butt-end of a spear; a bone spear-head;
a bone pin; two amber beads; a bronze tweezer; ditto, broken, but
of different matter; a bronze pin with ornamented head, having a
cross and arrow-shaped device carved on two sides of it; a very long
bronze pin, with ornamented spike, head, and ring (a peculiarly fine
specimen); a small iron pin, with head bound with bronze wire, and
small circular disc pendant; a boar's tusk; and a buckle."
The crannog of Cloonfinlough was no less than 130 feet in diameter,
and is thus described by Mr. Dennis H. Kelly (B. 11, p. 208):--
"It is constructed on oak piles (many of them showing the action
of fire), driven into the soft marl at regular distances, and tied
together by horizontal stretchers, so as to form a triple stockade
round it, with an interval of about five feet between each stockade.
Outside of this, to the north-westward, are a number of irregularly
placed piles, stretching a short distance from the islet, and it was
adjoining to them the great deposit of bones was found. The centre of
these stockades was laid with trunks of smallish oak trees, placed
flat on the marl, and all pointing to a common centre, thus forming a
platform whereon the island itself was constructed. When it was first
observed, there was, jutting out from the island to the lake, towards
the west, a kind of jetty or pier, formed of a double row of piles and
stretchers running parallel, about 8 feet asunder, and on which logs
of timber were closely laid horizontally.
"Of this gangway, and of the stockades, there are now but very
imperfect remains, so much has been broken up and removed by the
peasantry.
"The deposit of bones, etc., close to this island, consisted of bones
of cattle, deer, horses, swine, sheep, fowl, dogs, deer, both fallow
and red, a few specimens (in general much broken) of the horns of the
Irish elk, and one or two specimens of human remains, and amongst
them a quantity of articles of a most miscellaneous description,
some of apparently very great antiquity, and others of a much more
recent date. Amongst these are spear-heads, bronze pins, some of
exquisite workmanship, and scarcely any two of exactly the same form.
A brass bowl, hammered out of the solid; two brass vessels, made of
small pieces most curiously riveted together; a brooch of handsome
workmanship; a variety of bone pins and implements; deer-horn combs,
of very great artistic merit; horn discs, like backgammon men;
knives, hooks, and hatchets of iron; swords and spear-heads; an iron
implement, like what a baker uses for putting his loaves in the oven,
made of sheet iron, curiously riveted together, and having in the
centre a circular ornament, with a cross in it, that has evidently
once had an arabesque pattern on it; sundry miniature frying-pans, and
a small whetstone; single and double bronze rings; one coin of the
Emperor Hadrian; one bulla, Pope Paul V.; sundry silver coins, most
of them Edwards, and one so late as James, 1690, and one silver coin,
unfigured in any collection that I have seen.
"Between the island and the ruined church were found two canoes,
hollowed out of single oak trees, but neither of them much more than
two feet wide; the stern of one of them was perforated with numerous
auger holes, about one inch each in diameter.
"On examining the structure of the island itself, which was effected
by cutting a trench 20 feet long by 5 wide, as near the centre as
possible, there was found, at about eight inches under the surface,
which was covered with rank grass growing in a rich mould, a very
close-laid pavement of irregular-sized boulder stones. When this
was removed, a stratum of black earth was exposed, with occasional
fragments of bones through it of swine, fowl, sheep, cattle, and
deer; and about six inches beneath this, a considerable layer of
burned earth, with several inches of unburned clay under it. Then came
a second very closely-laid pavement of large-sized, flat-surfaced
stones, beneath which were alternate layers of black earth and burned
clay and marl, reaching down to the log platform, and interspersed,
like the one above it, with occasional bones and fragments of bones;
some few human remains, viz. one skull, and portions of some more were
got on the exterior edge. No coffin-stone, chest, or other sepulchral
remains.
"Amongst these relics are knives, _some of which have failed in the
forging_; combs in an incomplete state of manufacture, deer-horns sawn
in sunder, and shavings as if _left after a turner_. From these I am
led to think that, whatever may have been its original occupants, in
later times the little island resounded to the busy hum of industry,
and that the smith, the brazier, the comb-maker, and the turner,
there drove a brisk trade, and sometimes solaced their leisure in
the construction of pretty toys, like the tiny plate-bucket in the
possession of the post-mistress of Strokestown, and whose neatness of
finish would do no discredit to our best modern cabinet-makers. It is
turned in oak, and hooped with brass, four and a half inches high,
and four inches diameter. There was originally a pair, but one was
unfortunately broken."
[Illustration: =Fig. 116.=--CLOONFINLOUGH. Bronze Dish, 7¾ inches
wide, and decorated inside.]
From Cloonfinlough only the following relics went to the Museum of the
Irish Academy:--
"Small brass bowl (probably =Fig. 116=), iron bill-hook, long iron
spear-head, iron shears, large tooth, portion of a hone stone, bronze
pin with ornamented head and ring, bronze pin with ring, small bronze
pin with perforated head, small bronze pin and piece of thick wire,
bone needle and pin." (_Proc. R. I. A._, vol. v., Ap., p. 61.)
A considerable collection from the same place has, however, found
a safe resting place in the British Museum, of which the more
interesting objects are here illustrated (=Fig. 117=).
[Illustration: =Fig. 117.=--CLOONFINLOUGH. Nos. 17 to 19, 21 and 22 =
⅓, the rest = ⅔ real size. No. 2 is the upper portion of an inlaid
Bronze Pin, enlarged.]
In regard to the Ardakillen crannog Mr. Kelly writes:--"Near this was
found a boat 40 feet in length and 4 feet across the bow, hollowed out
of a single oak; and in which were a skull, a bronze pin, and a spear,
which, by the liberality of Mr. R. Kelly, I am permitted to present
to the Academy. The skull is perforated in the forehead, and has the
mark of no less than twenty sword-cuts on it, showing the murderous
conflict in which its owner must have been engaged; and near to it
were found a neck-piece of iron and 20 feet of rude chain attached,
that would do credit to the dungeons of Naples, and by which its
unhappy victim was made fast." (B. 11, p. 214.)
On this crannog about fifty tons of bones are said to have been
collected by the peasants and sold at two shillings per cwt. Of the
industrial remains of its occupiers the following relics were given to
the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy:--
"Large ornamented bronze pin with ring, bronze pin with solid
ornamented head, five small bronze pins, bronze or brass harp pin,
bronze hook, two bone needles, two bone spears, large tooth, spud of
deer's horn, piece of hone stone, piece of stone ring, small piece
of round stick, small silver ornament, iron hatchet and handle, iron
gouge, iron knife-blade, part of iron hinge and large spike nail,
wooden hoop and scoop, together with a parcel containing portion of
wooden hoop, ashes of different kinds, a fragment of cinerary urns,
bones and teeth of animals, old iron nails, knife-blades, etc."
(_Proc. R.I.A._, vol. v., Ap., p. 61.)
[Illustration: =Fig. 118.=--STROKESTOWN. Carved Bone, 8½ inches long.
Showing 3 of the devices full size.]
[Illustration: =Fig. 119.=--STROKESTOWN. Bone Comb, 10 inches long.]
[Illustration: =Fig. 120.=--ARDAKILLEN. Bronze Brooch with late Celtic
ornamentation (1/1).]
Among the relics from these crannogs illustrated in Wilde's catalogue
I find the following in addition to those already given. A bone with
carved devices of interlaced work (=Fig. 118=), somewhat similar to
those on a bone from Lagore already noticed. Portion of a handsome
bone comb, 10 inches in length, with a frame back riveted together
with iron nails. The engraving shows the comb restored (=Fig. 119=).
From Ardakillen there is a beautiful bronze brooch with late Celtic
ornamentation (=Fig. 120=), and from Lough Scur a stone mould for
casting bronze axes (=Fig. 121=).
[Illustration: =Fig. 121.=--LOUGH SCUR. Stone Mould for casting Bronze
Celts, 7½ inches long.]