Reeds Island — Lough Rea

In the WNW sector of Lough Rea, c. 50m from the present shoreline to the W. Shown on the 1838 edition of the OS 6-inch map as a roughly subrectangular island (c. 50m NNW-SSE; c. 35m WSW-ENE). When Kinahan (1861-4, 414-15) investigated it he found that below the surface of loose stones, which were laid in regular order, it was constructed of layers of marl, peat, large stones, birch trunks and branches and two layers of squared oak beams laid at right angles to each other. All this was contained by a circle of piles between which sod had been laid. The whole was stabilized by flat stones set outside the circle of piles and three lines of oak piles across the crannog. Finds included a whetstone, a circular wooden vessel or 'meather', which subsequently fell to pieces, a heart, a piece of iron as well as bones of ox, sheep and pig. Kinahan (ibid., 414) noted that the island was very low in the lake and that it was covered by water in winter months. On inspection in January 1983 it was not visible above the water surface. (Wood-Martin 1886, 225-9) Compiled by: Galway Archaeological Survey, UCG Date of upload: 8 January 2020