Platform in Inis Gé Thuaidh

Located c. 80m N of the shoreline on a machair plain, on a peninsula jutting from the SE side of Inishkea North. Bailey Mór mound (MA023-014003-) is c. 135m to SE and Bailey Beag mound (MA023-014031-) is 40m to ENE. This enigmatic monument is a National Monument in state ownership (no. 379). When recorded by Françoise Henry (1945, 141; Fig. 4) in the late 1930’s, it was evident as a low, roughly circular sandy platform (diam. c. 55m), with groups of upright stones protruding from the sand in several places in the N half, a cross-slab (MA023-014034-) standing on the E perimeter, and another cross-slab (MA023-014035-) roughly in the centre of the S half, which was partly collapsed and ‘three-quarters buried in the sand.’ The outline is now barely discernible at ground level, the eastern edge identified only by the cross-slab which remains in situ there; the southern cross-slab in now in the National Museum of Ireland. In 1938 Henry partly excavated the platform (ibid. 141-144; Fig. 4). She opened a narrow exploratory trench across the full central E-W width of the platform, expanding the trench at its E end to include the area surrounding the eastern cross-slab (MA023-014034-). A second, broader trench extended S from the E-W trench, encompassing the area around the southern cross-slab (MA023-014035-). Henry uncovered bones ‘in great abundance’ at the base of the eastern cross-slab (MA023-014034-), but no other features or structures in its vicinity. On the opposite, W side of the platform, she uncovered a ‘very extensive hearth, about 18 yards wide [c. 16.5m E-W]…It contained a great number of shells, burnt earth and stone, many bones, including the jaw and teeth of a wild boar.’ (ibid. 143). Immediately to E of this layer, were two parallel lines of stones, set 4.5m apart, which continued to N and S beyond the trench. The eastern line of stones was traced for c. 13m to S where it turned sharply to E towards the southern cross-slab (MA023-014035-). A semicircular wall/bank of loose stones and black earth curved tightly around the base of the southern cross-slab on its E side, and a layer (D 0.45m) ‘of ashes with shells and broken bones’ lay at the base of the cross-slab, within the span (Wth c. 1.4-1.5m) of the wall. Henry interpreted this as the remains of a hearth and noted that it ‘appeared to be in a pit dug between the ends of the wall’ (ibid. 143). The animal bones in this layer included cattle, sheep, a few pig bones, a few fish and bird bones, bones of a large cat, one hare bone, and two whale bone fragments. At a lower level, were a piece of shed antler and cut fragments of deer antler (ibid. 155). Immediately to E of the arc of wall were a few large slabs lying flat on the ground and immediately to E of those, was ‘a burnt stone path’ which by-passed the cross-slab, extending in a straight line across the platform on a NW–SE axis, although Henry did not trace its full extent. The exact nature of this monument is uncertain, and it is difficult to classify. The cross-slabs, bearing decoration that most likely dates them to the period between the 6th-9th centuries, suggest a religious significance for the site, at least initially. Henry’s excavation provided no evidence of an enclosing element on the perimeter of the platform, or of burials or buildings within the interior –she did not investigate the clusters of upright stones in the N half of the platform. The features she did uncover are intriguing and raise questions rather than clarify the picture. The parallel rows of stones may subdivide the space, delimit a special area, or perhaps border a path to the southern slab. The purpose of the ‘burnt stone path’ on the E side of that slab is also unclear; its ‘burnt’ nature is puzzling. The large, dense midden-like layer or ‘hearth’ on the W side of the platform and the deposits of bones at the base of the two cross-slabs would seem to suggest activities of a domestic rather than ecclesiastical nature, and it is unclear to what extent they may belong to a secondary use of the site. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 28 July 2023