Exact parallels to all these have been found in the Continental lake-dwellings. Of two found at Vingelz, Lake of Bienne, the largest was 43½ feet long, 4 feet 4 inches wide, and had 4 ribs left in the solid. It had iron cramps also, apparently to strengthen it, and belonged to the pre-Roman Iron Age. One at Cudrefin had also these solid cross ribs. One of the best preserved was found a few years ago at Vingrave (Lake of Bienne) covered with 2½ feet of mud, and is now deposited in the Museum of Neuveville. It is roughly made, having thick sides and a square-cut stern, with a groove for a movable stern-piece. From measurements lately taken by myself I found it to be 30½ feet long, rather less than 3 feet wide, and its greatest depth 1 foot. Its sides had four or five cuts along their margin, apparently for the use of oars. (B. 392, p. 20.)
That the crannogs in Scotland and Ireland lingered on sufficiently long to come within the borderland of history requires no great amplification here. The references to crannogs in the Irish annals are very numerous, extending over a period from the middle of the ninth to the seventeenth century.
In 1870 there was published in the Journal of the Royal Historical and Archæological Association of Ireland (B. 171a) an account of an unsuccessful attack on a crannog near Omagh, in the year 1566, by an English army under the command of Deputy Lord Sydney. This document, which was copied by Dr. Caulfield from despatches in the Public Record Office, London, gives a vivid description of the methods adopted in the attack and defence. A kind of pontoon was constructed on "floating barrels," which conveyed the attacking party to the island; but they found it "so bearded with stakes and other sharp wood, as it was not without extreme difficulty scaleable, and so ramparted as if the hedge had been burned—for doing whereof the fireworks failed—without a long time it was not to be digged down. Yet some scaled to the top, whereof Edward Vaughan was one, who, being pushed with a pike from the same, fell between the hedge and the bridge, and being heavily armed—albeit he could swim perfect well—was drowned, and two others hurt upon the rampart and drowned," etc.
That these island forts, however impregnable they might be considered in previous ages, had ultimately to succumb before the more modern resources of warfare, is shown by the following narrative taken from the Calendar of State Papers of Ireland, vol. 156, p. 374:—
"There was one Dualtagh O'Conner, a notorious traitor, that of all the rest continued longest as an outlaw, of power to do mischief. He had fortified himself very strongly after their manner in an island or crannoge within Lough Lane, standing within the county of Roscommon and on the borders of that country called Costelloghe. A few days ago, as opportunity and time served me, I drew a force on the sudden one night and laid siege to the island before day, and so continued seven days, restraining them from sending any forth or receiving any in, and in the meantime I had caused divers boats from Athlone and a couple of great iron pieces to be brought against the island, and on the seventh day we took the island, without hurt to any on our side, save my brother John, who got a bullet-wound in the back. When our men entered the island there was found within it 26 persons, whereof 7 were Dualtagh's sons and daughters; but himself and 18 others, seeking to save themselves by swimming, and in their cot to recover the wood next the shore, were for the most part drowned. Some report that Dualtagh was drowned, but the truth is not known. It was scarce daylight, and the weather was foggy when they betook themselves to flight. The Irishry held that place as a thing invincible."—Sir R. Bingham to Burghley, Dec. 16th, 1590.
In addition to the historical evidence we have that of the relics found on many of these crannogs, which includes iron pots, guns, leaden bullets, coins, etc. Thus associated with two crannogs in Lough Annagh were an iron cuirass, matchlock guns, pistols, antique keys, spurs, various implements of iron, a bronze ladle, bronze spear-head, etc. (B. 149, p. 156.)
Fig. 179.—Brass Vessel found in Loch Canmor. Height, 10½ inches.