Monaincha (the island of the bog) is—as stated by W. F. Wakeman—an artificial construction, on which had been subsequently erected a church in the Hiberno-Romanesque style. It is to the present day surrounded by bog.
Lough Nahinch (the lake of the island).—In the year 1810 the waters of this lake, situated near Roscrea (at the junction of King’s County and Tipperary), having been lowered four feet by drainage, a considerable portion of the land it once covered ([fig. 211, b b b b b]) was laid bare, and the site of a crannog became apparent. The lake is now much reduced in dimensions, but the surrounding ground being low, its expanse in winter ([a a]) is greater than in summer. Mr. Trench of Cangort Park—although at the time of its discovery unaware of the real nature of the construction—gave the following graphic description of it:—“The bottom (of the lake) consists of blue shelly marl, which seems to extend to a great depth, and when dry it is exceedingly light. In the highest part of this reclaimed land, which is about the middle of the old lake, there is seen a circular part resembling in shape the top of an immense tub, about sixty feet in diameter. The large planks which form the staves are from one to ten feet (?) broad, and six inches thick, quite straight as far as it has yet been possible to trace them downwards; none of them have been raised without cutting them.” There was no appearance of either axe or saw having been used in their formation.[236]
Fig. 211.—Map showing former and present summer and winter level of Lough Nahinch.
Since the change in the water level, the original aspect of the crannog has been completely transformed, its circular shape changed, many of the piles removed, and where the water was deep a quay was built for the convenience of landing turf from the southern shore. On the east there was a track into the mainland (c), and at its junction with the quay at the S.E. of the island, was one of the old oak sheeting piles. On the north, oak piles were noted forming part of a circle, and from them, running S. and S.E., there were two rows of round perpendicular ash piles (two feet five inches in diameter), that may have formed part of walls, or partitions dividing the space inside the circle of sheet piles into rooms or dwellings. On the N.W. of the island, about three yards from the present shore, were also some of the circle of sheet piles, and between them and the land ran E. and W. beams four feet apart, and four feet lower than the surface of the island: above these were irregularly-laid logs of oak, mingled with large stones. On the S.W. there was a set of oak sheet piles bounding the end of the quay. Only the general section of the island could be made on account of the inrush of water into the excavation.
GENERAL SECTION.
| ft. | in. | ||
| 6. Bog, | (about) | 0 | 6 |
| 5. Bog, ashes, bones, and nuts, | 1 | 6 | |
| 4. Stones and large oak sticks irregularly laid, | 0 | 6 | |
| 3. Peat, bones, and ashes, in which were oak beams lying in different directions, | 1 | 6 | |
| 2. Oak beams, about four feet apart, and laid nearly E. and W., | 0 | 6 | |
| 1. Peat, wood chips, and bones, | (over) | 1 | 0 |
| ——— | |||
| 5 | 6 | ||
The artificial work, measured from the present surface, was more than five feet six inches in thickness. On the beams (layer 2 in section) there seemed to have been a basket flooring, but of this there could not be certainty, owing to the depth of water in the excavation. In connexion with them were observed wicker-walls made of hazel rods, and where these crossed the oak beams there were round holes through the latter for the stakes to pass through. In the vicinity of these beams a small rude stone implement of Silurian grit was found, but so rotten that it broke when handled. The beams in layer 3 were charred on the under surface, as if they had formed the rafters of an edifice destroyed by fire. Near the north of the island, immediately over these charred beams, there was a plank pointing N.W. and S.E.; it was ten feet long, twenty inches wide, and two inches thick; at about one foot nine inches from its N.W. end there were two holes through it, running N. and S. in a line with the north and south piles seen on the N. shore, and on each side of the plank there were upright stakes ranging in the same direction. The conclusion may be drawn that the island was occupied at two distinct periods—the first being when the E. and W. beams formed the floor of the habitations which seemed to have been destroyed by fire: afterwards the oak sticks and stones—irregularly laid—were placed as a floor for new dwellings, and between the periods it must be supposed that the water of the lake had risen considerably.[237]