Stops 7, 8 & 9

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7) Hut Site

The Stone Circle encloses a hollowed-out earthen floor, the remainder of the house would have consisted of organic material such as hazel coppice, daub and thatch. which have perished. This is one of 30 such house sites in Doon which are mainly sited along the shoreline, overlooking the lake, reinforcing the natural defences. Though they are poorly defined to the lay person's eye, they are none the less one of this site's most important archaeological discoveries. A lot of information is obtained from the central area because the skins, skeletons, peelings and seeds from their diet were dropped onto the hearth, enabling preservation; if they had been set neatly aside for the Bin collection! the acidic soil would have destroyed them. Evidence of fish, wild boar, hare, and, game birds now extinct, seeds, wild berries, nuts and crab apple have been uncovered. Consider the sacredness of this house constructed by some of our earlier Mayo people, now thousands of years later survive for ‘modern man’ as confirmation of their skill and innate intelligence. Though these were built aerodynamically, as befitting the environment, myth attributes their circular formation to the superstition - if a corner was included it was believed the 'demon' might reside there. Remember Doon when planning your new Bungalow!

8) Three Hut Sites

After ‘The Doon Experience’, we expect many conversions to Archaeology! can you identify three hut sites here. The largest is on your left, hollowed towards the lake, outlined by a 'modest' stone circle; between it and the pathway a very -small one exists replicating the modern day utility room! and on your right as you face the lake the Ash tree is growing through the former circular wall disturbed by root growth. The earliest known habitations in Ireland were Lakeshore and River Bank Dwellers about 9,000 years ago. They preceded C&eacuute;ide Fields Neolithic habitation, North Mayo. This cleared site would have been suitable to them, as Hunter-Gatherer (Mesolithic) Stone Age people they had neither the skills or the tools of the C&eacuute;ide Field's first farmers. The Hunter-Gatherer took from their surroundings only what was surplus and by constructing their huts from organic hazel and animal hides their nomadic, environmentally-friendly lifestyle leave little ‘joy’ for the Archaeologist. The limited archaeological traces of their small population are mainly random finds of stone axes and flint-headed spears most noted from Lough Gara, Sligo, River Bann, Mount Sandal. Co. Antrim and Boora Bog, Co. Offaly.

9) Hut sites

When we win 'The Lotto' we intend to excavate this house and re-construct it to its former glory! It is a most extraordinary and comprehensive structure. If you explore the site you will find that this site challenges definition. Instead if an easily defined Circular or D. shape, it appears to be two oval huts encroaching on each other. A central depression - maybe a souterraine (underground passage most frequently seen in ring forts.) And a type of wall of stone uprights leading to the lakeshore. Immediately before the Larch tree are limestone slabs with designs of great intrigue. In a state of elation, what we thought was cup art and Rock inscription (only two such sites known in Mayo) emerged as the curiosities of natural elements on the permeable limestone rock. Confirmation of this, by Mary Cahill - National Museum, should have induced ecstasy, as instead of having a 5,000 year old masterpiece, here is evidence of 350 million years of deposition of fossilised shells (observe white streaks) from the ocean bed which once covered these limestone areas.

Stops 1, 2 and 3 Stops 4, 5 and 6 Stops 7, 8 and 9
Stops 10, 11 and 12 Stops 13, 14 and 15

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