Hut site, Lurgan, Co. Donegal
On the southern slopes of Lurgan ridge in County Donegal, archaeologists once documented the remains of what appeared to be an ancient dwelling site.
Hut site, Lurgan, Co. Donegal
The circular structure measured approximately 16 feet across, though time and the elements had obscured much of its original form; the outer face of the oval shape was no longer visible when it was recorded by O. Davies. What remained was a slight hollow at the centre of the site, a common feature in prehistoric hut circles where the floor would have been worn down through centuries of use.
The location of this hut site, set within good pasture land, suggests it may have been deliberately chosen by its ancient inhabitants for its agricultural potential. Such structures are typically associated with Ireland’s prehistoric communities, who built circular dwellings using stone foundations topped with timber frames and thatched roofs. These settlements often date from the Bronze Age through to the early medieval period, representing thousands of years of continuous habitation across the Irish landscape.
Unfortunately, the exact location of this particular site can no longer be traced, making it one of many ‘lost’ archaeological features across Donegal. The original survey work, carried out as part of the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal in 1983, captured these fleeting glimpses of the past before they disappeared entirely. This collaborative effort by Brian Lacey and his team documented field antiquities spanning from the Mesolithic period to the 17th century, preserving vital information about sites that might otherwise have been forgotten completely.





