House - indeterminate date, Tullydush Lower, Co. Donegal
On the south-facing slope of Bawnloge Hill in Tullydush Lower, County Donegal, the remnants of an ancient house sit amongst rough mountain pasture, offering sweeping views across the valley from east through south to west.
House - indeterminate date, Tullydush Lower, Co. Donegal
This modest sub-rectangular structure measures approximately 5.9 metres from northeast to southwest and 3.5 metres from northwest to southeast internally. Its low, grass-covered walls, standing about 30 centimetres high and a metre thick, define the dwelling space, though no entrance gap is visible today.
What makes this site particularly intriguing is the evidence of internal division within the house. A partition wall, constructed from large stones set on edge and standing about 20 centimetres high, creates a small room measuring roughly 1 by 3.5 metres at the northeastern end of the structure. This architectural detail suggests the occupants organised their living space for specific purposes, perhaps separating sleeping quarters from daily activities or storage areas.
The house doesn’t stand alone in this mountain landscape. Another, larger house site sits adjacent to its northeastern end, whilst two hut sites can be found 135 metres to the west-northwest, with a third hut site 245 metres to the northwest. Adding to the archaeological richness of the area, a panel of rock art lies 120 metres to the northwest, hinting at a long history of human activity on these slopes. Together, these remains paint a picture of a small mountain community that once called this remote corner of Donegal home, though the exact date of occupation remains tantalisingly uncertain.