Here, amongst the sands and gravel of the intertidal zone, researchers have discovered substantial quantities of worked flint; evidence of Ireland's earliest inhabitants. The collection includes flakes, blades and cores that have been typologically dated to the Earlier Mesolithic period, placing human activity at this site somewhere around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago.

The origins of these ancient tools remain intriguingly uncertain. One possibility is that they've been washed down from a midden or settlement site located on higher ground above the beach, gradually eroding into the waters below. Perhaps more fascinating is the alternative theory: these artefacts might originate from a palaeo-landscape that once stood above sea level but has since been claimed by the waters of Lough Foyle. This submerged prehistoric landscape would have been dry land when these tools were made, offering a glimpse into a radically different coastline where Mesolithic hunter-gatherers once roamed.

This site isn't an isolated find; similar lithic scatters have been discovered at several nearby locations, including an adjacent cove just 90 metres to the east and another concentration found about 100 metres to the northwest in 2019. Together, these discoveries paint a picture of significant Mesolithic activity along this stretch of coast, accessible to modern visitors only when the tides cooperate. For those willing to time their visit with the low tide, these ancient flints offer a tangible connection to Ireland's earliest peoples, scattered across a beach that serves as both museum and mystery.