Field boundary, Roshin (Killybegs Ed), Co. Donegal
In the coastal landscape near Roshin in County Donegal, two ancient field walls offer a glimpse into Ireland's agricultural past.
Field boundary, Roshin (Killybegs Ed), Co. Donegal
These disused stone boundaries, likely dating back centuries, appear to be connected to a nearby wedge tomb, suggesting they may have marked out sacred or significant land divisions in prehistoric times. The walls showcase a distinctive construction technique using paired lines of stone slabs set closely together, creating sturdy barriers between 40 and 60 centimetres thick.
The first wall, known as Wall A, extends eastward from a modern field boundary near the wedge tomb for approximately 54 metres before gradually disappearing as it approaches a sea inlet. Its construction method, with two parallel lines of carefully placed slabs, demonstrates the skill of early Irish builders who created durable structures without mortar. Wall B follows a different path, running west-southwest from the tomb itself. While much of this boundary has been incorporated into modern walling, the easternmost 25 metres still preserves the original construction style, with slabs arranged in the same distinctive double-line pattern as Wall A.
These field boundaries were first documented in detail during the Archaeological Survey of County Donegal in 1983, though Wall B had already appeared on Ordnance Survey maps from the third edition onwards. Their association with the wedge tomb hints at a broader archaeological landscape in the area, with similar features recorded at nearby Knockfola. Together, these remnants of ancient field systems provide valuable evidence of how prehistoric and early historic communities organised and divided their land along Donegal’s rugged coastline.





