With an internal diameter of 3.5 metres and walls originally standing 60 centimetres high, this structure represents the type of small, sturdy building that dotted the Irish landscape centuries ago. The construction technique, known as drystone facing, involved carefully stacking stones without mortar to create two outer walls with a rubble core between them; a method that required considerable skill despite its apparent simplicity.

The foundation walls, measuring 65 centimetres wide, show clear signs of stone robbing on the western and northern sides, where locals likely repurposed the dressed stones for other building projects over the years. What remains suggests there may have been an entrance on the northern side, though centuries of weathering and human interference have left this detail somewhat ambiguous. The proximity to both the church and the sea would have made this an ideal location for a small dwelling, offering both spiritual community and access to marine resources.

This hut site forms part of County Donegal’s rich archaeological landscape, documented in the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. The survey catalogued field antiquities from the Mesolithic period through to the 17th century, providing invaluable records of structures like this one that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten. Though modest in scale, such foundations offer tangible connections to the everyday lives of past inhabitants, reminding us that history isn’t just found in castles and cathedrals, but also in these humble stone circles by the shore.