Hut site, Cruachlann, Gleann Cholm Cille, Co. Donegal
On the northwest facing slope of a heather covered mountain in County Donegal, the remnants of three ancient hut sites offer a glimpse into Ireland's distant past.
Hut site, Cruachlann, Gleann Cholm Cille, Co. Donegal
These structures, found in an area of cut-away bog near Cruachlann in the townland of Gleann Cholm Cille, sit in close proximity to one another, suggesting they may have once formed a small settlement or seasonal dwelling place.
The most substantial of these is a roughly circular hut site with an internal diameter measuring 3.86 metres by 4.64 metres. Its drystone walls, built without mortar in the traditional manner, still stand about 1.2 metres high in places, surviving as two to three courses of stone. The walls measure approximately 0.9 metres thick, providing substantial protection from the elements. What appears to be an entrance gap, about 0.8 metres wide, faces east, perhaps positioned to catch the morning sun whilst offering shelter from prevailing westerly winds.
Just 14 metres to the north lies a second, smaller hut site with a square-shaped footprint, whilst a third structure completes this intriguing cluster. The location in cut-away bog is particularly significant, as the peat cutting has revealed these archaeological treasures that might otherwise have remained hidden beneath centuries of accumulated vegetation. Such sites are invaluable for understanding how people lived and worked in these upland areas, whether as permanent homes, seasonal shelters for those tending livestock, or temporary refuges for hunters and travellers crossing the mountainous terrain.





