Hut site, Foffanagh, Co. Donegal
On the southern slopes of Kinnagoe Hill in County Donegal sits the remains of an ancient hut site, positioned on a flat east-west terrace that would have been less than ideal for drainage.
Hut site, Foffanagh, Co. Donegal
Despite the soggy ground conditions, whoever built this structure chose the spot well; a high ridge of rock outcrop immediately to the north provides shelter from the worst of the weather, whilst the location offers sweeping panoramic views across Lough Swilly to the west and southwest. About 100 metres to the east, you can still make out what appear to be field clearance cairns and the traces of an old field system, suggesting this was once part of a larger agricultural settlement.
The hut itself consists of a circular enclosure measuring roughly 6.1 by 6.4 metres internally, with a flat, level interior that would have provided living space for its inhabitants. The structure is defined by the remnants of a low drystone wall, now partially covered with sod, standing about 40 centimetres high and 1.4 metres thick. A narrow gap on the southwestern side, only about 40 centimetres wide, likely marks where the entrance once stood.
Perhaps the most intriguing feature is the trace of what appears to be a filled-in fosse, or defensive ditch, that once ran around the external face of the drystone wall. This feature, measuring approximately 70 centimetres wide, is most clearly visible on the northern side of the structure. The presence of such a ditch suggests the inhabitants felt the need for some level of defence, though whether from wild animals, hostile neighbours, or simply to mark their territory remains a mystery lost to time.





