This curious construction consists of a circular, stone-lined depression measuring 0.6 metres in diameter, connected to a short passage extending 1.1 metres westward. The careful stonework and distinctive shape suggest this was likely a kiln or furnace, integrated directly into the home’s architecture.

Archaeological documentation from Paul Walsh’s 1983 survey provides valuable photographic evidence of this feature, with images showing the western portion of the house structure where a ranging rod marks the position of the possible kiln. The bowl-like depression, visible in close-up photographs from that July survey, demonstrates the deliberate craftsmanship involved in creating this functional element. Such integrated kilns were practical solutions for heating, cooking, or small-scale craft production, allowing residents to carry out essential tasks whilst sheltered from Donegal’s often harsh weather.

The presence of this kiln within the house structure itself, rather than as a separate outbuilding, speaks to the resourcefulness of its builders and the multi-purpose nature of traditional Irish dwellings. Whether used for drying grain, firing pottery, or other domestic processes, this feature represents the kind of vernacular architecture that tells the story of everyday life in rural Ireland, preserved in stone long after its last fire went cold.