Midden, Luddan, Co. Donegal
In the early 20th century, archaeologist Brunicardi made an intriguing discovery amongst the windswept sandhills stretching between Buncrana and Fahan in County Donegal.
Midden, Luddan, Co. Donegal
Here, in 1914, he documented a collection of midden material; essentially ancient rubbish that tells us far more about past lives than any carefully preserved artefact ever could. The finds included flint flakes, likely discarded during tool making; hammer stones used for breaking and shaping materials; pottery fragments from everyday vessels; and part of a saddle quern, a type of grinding stone used to process grain into flour.
This coastal location at Luddan would have been an attractive spot for early settlers, offering access to both marine resources and fertile land. The presence of the saddle quern suggests agricultural activity, whilst the flint working debris points to a community that was manufacturing its own tools on site. Middens like this one are invaluable to archaeologists, as they represent the everyday detritus of ancient life; broken pots, worn out tools, and food waste that builds up over generations of occupation.
The original record of this find comes from the comprehensive Archaeological Survey of County Donegal, compiled by Brian Lacey and his team in 1983. This survey catalogued field antiquities across the county spanning from the Mesolithic period right through to the 17th century, providing a crucial resource for understanding the deep history of this corner of Ireland. The Luddan midden represents just one small piece of this vast archaeological puzzle, yet it offers a tangible connection to the people who once called these sandhills home.





