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Cork
flint objects, a rotary quern upper-stone, a blue glass bead, two sherds of E ware,
whetstones, a piece of amber, a bronze buckle and iron knives were recovered within the
habitation deposits associated with the buildings, hearths and gravel spreads. The very partial
remains of two humans as well as a small quantity of fragmentary animal bone were also
recovered in these deposits.
Lisduggan 2 was roughly circular in plan and had an average diameter of about 50m. The
only feature uncovered in this enclosure was a short length of a cobbled pathway. Except for
one single flint piece, no structural, artefactual or faunal evidence was uncovered in any of
the trenches. A levelled lime-kiln was built into the banks of its enclosure, probably sometime
during the nineteenth century. A large number of modern stone-filled drains were also
identified cutting both Lisduggan 1 and Lisduggan 2, and appeared to have been built shortly
before the two enclosures and lime-kiln were levelled in the nineteenth century.
Lisduggan 3 was roughly circular and had an average diameter of 45m internally. The
enclosing bank survived to a height of 1.3m above the turf level and at its base had an
average width of 6m; it appeared to have been constructed in two phases. The excavated
ditch was 0.8m below the turf level and had an average width of 3.5m across the top of the
ditch. The enclosure had a causewayed entrance 5m wide along its southwest perimeter, and
excavations in the vicinity of this exposed a deliberately laid spread of cobbles and gravel
which it was suggested was roughly contemporary with the secondary phase of the enclosing
bank. Though the interior had been extensively disturbed by subsequent ridge and furrow
cultivation, it was possible to identify a rectangular structure (7m by 6m) in the centre of the
enclosure. It was defined by lines of postholes, set at 50-150mm intervals, some containing
the charred remains of posts. No evidence of postholes was recovered in the interior of this
structure and it was considered unlikely that the vertically set posts would have been strong
enough to carry a roof without supports. Except for a blue glass bead, a flint
perforator/scraper and a whetstone, there was no evidence for any habitation structures,
artefacts or debris within or in the vicinity of the rectangular structure strengthening its
interpretation as a livestock pen.
Fig. 75: Plan of Lisduggan 1 and 2, Co. Cork (after Twohig 1990, plan 1).
Reference:
Twohig, D. C. 1990. Excavation of three ring-forts at Lisduggan North, County Cork.
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Section C, 90C, 1–33.
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