Craggaunowen - a living history

Craggaunowen is a fine example of what an early bronze age settlement might have looked like in Ireland long ago. Begun over 30 years ago by John Hunt, each building has been constructed according to the best records of the time and has now matured into its natural setting. Complete with crannogs, woven hut lake dwellings, reached by bridges or submerged causeways. Round reed-thatched stone farmsteads with open fires hint at how daily life was carried on with fulach fia, cooking pits and woollen looms.
And if you have ever wondered what went on in the 40,000 odd ringforts around Ireland this example might explain it. These circular forts were defended by a band of stout wooden stakes on top of a high outer bank of stones and earth with an underground passage or souterrain which served as a food store or escape route if necessary. These people were hunter gatherers and later farmers who grew spelt, oats and barley. There are live boars with cute babies? to admire and miniature sheep whose wool was plucked rather than shorn to be woven into cloth.

Costumed guides are available to elaborate on any aspect of particular interest and the public especially the children are invited to join in, which is gently educational and judging by the children I saw great fun. The whole site, thankfully appears so uncontrived that it is hard to believe that the only genuine artifact is the remains of a 5000 year canoe carved out of a tree trunk. Later these people would use hide covered boats which experts believed capable of reaching the Americas hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus.

Following in the footsteps of St Brendan the Navigator, Tim Severin proved it was by possible by sailing across Atlantic in a similar boat he built himself which is now on display at Craggaunowen. The battered boat, with its skin covered hull held together with bits of leather is a scary reminder of their courage facing frontiers we could not even imagine in the comfort of our 21st century life.

10 Other things to do and see in the area.....

1 Quinn Abbey is a wel preserved Franciscan friary that was founded in 1402 by Sioda McNamara.

2 Abbey Tavern just opposite does a very good pub lunch.

3 Knappogue Castle & garden open daily during the summer for tours and medieval banquets at night, voted one of the best.

4 Spancil Hill the actual place immortalised in the emigrants song and site of an annual horsefair on the 23rd June.

5 Inish Cealtra or Holy Island has been a centre of pilgrimage since the 7th century, boat trips available locally.

6 Mountshannon village with its own very pretty waterside Aistear park & labyrinth.

7 Harbour Flights flying boat base which hopes to be fully operational by 2011.

8 Cratloe Woods the oak for the ceiling beams in Westminster Hall in London, came from here, new woodland trails.

9 Cratloe Woods House the oldest longhouse inhabited longhouse in Ireland, open during the summer.

10 Killaloe once the capital of Ireland, in Brian Borus time, lovely small town that bridges the river Shannon.

For more information on Craggaunowen please click here

For more Shannon Heritage Visitor Attractions click here