Early Medieval Settlement in Leitrim and Roscommon: A LiDAR and GIS Initiative

A Report to Roscommon County Council

Tumna Ecclesiastical Site, Co. Roscommon (photograph by Susan Curran)

By

Susan Curran

October 2012

Early Medieval Settlement in Leitrim and Roscommon: A LiDAR and GIS Initiative

A Report to Roscommon County Council

By

Susan Curran, BA, MA. UCD School of Archaeology

Project funded with support from Roscommon County Council Heritage Research Bursary 2012

October 2012

ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures iii List of Tables iv

Abstract v

Acknowledgements vi

INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 The Project 1 1.2 The Technology 2 1.3 Methodology 3 1.4 Prospecting for 'New' Monuments 3

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS 4 2.1 Settlement Distribution 4 2.2 Settlement Size 4 2.3 Bivallate 5 2.4 Townland Units 6 2.4.1 Cloonskeeveen Townland 6 2.4.2 Danesfort Townland 7 2.5 The Doon of Drumsna 7 2.6 Ecclesiastical Sites 8

CONCLUSION 9 3.1 Implications for the Heritage Plan 2012-2016 9 3.2 Conclusion 10

BIBLIOGRAPHY 11

List of Figures

Figure 1: The Study Areas 12 Figure 2: Distribution per Period (30km² Study Area) 12 Figure 3: Drummaunroe Townland 'New' 13 Figure 4: Fargrim Townland 'New' Ringfort 13

iii Figure 5: Lackagh Townland 'New' Ringfort 14 Figure 6: Early Medieval Settlement Distribution 14 Figure 7: Ringfort Distribution per Maximum Internal Diameter 15 Figure 8: Ringfort at Deerpark Townland 15 (RBO-113K / SMR: RO011-063) Figure 9: Bivallate Ringfort Distribution 16 Figure 10: Ringforts at Cloonskeeveen Townland, Co. Roscommon 16 Figure 11: Ringforts at Danesfort Townland, Co. Roscommon 17 Figure 12: RBN-055N Location Image 17 Figure 13: Ringfort at Drumcleavry: LiDAR versus Aerial 18 Figure 14: Doon of Drumsna 'Peninsula' 19 Figure 15: Possible Church Enclosure at Tumna Ecclesiastical Site 20 Figure 16: Ecclesiastical Site at Attirory, Co. Leitrim 21 Figure 17: Tumna / Church Hill Overlapping Zones - 1.5km Radius 22

List of Tables

Table 1 (Possible) Early Medieval Monuments within the 30km² 2 Study Area Table 2 Bivallate Ringforts within the 30km² Study Area 6

iv Abstract

The Roscommon County Council Heritage Research Bursary 2012 was awarded to the author in light of the research being conducted in fulfilment of an MA Thesis with UCD School of Archaeology (submitted August 2012). The initial study covered an area of 140km² using LiDAR data gridded to 1 point per 2m², however the bursary facilitated the acquisition of higher resolution LiDAR data for an area of approximately 30km² (gridded to 1 point per 0.5m²). Intended as an appendix to the original thesis, this report focuses on the high resolution dataset and details the associated methodology and findings of the study.

Early medieval settlement has long been the focus of both archaeological and historical research, however there are still substantial gaps in our knowledge, particularly in relation to the largely unexplored Irish midlands. The county of Roscommon was identified by Matthew Stout as an area of very high ringfort density (Stout 1997, 93), however relatively little research has been conducted in the area. Indeed much of the research in recent years has been focused on the important royal complex at Rathcroghan, but there is a wealth of archaeological evidence within the remainder of the county which holds considerable potential for significantly improving our understanding of early medieval settlement within the study area, the county and indeed the country as a whole.

Not only does this project seek to understand and map the early medieval settlement landscape of the study area, it does so by utilising a relatively new technology - LiDAR - in conjunction with a range of additional data, including the Sites and Monuments Record, aerial photography and historic mapping. There is no existing framework for this type of analysis, and this innovative pilot study is effectively breaking new ground as one of the first studies to use LiDAR data as a means of investigating early medieval settlement in . As a result of this study, the discovery of 'new' monuments means that we have a more comprehensive picture of early medieval settlement which can be used as a basis for future research both within Roscommon and beyond.

The LiDAR survey was commissioned by the National Roads Authority and Leitrim County Council in advance of a road scheme on a section of the N4 near Carrick-on-Shannon, .

v Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Roscommon County Council for awarding me the Roscommon County Council Heritage Research Bursary 2012 which enabled me to purchase the higher resolution dataset which formed the basis of this project. I am particularly grateful to Nollaig Feeney, Heritage Officer, for her support and assistance during the course of the project.

My thanks also to Valerie O'Neill and Dominic Cronin of Ordnance Survey Ireland for their assistance and efficiency in providing the LiDAR data.

I am particularly grateful to Conor McDermott (School of Archaeology, University College ) for his help with various questions. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Stephen Davis and Dr. Aidan O'Sullivan (School of Archaeology, University College Dublin) for their continued support and supervision throughout my MA Thesis research.

vi INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Project The initial body of research investigated an area measuring approximately 140km² which straddles the and the Roscommon-Leitrim county border. This study used a LiDAR dataset which was gridded to 1 point per 2m² (courtesy of Leitrim County Council) as a basis for exploring early medieval settlement within the catchment area. The objectives were to examine Matthew Stout's model of landscape organisation (Stout 1991; 1996; 1997) and to assess the impact of the LiDAR analysis on our understanding of early medieval settlement patterns (Curran 2012).

The funding provided by the Roscommon County Council Heritage Research Bursary 2012 enabled the author to purchase higher resolution LiDAR data (gridded to 1 point per 0.5m²) for a 30km² section of the original study area (Figure 1). Analysis of the 30km² study area made it possible to explore whether higher resolution data has the potential to reveal further 'new' archaeological features in addition to enabling closer examination of both known and newly discovered monuments.1 This particular area was selected as it contains a large number of early medieval monuments as well as holding a potentially strategic position on the Roscommon/Leitrim county border. Perhaps most notable however, is the fact that this 30km² area is home to a number of particularly significant sites such as the ecclesiastical site of Tumna and the Doon of Drumsna. So not only does this particular dataset provide a potentially better basis for early medieval settlement analysis, it also provides an opportunity to hone in on particular features and areas of the catchment area in an attempt to understand how this landscape may have appeared during the early medieval period. 90 townlands are wholly or partially contained within this catchment area.

During the course of the research, a systematic survey of the 140km² catchment area revealed 150 potential 'new' archaeological monuments, of which 149 were classified as possible ringforts and one as a probable church enclosure (at Tumna). 74 of these monuments (including the church enclosure) are located on the County Roscommon side of the study area.

There are a total of 249 monuments ('new' and known) within the 30km² study area, 58 of which were newly discovered as a result of the author's research. Early medieval monuments dominate the territory with 91% of all archaeological monuments being

1 'known' refers to monuments listed on the Archaeological Survey Database of the National Monuments Service (http://webgis.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/FlexViewer/); 'new' refers to potential monuments discovered over the course of the author's MA thesis

1 potentially early medieval in date (Figure 2), the vast majority of which are classed as ringforts or possible ringforts (Table 1).

Table 1 (Possible) Early Medieval Monuments within the 30km² Study Area CLASS Total Ringfort - Rath 91 Probable Ringfort 63 Possible Ringfort 24 Church 8 Graveyard 5 Crannog 3 Bridge 2 Mound 2 Linear earthwork 2 Ecclesiastical enclosure 2 Hut site 2 Standing stone 1 Hospital 1 House 1 Burial ground 1 Field System 1 Burial 1 Bullaun stone 1 Church Enclosure 1 Ring- 1 Ringfort - Cashel 1 Architectural fragment 1 Ritual Site - Holy Well 1 Shrine 1 Souterrain 1 Grand Total 218

1.2 The Technology LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) measures the height of the ground surface and other features by scanning a pulsed laser beam from an aircraft over the survey area (Bewley et al. 2005, 637). As LiDAR reads elevation data in addition to locational data, it enables the

2 creation of high-resolution topographic maps which allow us to identify subtle variations in the ground surface created by earthworks and other features (Chapman 2006, 58). This is particularly valuable in archaeological research as it can reveal archaeological features which are normally imperceptible to the naked eye. However, unlike geophysical survey, LiDAR does not pick up sub-surface features.

1.3 Methodology ArcGIS 9.3 and 10 were used to by the author to process and survey the data. Ordnance Survey Ireland provided the raw data in two batches which contained a total of 180 500mx500m tiles recording the northing, easting and elevation values for each point. The author converted the tiles individually to Excel format and created a separate shapefile for each one. The tiles were then interpolated in batches according to their northing value to create ten separate DEMs (Digital Elevation Models).2 Seven hillshade models were produced from each of the ten DEMs, each artificially lighting the surface from different angles. When layered onto the GIS (Geographical Information System), the multiple hillshade models could be turned on and off in order to reveal hidden features in the landscape.

The potential 'new' monuments discovered via the survey of the 140km² study area were combined with the listing of recorded monuments from the Sites and Monuments Record (http://webgis.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/FlexViewer/) and layered onto the raster surface. These were scaled down to include only those contained within the zone of higher resolution data.

1.4 Prospecting for 'New' Monuments Although the area had already been systematically examined during the initial survey of the 2m resolution data, the surface was re-examined for evidence of any additional archaeological features which might be revealed by the higher resolution dataset. As a result, four potential 'new' archaeological monuments were identified, three of which appear to be ringforts, while the fourth is a sub rectangular feature and possibly later in date. The three potential ringforts were located in the townlands of Drummaunroe and Fargrim in Co. Leitrim, and Lackagh in Co. Roscommon (Figures 3 - 5).

Although it did not significantly add to the number of 'new' ringforts discovered, the real value of the higher resolution data is to be found in the improved quality and sharpness of the images, and the resultant enhanced visibility of the monuments when reproduced. This

2 The tiles were too large to interpolate in a single batch and this format meant that the DEMs were in 'strips' that could be further amalgamated using the 'mosaic' tool.

3 will be particularly important when details of the 'new' monuments are submitted to the National Monuments Service for inclusion on the Sites and Monuments Record.

RESULTS & ANALYSIS

2.1 Settlement Distribution The majority of the townlands within the study area contain between one and three ringforts and indeed some display no evidence of early medieval settlement (Figure 6). Many of the townlands without early medieval settlement evidence cover relatively small areas in comparison to other townlands, e.g. Rock and Glebe, Co. Roscommon, both of which measure less than 0.1km². However, a larger area does not necessarily equate to an increase in settlement as the townland of Cartron, Co. Roscommon demonstrates: it covers an area of approximately 1.14km² yet contains evidence of only two ringforts. In contrast, Drumsna townland covers an area of approximately 1.11km² and is home to 13 potential ringforts. Indeed, it is one of just three townlands that contain more than 9 ringforts, the others being Kiltycarney (Co. Leitrim) and Corry (Co. Roscommon).

2.2 Settlement Size Almost 80% of all ringforts within the study area have a maximum internal diameter of between 20m - 40m. This is consistent with the average size of ringforts throughout the country (Moore 2003, 53) and these ringforts most likely represent the settlements of the majority of the population, e.g. the bóaire and ócaire grades of society. These monuments are generally grouped in clusters while the larger monuments (i.e. those measuring more than 40m) tend - for the most part - to be located in greater isolation (Figure 7).

There are three monuments with internal diameters greater than 80m, all of which are located within the Leitrim side of the study area: LLE-222N (Lisnagat townland), LLE-263N (Gortconnellan townland) and LLE-266N (Drumsna townland). All three monuments were discovered during the course of this project and were initially identified as 'possible ringforts', however, given their size and morphology they were assigned the lowest rating of '5' in relation to their probability as ringforts.

There are two monuments with internal diameters of 70m - 80m: RBO-113K (Deerpark townland) and LLE-174K (Gort townland). Both monuments are listed on the Sites and Monuments Database (http://webgis.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/FlexViewer/)

4 (SMR: RO011-163 and LE031-092 respectively), with the former classified as a 'Ringfort- Rath' and the latter as an 'Enclosure'.

RBO-113K is very distinctive on the LiDAR surface (Figure 8) despite the fact that the surviving height of its banks does not exceed 0.5m. Located on the Deerpark-Cartron-Rock townland boundary, this monument occupies an arguably strategic position on a shelf overlooking the waterfalls and Killukin stream. Moreover, the entrance is located at the northeast which would have given the inhabitants a good view over the river, waterfalls and the surrounding area. The monument shares many characteristics with the criteria identified by Stout in his 'Cluster Four' grouping (Stout 1996, 182-184) and is potentially the residence of an Aire Déso. In addition to its size and strategic location, the monument is situated at mean altitude and slope (64.8m OD and 2.85° respectively) and is approximately 1.2km from the nearest ecclesiastical site (Killukin). Although the nearest ringfort (RBO-031K) is just 230m to the southeast, it is located at the other side of a drumlin and so RBO-113K enjoys relative isolation.

2.3 Bivallate Ringforts Six bivallate ringforts fall within the study area (Table 2), four within Co. Leitrim and two within Co. Roscommon (Figure 9). Five of the ringforts are already listed on the Sites and Monuments Record while one (LLE-236N) was discovered as part of this study. Stout identified bivallate ringforts as predominantly defensive, high-status settlements, probably those of the Aire Forgill, and assigned them to his 'Cluster 3' grouping (Stout 1996, 181- 182). Both of the Roscommon examples are located within the civil parish of Killummod in relatively strategic positions. For example, RBO-101K is located on the summit of a drumlin just 200m to the east of the Killummod-Killukin civil parish boundary with views of the River Shannon to the east. This is the largest bivallate example within the original study area and this, combined with its commanding position and prime location, points to it being very much 'royal compatible'.

The location and placement of RBO-030K suggest that it too could be of strategic importance: it is situated at the narrowest point of Killummod civil parish3 and lies almost equidistant (approximately 325m) from the boundaries of the parishes of Killukin and Aughrim (to the west and east respectively). In addition, its location on a shelf would have provided its inhabitants with an improved view of the surrounding countryside and the River Shannon to the northeast.

3 The narrowest point falling within this study area

5 Table 2 Bivallate Ringforts within the 30km² Study Area Internal Overall P_ID SMRS Townland Barony Diameter Diameter RBO- RO011-072001- CARTRON Boyle 36m 52m 030K RBO- RO011-048---- DANESFORT Boyle 54.1m 77.8m 101K LLE-049K LE031-001---- LISNAGAT Leitrim 22.4m 38.m LLE-064K LE031-052---- KILTYCARNEY Leitrim 32.4m 54.2m LLE-077K LE031-066---- FOXBOROUGH Leitrim 34.2m 82.2m LLE-236N New CORAUGHRIM Leitrim 39.2m 72.2m

2.4 Townland Units When exploring early medieval settlement organisation using townland units, one must bear in mind that while some townlands may indeed have their origins in the early medieval period and reflect former farmsteads and territorial units, many boundaries were established much later. However, they do provide an excellent geographical unit from which to start an investigation and reconstruction. In addition, from a heritage management and promotion perspective, townland units offer an opportunity to appeal to the Public on a local and personal level.

2.4.1 Cloonskeeveen Townland Consisting of a single drumlin surrounded by low-lying land and bounded by the River Shannon, the townland of Cloonskeeveen provides an interesting collection of settlement structures. There are five ringforts located on the summit of the drumlin (Figure 10) which range in internal diameter from 24.2m (RBO-099K) to 31.5m (RBO-098K). Ultimately from a morphological and locational perspective they are all very similar and this could suggest that the inhabitants were of a similar rank.4 This is made more intriguing by the fact that there is no evidence of a high-status (i.e. multivallate or very large) settlement in the vicinity. In fact, the closest substantial settlement5 lies across the River Shannon (LLE-116K; SMR: LE031-099) in the townland of Townparks. This could perhaps indicate that the River Shannon did not always represent a boundary (as it does today between the two counties), and that the Cloonskeeveen monuments were connected to that of Townparks. Unfortunately without dating evidence, it is impossible to ascertain whether these five monuments were occupied contemporaneously or if they represent multiple phases of

4 Particularly without any artefactual evidence which could indicate otherwise 5 50m diameter (Moore 2003, 169)

6 habitation, possibly over several centuries. The monuments are in such close proximity to one another (less than 120m in most cases) that they constitute an excellent and unique opportunity to examine early medieval settlement on a community level.

2.4.2 Danesfort Townland The townland of Danesfort covers an area of approximately 1.6km² and contains a total of 7 ringforts with differing characteristics. As such, it provides an excellent opportunity to investigate settlement hierarchy and to attempt to reconstruct how the townland may have been organised within the early medieval period. Each of the seven ringforts was assigned a status according to Matthew Stout's cluster analysis model and the criteria examined in the original study (Figure 11):

Cluster 1 Low Status Cluster 2 Low Status (possibly slightly higher than Cluster 1) Cluster 3 High Status ('Royal Compatible') Cluster 4 Middle to High Status. Strategic Locations Cluster 5 Middle Status Cluster 6 Low Status

One potentially high status site was identified (RBO-101K) along with three middle status (RBO-023K, RBO-258N, RBO-032K) and three lower status sites (RBO-051K, RBO-044K, RBO-251N). The high status monument is located on the drumlin summit, with commanding views over the surrounding territory and the lower status ringforts. The Cluster 5 ringfort located on the drumlin slope to the east may have afforded additional protection to the high status inhabitants.

2.5 The Doon of Drumsna The Doon of Drumsna consists of two parallel systems of banks and ditches (Moore 2010a) and effectively cuts off a 'peninsula' formed by a loop in the River Shannon. The peninsula incorporates 3 townlands and the Doon earthwork itself (SMR: RO011-058) has been the subject of research in the past (e.g. Kane 1915; Condit & Buckley 1989). Four potential ringforts were discovered within the area during the course of this current research project, three of which are located in the townland of Charlestown which sits at the tip of the peninsula. The fourth is located in Drumcleavry townland less than 100m north of one of the entrances to the Doon (Figure 12). This example is faintly visible on Google Earth (Figure 13) and appears to be contained within a sub-rectangular enclosure which may or may not be related to the circular monument. In addition, four potential 'new' monuments were

7 identified in the townlands of Cloonteem and Corry which lie to the southeast of the Doon and north of the Jamestown (Figure 14). The location and high volume of early medieval monuments contained both within and around the Doon of Drumsna (on the opposing banks of the River Shannon) make this peninsula an intriguing area for further research. The siting of the linear earthwork and the loop created by the River Shannon means that this piece of land is effectively cut off. It is unclear whether this monument was substantially in place and in use during the early medieval period, but if so, the implications for those inhabiting the area are significant and should be explored further.

2.6 Ecclesiastical Sites The coming of Christianity to the island of Ireland in the sixth century significantly altered the physical landscape as churches, monasteries and ecclesiastical centres were established throughout the country. There are a number of ecclesiastical sites still extant within County Roscommon, some of which may have their origins in the early medieval period. Perhaps the most notable of these is the site at Tumna which is still very much evident today with the remains of two stone churches and the tomb of the founding saint. Although an ecclesiastical enclosure is listed on the Sites and Monuments Database (SMR: RO007-087003), the accompanying description states that "nothing of this feature can be seen now" (Moore 2010b). However, the LiDAR surface has revealed the possible location of this enclosure, curving around the site to the south and east (Figure 15).

Enclosures are a common feature of early medieval ecclesiastical sites (Aalen 1989, 93; Ryan 2005, 88) and the identification of such a feature at Tumna is significant as it not only points to its possible early medieval origins, but also helps to demarcate the area encompassed by the site itself. Located on the banks of Lough Eidin and the River Shannon, the enclosure appears to be incomplete, perhaps having been at some point subsumed by the water; or perhaps the river and lake themselves complete the boundary. A similar enclosure can be seen at the ecclesiastical site located within the townland of Attirory, Co. Leitrim (Figure 16).

Soil type, land tenure and the inherently holy quality of a place were just some of the practical considerations to be taken into account when selecting a site for the building of a church in the early medieval period (Bitel 1990, 17). Rivers, lakes and streams were often more accessible and afforded safer passage between settlements than routes reliant on travel through the interior (Bitel 1990, 30). In this regard, the ecclesiastical site at Tumna occupies a prime position in the landscape with its location at a narrow fording point on the banks of Lough Eidin. Indeed, it is located less than 300m from the banks of Cleaheen

8 townland, Co. Leitrim. This raises important questions about the scope of an ecclesiastical settlement, i.e. did the site at Tumna serve the community on both sides of the lake or did the water serve as a boundary? There are eight settlement sites that fall approximately equidistant between the ecclesiastical sites of Tumna and Church Hill, Co. Roscommon (Figure 17). Both churches are likely to have early medieval origins and may have been in existence at or around the same time; arguably either one (or both?) could have served the local population.

The LiDAR dataset and GIS manipulation provide a good starting point for the identification of potential zones, but further in-depth study which includes analysis of contemporary documentary sources is required in order to attempt to answer the questions raised.

CONCLUSION

3.1 Implications for the County Roscommon Heritage Plan 2012-2016 By filling a number of gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the early medieval archaeology of Co. Roscommon, this project has succeeded in meeting a number of the objectives set out in the County Roscommon Heritage Plan 2012-2016. This report should be viewed in conjunction with the author's MA Thesis which contains further details regarding the methodology, analysis and findings of the entire study.

Objective 1: Collect and disseminate heritage information - 'Notice' With the discovery of 75 'new' archaeological monuments in Co. Roscommon, this research has significantly contributed to the archaeological record. Already identified as a very high density zone for ringforts (Stout 1997, 93), this study has increased the number of known monuments in the study area by approximately 38%. This in turn has significant implications for our understanding of early medieval settlement in Co. Roscommon and future studies will now have a more comprehensive basis from which to work. These monuments can now be added to the 'inventory of heritage assets' in the care of Roscommon County Council (Action 1.6).

But it is not only in the form of newly discovered monuments that this research adds to the heritage inventory of Co. Roscommon, indeed this study provides a new way in which to examine and explore existing monuments. LiDAR analysis is a relatively new application to archaeology and this study constitutes the first use of this type of data to explore early medieval settlement. As such, Co. Roscommon is part of a new, innovative piece of

9 research which represents a springboard for future research in Ireland and a stepping stone to further in-depth study within the county itself (Action 1.1).

Objective 2: Promote best practice in heritage conservation and management - 'Care' All 'new' monuments revealed during the course of this project are in the process of being reported to the National Monuments Service. Once accepted by the National Monuments Service, an SMR number will be assigned to each monument, in addition to the creation of a file and perhaps most importantly the inclusion of the monument on the Sites and Monuments Record. This means that the monuments will be accorded the same protection as those listed on the Records of Monuments and Places. This is particularly important, as prior to this study, it was not known that these 75 'new' monuments actually existed and they were therefore at risk of being damaged or even destroyed (Actions 2.13 - 2.16).

The superior quality of the higher-resolution data funded by the County Roscommon Heritage Research Bursary means that more comprehensive files and clearer, more detailed images can be provided to the National Monuments Service for each monument. This is vital as many of these monuments are not visible on the ground and will therefore be extremely difficult to survey and/or photograph. Thus the image of the monument on the LiDAR surface may be the only image available, and the details provided by this study (i.e. measurements, descriptions etc.) may be the only information available.

3.2 Conclusion The application of LiDAR analysis to the study of early medieval settlement means that we now have a new way in which to approach and view the archaeological landscape. This provides new opportunities to facilitate different types of heritage projects and different ways of studying heritage sites. By enabling the author to acquire higher resolution data, both known and newly discovered monuments can be viewed more clearly and higher quality records can be kept.

By applying up to date technology and to the study of County Roscommon's archaeological heritage, this project has not only succeeded in identifying over 150 'new' archaeological monuments, but their discovery and submission to the National Monuments Service will ensure that they both are adequately protected and that the information will be available for future use. This research has managed to give some focus to lesser known parts of the county (i.e. moving away from Rathcroghan) and forms an excellent basis for identifying areas for future research, management and enjoyment.

10 Bibliography Aalen, F. 1989 "Imprint of the Past" in D. Gillmor (ed) The Irish Countryside: Landscape, Wildlife, History, People. Dublin: Wolfhound Press. 83 - 120.

Bewley, R.H. et al. 2005 “New Light on an Ancient Landscape: LiDAR Survey in the Stonehenge World Heritage Site.” Antiquity, Vol. 79. 636 – 647.

Bitel, L.M. 1990 Isle of the Saints: Monastic Settlement and Christian Community in Early Ireland. Cork: Cork University Press.

Chapman, H. 2006 Landscape Archaeology and GIS. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.

Condit, T. & Buckley, V.M. 1989 "The 'Doon' of Drumsna - Gateways to " EMANIA, (6). 12-14.

Curran, S. 2012 Early Medieval Settlement in Leitrim and Roscommon: A LiDAR and GIS Initiative. unpublished MA Thesis, University College Dublin.

Kane, W.F. 1915 "The Doon of Drumsna. A Frontier between the Kingdoms of Aileagh and Cruaghan" Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C, (32). 324-332.

Moore, M.J. 2003 Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Moore, M. 2010 LE031-099 "Archaeological Survey of Ireland" on www.archaeology.ie

Moore, M. 2010a RO011-058 "Archaeological Survey of Ireland" on www.archaeology.ie

Moore, M. 2010b RO007-087003 "Archaeological Survey of Ireland" on www.archaeology.ie

Ryan, E. 2005 "Leo Swan's Pet Subject: enclosed early ecclesiastical sites in Ireland" in T. Condit & C. Corlett (eds) Above and Beyond: Essays in Memory of Leo Swan. Bray: Wordwell. 87-93.

Stout, M. 1991 "Ringforts in the South-West Midlands of Ireland" Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, (91C). 201-243.

Stout, M. 1996 Early Christian Settlement and Society in Ireland with Particular Reference to Ringforts. unpublished PhD thesis, Trinity College Dublin.

Stout, M. 1997 The Irish Ringfort. Dublin: Four Courts Press.

Websites

County Roscommon Heritage Plan 2012-2016 http://www.roscommoncoco.ie/en/Services/Heritage/County_Roscommon_Heritage_Plan_2 012-2016/County_Roscommon_Heritage_Plan_2012-2016.pdf Accessed 28/08/2012, 4.16pm

Google Earth http://www.google.com/earth/index.html Accessed 26/10/2012, 7.44pm

Sites and Monuments Record Database http://webgis.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/FlexViewer/ Accessed June-October 2012

11 FIGURES

Figure 1: The Study Areas

Figure 2: Distribution per Period (30km² Study Area)

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Figure 3: Drummaunroe Townland 'New' Ringfort

Figure 4: Fargrim Townland 'New' Ringfort

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Figure 5: Lackagh Townland 'New' Ringfort

Figure 6: Early Medieval Settlement Distribution

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Figure 7: Ringfort Distribution per Maximum Internal Diameter

Figure 8: Ringfort at Deerpark Townland (RBO-113K / SMR: RO011-063)

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Figure 9: Bivallate Ringfort Distribution

Figure 10: Ringforts at Cloonskeeveen Townland, Co. Roscommon

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Figure 11: Ringforts at Danesfort Townland, Co. Roscommon

Figure 12: RBN-055N Location

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Figure 13: Ringfort at Drumcleavry: LiDAR versus Aerial Image

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Figure 14: Doon of Drumsna 'Peninsula'

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Figure 15: Possible Church Enclosure at Tumna Ecclesiastical Site

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Figure 16: Ecclesiastical Site at Attirory, Co. Leitrim

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Figure 17: Tumna / Church Hill Overlapping Zones - 1.5km Radius

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