2009:371 - INISHEE ISLAND, Lough MacNean Lower, Fermanagh

An archaeological survey and limited test excavations were conducted on Inishee Island, Lough MacNean Lower, near Belcoo, Co. Fermanagh, between 30 June and 25 July 2009. Funding for the project was provided by the National Geographic Society/Waitt Grants Program Grant #: W39–08, entitled 'The Mesolithic Fisher-Gatherer-Hunters of Northwestern Ireland’. Permission for work on the island was given by landowner Mrs Joanna Tasdur and by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Mr Gaby Burns, a local avocational archaeologist and instructor at the Gortatole Outdoor Education Centre on the south shore of Lough MacNean Lower, along with other Gortatole staff and students, first recovered mainly stone artefacts from the beach of Inishee Island over a decade ago. The bulk of these items are best characterised as Late Mesolithic broad blades and associated debitage.

The 2009 project sought to re-examine the beach and to place test-pits on the island near where beach finds were produced in order to document a possible in situ Mesolithic occupation. During the surface survey of the beach and shallow water just beyond it, our team succeeded in locating 49 stone tool or stone tool-reduction waste specimens. Following the extension of the survey grid from the Southeast Point beach northwards, nineteen shovel test-pits were excavated, beginning at 5m intervals and focusing on two locations, one near the Southeast Beach, where most of the surface finds were made, and the second
c. 60m to grid north on slightly higher ground above the flood jetsam level. Test-pits averaged 0.3m in diameter and c. 0.17m deep to grey clay subsoil. During this stage of the investigation, 39 further stone artefacts or possible stone artefacts were recovered. Fifteen of the nineteen test-pits were positive for lithic specimens. The beach finds assemblage was dominated by Late Mesolithic items. In contrast, the test-pit finds, particularly in the northern location, were mainly smaller flakes and knapping waste and included bladelets and small retouched flakes. The small retouched flake and blade component known from the Inishee test-pits may be either Early Mesolithic or Early Neolithic (or later) in age. Future work on Inishee may return information on transitions in Irish early prehistory, whether between the Early and Late Mesolithic or between the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic. A long-term
commitment to the island seems likely.