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Cherry Island, known locally as Bone Island, is a crannog situated in Drumgay Lough in County Fermanagh. Constructed during the early Christian period, the site represents a notable example of the artificial island settlements that characterised early medieval Ireland. The crannog lies upon bedrock of the Tyrone Group, a Visean formation comprising limestone, mudstone, sandstone and siltstone interspersed with chert, coal and conglomerate, geology typical of the local landscape around the drumlin country of central Fermanagh.
Crannogs were constructed by building timber frameworks and piling materials into lake beds to create habitable islands. These structures served as defended residences, offering natural protection through their water-bound location. The position of Cherry Island within Drumgay Lough would have provided its inhabitants with control over local water routes and access to aquatic resources.
The site is now protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 10146. As an early Christian crannog, it provides evidence of settlement patterns and construction techniques employed during an important period of Irish history, contributing to our understanding of how communities organised themselves and exploited freshwater environments during this era.
Cherry island, bone island. crannog in drumgay lough is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 10146. View the official record →
Cherry Island, known locally as Bone Island, is a crannog situated in Drumgay Lough in County Fermanagh. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 10146.
Cherry island, bone island. crannog in drumgay lough dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a crannog. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cherry island, bone island. crannog in drumgay lough is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 10146.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rectangular enclosure (4.9 km), Multi-period church site - monastic site, medieval church & graveyard, cross-shaft & base etc. (6.4 km), Mound, possibly crannog (6.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cherry island, bone island. crannog in drumgay lough's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cherry island, bone island. crannog in drumgay lough stands on Tyrone Group, bedrock that formed in the Visean. The rock here is limestone, mudstone, sandstone and siltstone, with subordinate chert, coal and conglomerate.