Devenish 2 Logboat

Jul 11, 2025

A very rare example of what appears to be a logboat with a live-well.
This demonstrates a high level of fishing sophistication, with a likelihood that some method of keeping the fish alive existed on the shoreline close to habitation. The vessel remains almost completely buried, with just the bow and stern visible. It was investigated by the UAU in 2014 but remains undated.

Lough Corrib D2 Logboat - Stern

Lough Corrib D2 Logboat – Stern

While this boat is most likely to be from the bronze age there are examples from medieval times of this practice in ruins around the lake – notably in Ross Errilly Friary where live fish were evidently kept in the kitchen area having been transported to the Abbey from the lake.
The piece of timber laying behind the vessel is the transom board, which would have fitted into the slot in the aft-most transverse timber and been caulked into place with moss and wax or fat.