Crannog can be described as meaning 'a small island built with trees' - crann  in Irish means tree. There are many types of crannogs, they were defensible settlements usually built in or along the shoreline of loughs, marshland  and waterways including coastal - at the time of their construction the landscape was densely forested and most travel was conducted along waterways or around the coast. They are found usually on smaller loughs in locations  that are not  prone to wind generated storm waves. Archeologists attribute their first construction  to Scotland around 300-500 AD with their appearance in Ireland from 600AD. Inhabitants such as those of Fair Head would have  reach their dwellings by boat - lough shore and bogland  crannogs were reached by wooden pathways built on piles above the water, or, in some cases stone causeway’s led out from shore. Crannogs had many uses from simple dwellings to fortified homes of chieftains, they were also centres of crafts and early manufacturing.