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"Bog Butter"

Place

[Carrownagiltagh, near Tempo]

Caption

This ancient 35lb block or ball of butter was discovered in a Fermanagh bog at Carrownagiltagh, near Tempo in 1980. The unusual find was unearthed by Mr Jack Shannon while turf cutting in the bog. A sample from the bog butter was recently carbon dated by Queen’s University. It confirmed that the butter was around 1000 years old. It is very likely that this piece of butter was buried in the bog to preserve it for consumption in the winter months.

Credit

Kindly donated by Mr Jack Shannon, Tempo

Object number

FCM_1980_073