The Crane: A Bronze Age Icon

We have researched The Crane as part of “Our Irish Natural History,” a collaborative project with ICAN and the National Museum of Ireland. We look at its influence in prehistoric weaponry and archaeological finds.  Our research is currently on exhibit at the Dead Zoo Lab in Collins Barracks, Dublin

The Crane (Grus grus)

The Common Crane (Grus grus) is a huge, iconic and unmistakable bird, standing at 1.2m tall with a long neck, long legs, dagger-like beak, bluish-grey plumage and a noticeable red, black and white head marking. The species breeds across Northern Europe in bogs, lake reedbeds or forested areas along rivers, migrating to Southern Europe and Africa during the winter.

The crane would have been a very common sight in Galway. The Gaelic an gCorr may refer to the ‘Korrrrr’ sound or cry the bird made. This may be represented within some of the  townland names with ‘Corr’ as a prefix, of which there are many in the county.  The Irish for Crane is Corr, typically followed by an adjective, for example Corr monadh, which roughly translates to ‘Crane of the bog’, suggesting the likelihood of Cranes once inhabiting Ireland’s vast boglands. However, there have been some inconsistencies and confusion with its translation from the literature since Corr was also used to describe many other Crane-like birds, particularly the Grey Heron . The Crane disappeared from the Irish landscape over three hundred years ago, however, the Common Crane (Grus grus) has made a come-back to the midlands, with reports of a pair nesting on restored bogs in County Offaly for the past seven years.

Relationship between The Crane and Grey Heron

Many people in Ireland mistakenly confuse the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) with a ‘Crane’; however, this species is only distantly related to the Common Crane. The Crane is actually more closely related to rails and crakes such as the Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) or the Corncrake (Crex crex). Although Cranes and Herons are both typically greyish in colour, the Crane’s distinctive black and white head, red crown and plume of feathers at its rear end are usually enough to distinguish the two. In flight, the Crane flies distinctively with its neck elongated, while Herons often tuck their neck back in an ‘s’ shape.

Bronze Age Halberd Finds

Stray archaeological finds in the County of Galway include a number of halberds. A halberd is a broad shaped blade with a strong mid-rib which has been described as resembling the beak of a crane. It would have been mounted onto a wooden shaft at a right angle. It was invented in order to shield more effectively than could be done with a spear. To date, fourteen halberds are recorded to have been found in the County of Galway, ten of which were found within six kilometres of each other in the Woodlawn/ Kilconnell area.

Symbolic Link

Galway halberds have all been found in wetland or water associated contexts suggesting a symbolic link to the bird, and, by extension, spiritual transformation. The crane lends its image to the halberd not only as a mark of status or martial prowess but as a vessel for beliefs about life, death, and transformation. This relationship underscores the holistic nature of Bronze Age societies, where art, warfare, and spirituality merge in objects of lasting beauty and mystery.

Cloonymorris Halberd

The Cloonymorriss Halberd measures 23.6cm in length x 7.1cm maximum width at hafting plate. Its section along the mid-rib varies from 7.5 to 4.4mm, being thicker at broad butt-end. The hafting plate is curved and it has three holes, each measuring 11mm in diameter with rivets in position. Rivets are cylindrical with hemispherical heads and vary from 2.3 to 2.7cm, the longest being at the straight side of the blade. There is a pronounced mid-rib and sharp bevelled edges. It is in very good condition. The Cloonymorris halberd is classified as an O’Riordain, Type 5. It was found in a bog.

Halberd Assemblage near Kilconnell

Nine halberds were found during the construction of the railway 1850, near Hillswood, Kilconnell.  Seven of these were found together, in an assemblage, which may indicate they were part of a votive offering. They were all found pointing downwards in the bog.  (Topographical Files, National Museum of Ireland).

Athenry Halberd

A Breaghwy Type copper alloy halberd was acquired by The National Museum of Ireland from a private collection in 1936. Its blade is described as slightly asymetrical giving it a scythe-like shape. It is wide at the hafting plate and has the remains of three rivet holes in its rounded back. A gentle thickening runs the length of the middle of the blade. The blade is slightly bent. It measures 22.9cm in length at its widest point and measured 9mm in thickness.

River Corrib Find

During test excavations by Moore Group associated with a development close to The River Corrib a Bronze Age halberd was found. This discovery was near a known fording point over the River Corrib which has been associated with prehistoric material. The blade, probably made from copper was shaped like a thorn and measured 160mm in length by 110.5mm along its butt. It had a central ridge tapering to a point along its blade and near the butt were two central placed circular perforations with evidence for three rivet holes along its back edge. A small section of the upper butt was missing, but this was retrieved later.

Lavally Halberd

A bronze halberd was acquired from a private individual from Craughwell in 1975. It is described as having three rivet holes with only one rivet in situ. The rivet holes are arranged to form almost an equiangular triangle. The blade is rounded at both the blade and hafting end. There are a number of townlands in the county called Lavally, and no map was on file to discern its exact find location.

River Shannon Assemblage

A copper halberd was found as part of an assemblage of 22 specimens of broad dagger blades, battle axes and curved scythe shaped short swords near Keelogue Ford on the Galway Offaly border. The halberd is described  as a curved scythe-shaped blade, narrow, bent and covered with brown oxidation. It has a broad flat mid-rib with two rivet holes.

Rituals Mimic The Crane

There are references to the possibility that the halberd may have been used in ritualistic dancing. Rock carvings in Sweden and Northern Italy have reproduced the image of the halberd, showing its popularity throughout the continent. One such carving at Mont Bego, Italy, shows a number of people holding halberds in what appears to be a ritualised fight or dance. These drawings show the halberd looking remarkably like the beak, head and neck of the crane.  The crane has been associated with Irish mythology, druids and royalty throughout the ages. It was deemed a sin to eat the flesh of the crane. It was also common to keep a crane as a pet in medieval times to promote good fortune. The blending of martial and avian imagery speaks to the Bronze Age understanding of weapons as more than mere tools. They were repositories of social memory, ritual power, and huge significance. The halberd may be viewed as a bridge or connection between the living and the dead.

Fionn Mac Cumhaill

The Crane has a strong cultural presence appearing in folklore tales. Aoife, the daughter of Delbáeth fell in love with Ilbreac. Luchra, her rival  turned Aoife into a great crane bird,  forbidding her to land for 200 years. When Aoife finally died, a fine bag was made by Manannán himself from the skin of this crane.  Manannán filled it with his most magical treasures.

Years later Fionn MacCumhaill came across the crane bag again after the man who had slain his father was killed. You can read this story at the following link https://storyarchaeology.com/the-treasure-bag-of-the-fianna/

Crane Motif in Archaeology

The Crane appears in the Book of Kells (c. 800 AD) and in drawings in the original manuscript of Topographica Hiberniae (1200 AD). The Crane has also featured as a visual motif in many archaeological artefacts, such as a 10^thcentury Viking coin excavated from Wood Quay, Co. Dublin and a floor tile from Melifont Abbey, Co. Louth, possibly dating to the 13^th century (D’Arcy, 1999). Carvings on crosses and other masonry may depict this majestical bird. Its long beak and elongated neck appears interwoven with other iconography.

Meelick Crane

A more recent depiction of the Crane is shown on iron workings overhanging a fire in Meelick, Co. Galway. This amazing crane is decorated with a crane head. It was made by the Staunton blacksmiths of Balyhue, Eyrecourt. This is a fine example showing off the skill of a master smith. Thanks to Jim Bermingham for his permission to photograph this wonderful piece of vernacular folk art captured by Dr. Christy Cunniffe.

Shawn Dowdall is an ornithologist with Galway-based environmental consultancy MKO. As an environmental consultant, Shawn carries out important ornithology surveys which contribute towards Environmental Impact Assessments, to ensure that there are no significant impacts to bird populations as a result of development.  He has a strong interest in Ireland’s wildlife and natural history, particularly Ireland’s constantly evolving birdlife. Shawn has also volunteered with Birdwatch Ireland, in ongoing monitoring of seabird populations, and the Golden Eagle Trust, surveying Red Kites and Hen Harrier, contributing to work that will hopefully ensure that these species don’t face the same fate that the Common Crane did 300 years ago.

References:

‘Cranes return to Bord na Mona bogs for another breeding season’ Accessed May 2025

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bnmireland_bnm-ireland-biodiversity-activity-7316482679003054080-XIIS/

Ronan O’Flaherty (2011) ‘Ceremonial or deadly serious? Function of Irish Early Bronze Age Halberds’ https://www.academia.edu/1640588/Ceremonial_or_deadly_serious_Function_of_Irish_EBA_halberds?email_work_card=view-paper

O’Toole, Lorcán, and Ronan O’Flaherty. “‘Out of Sight, out of Mind?’ On the Trail of a Forgotten Irish Bird.” Archaeology Ireland, vol. 25, no. 1, 2011, pp. 13–16. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41206309. Accessed 6 May 2025.

O’Flaherty, Ronan. “The Early Bronze Age Halberd: A History of Research and a Brief Guide to the Sources.” The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 128, 1998, pp. 74–94. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25549844. Accessed 6 May 2025.

Harbison, P. (1969) ‘Daggers and Halberds of The Early Bronze Age in Ireland’  P42, no 201

Moore, D (2009) ‘Galway Bronze Age Halberd’ http://www.mooregroup.ie/2012/05/galway-bronze-age-halberd/