The Department of Environment has discovered the foundations for houses believed to be from 700 years ago in Cookstown.

The foundations in Tullaghoge are believed to belong to the Gaelic O'Hagan clan, where O'Neills were crowned as chiefs of their lands, and the O'Hagans were the hereditary guardians of the site.

The rare archaeological remains, located outside of the well-known landmark of Tullaghoge Fort, have been uncovered during pre-development works for the creation of new visitor facilities.

DOE and Mid Ulster Council are working closely on a project to improve visitor access and experience at Tullaghoge, increase visitor numbers and boost the local economy.

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Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said: "These preliminary findings have surpassed all our expectations. We believe that not only is this the first time such buildings of this date have been uncovered in the North but may well be a first for the entire island of Ireland.

"The houses are small sub-rectangular buildings marked now only by their surviving floors and measure around 5m by 3m internally. They would have had sod or clay walls supporting angled roof timbers known as crucks.

"A fire, set in its hearth at the centre of the house, would have heated the building, with the smoke rising to find its way out through a thatched or sod roof. At least two houses have been found so far along with the fragmentary remains of a possible two or three more.

"Archaeologists suspect that many more lie dotted around the hill, forming an O'Hagan farming settlement that supported the elite members of the clan who lived in the Fort or nearby on the hill."

(CD/JP)