The article’s most intriguing tension lies between evidence of an ecologically active, ice-free tundra wetland at Derryvree and the difficulty of linking such regional environmental windows to animal or human movement. Castlepook’s varied fauna demonstrates longer-term connectivity, yet its mixed deposits and the disputed implications of a marked reindeer bone prevent a simple narrative of occupation. Glacial erosion further complicates the distinction between absent evidence and evidence subsequently destroyed. How should researchers weigh wetland records, cave assemblages, ancient DNA and changing sea-level reconstructions when assessing whether Ireland’s habitable intervals supported only visiting fauna, fleeting human activity, or sustained human presence?