Black Pig's Dyke
Encyclopedia
The Black Pig's Dyke or Worm's Ditch is a series of discontinuous linear earthworks in southwest Ulster
and northeast Connacht
, Ireland
. Remnants can be found in north County Leitrim
, north County Longford
, County Cavan
and County Monaghan
(see the map below). Sometimes, the Dorsy enclosure in County Armagh
and the Dane's Cast in County Down
are considered to be part of the dyke.
Similar earthworks can be found throughout Ireland, although the Black Pig's Dyke is the most well-known. A notable example is the Claidh Dubh ("black ditch"), anglicized Clyduff or Cleeduff, in eastern County Cork
. It has three sections, the longest of which runs north-south for 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from the Ballyhoura Hills to the Nagle Mountains.
folklore. One tale says that a huge black boar
tore-up the countryside with its large tusk
s. Another says that the ditches were made by a huge worm
.
with external ditch. Behind the palisade was a double bank with intervening ditch. The timber structure was radiocarbon dated to 390-370 BCE, so all of the earthworks may date to that period. It has been suggested that they may have been modeled on the Ancient Roman
limes
.
Some have put forward the idea that the earthworks marked the ancient border of Ulster
. However, there is no evidence that they "collectively constitute one border for one people" – the earthworks may not be contemporary and there are large gaps between them. Others suggest that their sole purpose was to prevent cattle raiding
, which was very common in ancient Ireland. Two theories have been put forward to explain why there are large gaps between the earthworks. One is that they were simply built across trackways that were often used by cattle raiders, another is that the gaps between them were once heavily wooded and thus no manmade defense was needed.
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
and northeast Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Remnants can be found in north County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, north County Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
, County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
and County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
(see the map below). Sometimes, the Dorsy enclosure in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
and the Dane's Cast in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
are considered to be part of the dyke.
Similar earthworks can be found throughout Ireland, although the Black Pig's Dyke is the most well-known. A notable example is the Claidh Dubh ("black ditch"), anglicized Clyduff or Cleeduff, in eastern County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. It has three sections, the longest of which runs north-south for 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from the Ballyhoura Hills to the Nagle Mountains.
Name
In counties Leitrim and Cavan the earthworks are generally called the Black Pig's Dyke or Dike. In County Longford it is called the Black Pig's Race, while in the Cavan–Monaghan border area it is called Black Pig's Dyke or Worm Ditch. The ditches take their names from GaelicGaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
folklore. One tale says that a huge black boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
tore-up the countryside with its large tusk
Tusk
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth, usually but not always in pairs, that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canines, as with warthogs, wild boar, and walruses, or, in the case of elephants and narwhals, elongated incisors...
s. Another says that the ditches were made by a huge worm
Worm
The term worm refers to an obsolete taxon used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, and stems from the Old English word wyrm. Currently it is used to describe many different distantly-related animals that typically have a long cylindrical...
.
Construction and purpose
The earthworks usually consist of a bank with a ditch on either side. The bank is usually about 9 metres (29.5 ft) wide and the ditches are usually about 6 metres (19.7 ft) deep. Excavation of a stretch in County Monaghan revealed that the original construction was of a substantial timber palisadePalisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
with external ditch. Behind the palisade was a double bank with intervening ditch. The timber structure was radiocarbon dated to 390-370 BCE, so all of the earthworks may date to that period. It has been suggested that they may have been modeled on the Ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
limes
Limes
A limes was a border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. It marked the boundaries of the Roman Empire.The Latin noun limes had a number of different meanings: a path or balk delimiting fields, a boundary line or marker, any road or path, any channel, such as a stream channel, or any...
.
Some have put forward the idea that the earthworks marked the ancient border of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
. However, there is no evidence that they "collectively constitute one border for one people" – the earthworks may not be contemporary and there are large gaps between them. Others suggest that their sole purpose was to prevent cattle raiding
Cattle raiding
Cattle raiding is the act of stealing cattle.In Australia, such stealing is often referred to as duffing, and the person as a duffer...
, which was very common in ancient Ireland. Two theories have been put forward to explain why there are large gaps between the earthworks. One is that they were simply built across trackways that were often used by cattle raiders, another is that the gaps between them were once heavily wooded and thus no manmade defense was needed.
Locations
The remains of the earthworks can be found in the following places:- North County Leitrim: running northwest-southeast, from Lough MelvinLough MelvinLough Melvin is a lake which is internationally renowned for its unique range of plants and animals. It is located in the northwest of Ireland on the border between County Leitrim and County Fermanagh ....
to Lough MacNean, near the villages of RossinverRossinverRossinver or Rosinver is a village in north County Leitrim, Ireland. The village is at the southern shore of Lough Melvin at the jumction of the R281 and R282 regional roads....
and KiltyclogherKiltyclogherKiltyclogher is a small village in County Leitrim, Ireland. It is on the border with Fermanagh, however two of the connecting roads were blocked by the British authorities during the Troubles of the late 20th century - these have since been re-opened, however the town was isolated during the...
.
- Northeast County Longford: running northwest-southeast for 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), from Lough GownaLough GownaLough Gowna is a fresh water lake which is the uppermost lake on the River Erne. It is located on the border between County Longford and County Cavan, with the largest part of the lake being in County Longford....
to Lough Kinale (crossing the N55N55 road (Ireland)The N55 road is a national secondary road in Ireland linking Athlone on the River Shannon in the centre of the country to Cavan town.-Route:...
), near the villages of Dring and GranardGranardGranard is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland and has a traceable history going back to 236 A.D.. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 national secondary road and the R194 regional road...
.
- County Cavan–County Monaghan border: running roughly west-east from the Finn River (near the village of Redhills) to the townland of Corrinshigo (near the village of Drum).
- County Cavan: forming a wide semi-circle in the townland of Ardkill More, 3½ miles east of BellananaghBallinaghBallinagh, officially Bellananagh , is a village in County Cavan, Ireland. It lies on the N55 midlands route.-Buildings of note:* Ballinagh Market House is a 5 bay 2 storey building built in 1821 currently derelict...
. This is one of the best surviving examples. Cavan Heritage Group have called for the cessation of operations on a nearby quarry which they maintain is damaging part of the dyke at Ardkill More.