Black Pig's Dyke

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The "Black Pig's Dyke" (Irish: Gleann na muice duibhe) was a series of numerous defensive, discontinuous segments of ditches, built between the old rival Irish provinces of Ulster and Connacht in the 1st century AD (0 - 100 AD). Today, remnants of the ditches stretch through South County Down, County Armagh, County Monaghan, County Cavan, County Leitrim and South County Donegal. Its purpose is not fully clear, but is has been assumed that it was either for the vital protection of Cattle between Ulster and Connacht, or for protection of warring tribes in each side of the numerous ditches ^[1].

The series of ditches are scattered in a discontinuous line,sometimes many miles apart and stretch between numerous bog areas and lakes, particularly in County Cavan. It takes its name from old Gaelic folklore, namely how a a large boar tore up the Irish country side with its huge tusks. In County Cavan it is locally known as 'the worm ditch', because according to local folklore in the area, it was made by a huge worm wriggling across the countryside. Ardkill Hill, 3.5 miles from the town of Ballinagh in County Cavan, contains a good example of the dyke which has survived^[2]. Efforts to save part of the dyke in County Cavan are ongoing. Cavan Heritage Group have called for the cessation of operations on a nearby quarry which they maintain is damaging part of the dyke^[3].