Kane — Additional Researches on Black Pig's Dyke. 557 



"from that time forth (i.e. a.d. 507), the land, from a locality in King's 

 County, and extending to Uisneach, remained an integral portion of 

 Kynaleagh and the Kingdom of Meath." — (Ann. of Tighernach.) 



These events in Patrician times have nothing immediately to do with our 

 subject, but illustrate the historical difficulties which accumulate round the 

 story of King Tuathal Techtmar's founding that kingdom in the second 

 century, as we find that some 300 years later this southern territory was still 

 in dispute between Leinster and Ulidia, and was reconquered by the latter. 

 Later on I shall adduce a historical reference to show that this and a wide 

 stretch of country adjacent was conquered by Ulster at a much earlier 

 epoch. 



From the neighbourhood of Lough Owel I lost all traces of entrench- 

 ments, except that the late Mr. Tuite, of MuUingar, heard from Mr. Thomas 

 Connaughton, D.C., of Carn, that the tradition of the race of the Black Pig 

 to Athlone is common and widespread, though he knew of no earthworks. 

 But that " from the ruins of Stremminstown Castle an avenue leads to the 

 old main road called the Black Pig's Eoad, near Carn Castle, and by it in 

 ancient times kings and great people used to travel West from the North." 

 This is possibly a reminiscence of Tain legends. From another source I find 

 that traces of fosses and ditches are said to exist from the mill of Moyvore 

 and through Washford to Carn and Stremminstown Castles, which went on 

 through Streamstown, at the back of the railway station, to Templemacateer. 



I then decided, on topographical grounds, to make some research near 

 Mount Temple and Moate; and on writing to the Eector (an old acquaintance), 

 he made inquiries in the neighbourhood, and then very kindly asked me to 

 come and visit what he had been shown. The Black Pig's race was said by 

 many of the neighbours to have passed through Walderstown cross-roads and 

 near Ballycanbo. Others mentioned Belleville and Creeve Castle as the 

 nearest locality. Accordingly, we made for "The Split Hills," about which there 

 was a legend. It is a curious formation in a line of low eskers, and not far 

 from it we found remains of a rampart much defaced, with a hollow alongside, 

 running north-west. Fortunately we met with an intelligent young woman, 

 who traced the line on to Belleville, and pointed out the track of an ancient 

 road. This, she said, was formerly a coach-road made upon the Black Pig's race, 

 which led along the edge of what was formerly a wide swamp in Creeve. The 

 rampart at the Split Hills, she said, went by the name of Lugananti (perhaps 

 a corruption of Lugatanti),' " the hollow of the old house " Lug-an-t'sean-tech ? 

 The ruins of Creeve Castle are close by. She traced the line, the track of 



Cf. Joyce, Irish Place iS'ames.— ■• Attatantee. The site of the old house." 



I 79* I 



