KAm:—Tke Black Pig's Di/Jce. 31T 



Gullion, we come to the Pass of the Fews, where a lake is named, not 

 identified — perhaps L. Eoss, where a portion of the Worm Ditch is found 

 running toward the Dorsey. Not far from this is Castleblayney, whose 

 ancient name Mucknoe, miiic iti^iti, "the swimming ford of the pig," no 

 doubt, has reference to the Black Pig. Lough da Ean is possibly Dartrey 

 Lake on the boundary of Co. Monaghan. Thence to Upper L. Erne at 

 Wattle Bridge near Clones. The Cumber Bridge, near Clones, preserves the 

 old name of Cumar or confluence. So far we find the frontier between 

 Uladh and Meath correctly marked out by the Worm Ditch. The river 

 Erne thence forms the frontier, past Castle Saunderson race-course, which is 

 probably " the Magh " of Keating, and Drumlane at Belturbet to " Sgairbh 

 LTachterach," the upper rough ford, probably on Lough Oughter. Here 

 there is a hiatus in Keating's series of boundary localities. Athlone is 

 next mentioned and Moliill, then L. Boderg, skipping all mention of Cavan, 

 which was partitioned between Meath and Uladh ; and Longford, a portion 

 of which also was included in Ulster. But other authorities state that 

 Meath extended to ISTorth Teffia and Carbre. N. Teffia included the 

 environs of Granard, Co. Longford ; and in a note by O'Donovan, in " The 

 Book of Rights,"^ he defines it as extending from the river Inny, which 

 flows out of L. Sheelin to Slieve Carbre. This latter is described as a hilly 

 district stretching from near Ballinamuck to Arvagh, north of L. Gowna. 



In an old poem quoted by Keating, we find : " Along the Shannon side 

 northward the tract of Meath reaches to Teathbha, and so to Carbre." 

 And again, " The men of Teathbha on the northern border (of Meath), and 

 Cairbre of bright victory." We therefore have this portion of the northern 

 frontier of Meath defined from the neighbourhood of Lough Sheelin past 

 Granard to the country about Lough Gowna, and thence by Slieve Cairbre 

 to Ballinamuck. Here, therefore, we should meet the Black Pig's trench 

 again, if the hypothesis that it followed the boundary of ancient Ulster 

 proves correct. It is satisfactory, therefore, to be able to trace its 

 earthworks from L. Kinale, which is close to Lough Sheelin, northward to 

 L. Gowna. Thence to Ballinamuck the country people report that it 

 continued, but what traces, if any, may remain, I have not been able to 

 ascertain. If we now refer again to Keating, we find Lough Boderg a 

 lake-like expansion of the Shannon mentioned as the place at which the 

 Shannon boundary of Meath ends ; and Mohill, Co. Leitrim, is given as the 

 point through which the frontier line passed. A short extension thence to 

 the east brings us to Ballinamuck, and so completes the alignment. Now, 



' Miscellany of the Celtic Society, p. 11, n. 

 K. I. A. PROC, VOL. XXVII., SECT. C. [47] 



