New Thread! 'Wolves In Ireland: A Natural & Cultural History'! I will be using my new book of the same name by Kieran Hickey as my main reference point! If you love #wolves, keep checking for new tweets! It will be full of myths, folklore & superstitions! @MagicalEurope #Ireland

#Ireland was once known as 'wolf land'! Wolves wiped out of England in 1300s but the last wolf in Ireland only killed in Co Carlow in 1786. It is thought to have been killed at Myshall, on the slopes of Mount Leinster by a pack of wolfdogs kept by a Mr Watson of Ballydarton.

"Modern genetic studies have shown that all domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are originally descended from the grey wolf (Canis lupus), which was first domesticated in Asia around 15,000 years ago." (Kieran Hickey).

Radiocarbon-dating on cave bones shows that the wolf was present in #Ireland at least 28,000 years ago! The earliest date was found in Shandon & Ballinamintra Caves, Co Waterford. The 40,000 Irish ringforts were built to keep them out once humans arrived! from K Hickey's book.

The Tireragh Stone depicts the slaying of a wolf in #Ireland' by a wolfhound in Co Leitrim in 17th C. Wolfhound belonged to O'Dowd chieftain of Co Sligo. Area known as Carrownamadoo, "the dog's quarter" to commemorate the dog! [Irish translation from Dr M McGarry]. : K Hickey.

Wolf in place-names, ogham inscriptions, surnames & family crests in #Ireland! And many names for the wolf in Irish!
>mac tire, "son of the country/land"
>bréach, "wolf"
>faolchú, "wolf-hound"
>madras alta/allaid/allta, "wild dog"
>cano, "wolf cub"
>glaoidheamhain, "wolf howler"

There are Irish language wolf place-names in every province of #Ireland, & in 17 of the 32 counties! The county with the most is Clare! e.g. Knockaunvicteera="little hill of the wolf"; Breaghva East, Breaghva West & Breaffy. Most of the names relate to townlands K Hickey

Some wolf townlands in N #Ireland for @placenamesni:
-Feltrim (Faeldruim), Co Down, "wolf ridge"
-Breaghy/Breaghey in Tynan parish, Co Armagh, "wolf"
-Breagho, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, "wolf"
-Ballybreagh (Baile Bréach) in Kilmore, Co Armagh, "town of the wolf" K Hickey

English wolf place names concentrated in N #Ireland e.g.
-near Belfast, Co Antrim
-Tamlaght O'Crilly, Co Derry
-Drumlane, Co Derry
-Derrymacash, Co Armagh
-Aughnagurgan, Co Armagh
-Devenish & Enniskillen parish, Co Fermanagh
-Tildarg, near Ballyclare, Co Antrim
See K Hickey.

Irish ogham stones which mention wolves (some difficult). e.g.
-Conal Cuan, "pack of wolves"
-Cunagussos, he who has the strength/vigour of a wolf"
-Cunamgli, Cun[a]netas & Cvnorix, "prince/champion/king like a wolf"
-Gamicunas, "winter+wolf"
-Glasiconas, "grey & wolf"
K Hickey

Some Irish wolf personal names!
-Conán, "great/high wolf/hound"
-Conchobar (Connor), "wolf lover"
-Conn & Conri, "wolf" & wolf king" (ri=king)
-Ó Faoláin (Phelan & Whelan), "wolf" (with evil connotations)!
K Hickey. Dublin zoo (Patrick Bolger).

Wolves on heraldic crests! "The use of the wolf as a heraldic symbol denoted men who served their countries & were both fierce & treacherous." In #Ireland, the O'Callaghan crest shows a wolf heading from a clump of trees. The O'Crean crest shows a wolf on its hind legs K Hickey

"Of all the animals, the wolf is perhaps the most feared in terms of superstition... everywhere linked with evil, just like the snake. This is clearly shown in the illustration of a wolf with an evil-looking tail in the Book of Kells". Kieran Hickey, Wolves In #Ireland. f76v

Wolves in #Ireland! 3 #wolves can now be seen at Wild Ireland, a new sanctuary in Co Donegal! https://twitter.com/rtenews/status/1187456766466023424?s=20

Story: after Diarmuid died, Gráinne lived at Slievenamon, Co Tipperary & gave birth to a son. However a wolf kept eating their food! The story goes that another son grabbed the wolf by the throat & held it until his mother returned. Presumably was killed! K Hickey #Ireland

As a child a wolf stole future king Cormac mac Airt & suckled him in cave! Mum found him & took him back but, while crossing a mountain at night, wolves of #Ireland gathered to steal him back again, but thwarted by herd of wild horses! Dr M Dowd, Irish Cave Archaeology Project

Beautiful wolf art by @jimfitzpatrick! 'Nessa the Hunter'; January in his calendar! #IrishArt

A smith's daughter became pregnant by presumed dead King Cormac & went out to woods to give birth. A belt naming him as Cormac's son put around his waist. Like Cormac, a she wolf carried him off & cared for him even more than her pups! Found 1 1/2 yrs later & identified by belt!

"If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words" (Bread). Wouldn't you just love to step back in time to ancient #Ireland, & hear what wonderful stories this old druid is telling the wolf & crow! Beautiful art work! : Manuel Castañón. #NationalStorytellingWeek #FolkloreThursday

Wolves in #Ireland! 3 #wolves can now be seen at Wild Ireland, a new sanctuary in Co Donegal! Here's some fantastic photos of them! https://twitter.com/M_campbellphoto/status/1225533128757927936?s=20

“Conall Cairnech”, a contemporary of Cú Chullain was hunted by 3 "red wolves of the Martini”. In The Cattle Raid of Cooley, Cú Chulainn threatened by King Búan the Constant's daughter after he rebuffs her advances. She turns into she-wolf & stampedes his cattle towards him!

Cú Chulainn & another of the Fianna, Caoilte, were said to love to hear wolves howl & even described it as music! Cormac's Glossary describes the howling of wolves as uplifting! Under Benbulbin, Co Sligo (artist unknown).

WB Yeats was interested in the Fianna & according to Kieran Hickey, for a printing of his 'Lake Isle of Innisfree' (1888, aged c 23) he was depicted dressed up with wolfskin! No photo available! WB Yeats painted by his father, John Butler Yeats, in 1900. Diamond Painting.

High King Cormac mac Airt who had been raised by a she-wolf in the caves of Kesh, Co Sligo, Ireland, said to have understood wolf speech! Also said that 4 wolves accompanied him into battle against Lugaid mac Con, & for the rest of his life!

An old Irish saga tells of events associated with possible reign of Cormac mac Airt (227-266 AD), written 11th C in Book of Leacain. Includes ransom for Fionn mac Cumhaill of 2 of main animals of Ireland, including wolves! Hints of Noah story!Edward Hicks a brighter cloud

The 8th C tale Togail Bruidne Dá Derga (part of the Book of the Dun Cow) notes that King Conaire kept 7 wolves as hostages in his house in order to ensure that the wolves of Ireland only took 1 male calf from each herd each year! Gary Wilson at Dublin Zoo.

Wolves very important to Ireland's Viking invaders! eg Early Norse myth of world's creation, fall & renewal, where the end of the world is signified by 2 wolves attacking the sun (Sol) & moon (Mani)! 2 wolves are Skoll & Hati. This happens at Ragnarok.JC Dollman (1909)