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Out-houses
The Ringfort depends largely on
cattle, pigs, sheep in order of importance. The animals usually
would have been kept outside, grazing on pastures nearby and
brought into their pens at night.
The number of cattle owned were
related to the status of the person. The well-to-do (Boaire)
farmer at Lios-na-gCon would have the honour price of 10-12
cows. This has to be paid for and any major offences committed
against him, e.g. murder, satire, serious injury, refusal of
hospitality, theft, violation of his protection etc,.
Cattle were the most common form
of currency in Ireland. Other forms were animals, slaves, sets
or ounces of silver. Cattle raiding was very popular in early
Christian Ireland, you could say a type of dangerous sport or
past time. Cattle were important for dairy produce, ploughing,
reproduction and only eaten if diseased or else one may have
been killed just before the winter. "Booleying"
occurred from the 1st of July to Halloween, where the
young sons would move the cattle to higher land and camped there
for several months. Proper fences were always emphasised in the
law tracts, as fines would be made. Pens were built of wattle
hazel rods. The word Buchaill, Irish for boy, comes from the
word Bo-chiall- boy / cow keeper.
Pigs - were second of importance.
They were mainly kept for their flesh and pork. The breed of pig
in Early Christian Ireland was called a "greyhound
pig", they were mainly, pink and black in colour. The pigs
were easy to feed, they would have been kept in the woods during
the day, feeding on fallen acorns, grass and hazelnuts.
Sheep - were kept for their wool,
milk and cheeses. Some sheep would have been the fleece type of
breed during early Ireland. They have very soft wool and are
fairly good jumpers, so a high pens was very essential. Sheep's
milk was considered infertile for a king. Goats may also been
kept. Wild red deer, which roamed the woods were also hunted for
their meat, hides and antlers. Antlers were used for making
weapons and tools. Wild boar was also hunted, again for food,
but also for sport
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