The earliest farmers of the Ox Mountains

Every so often, but especially in summer, I am reminded of our early farmers. I wonder did they have the same struggles with saving a few wisps of hay or getting a cow in calf.

My answer is always the same; they probably did. I am sure they too had bad summers and were often the victims of the fairies stealing their valuable butter while it was being churned.

Once upon a time

While it probably took them a lot longer to get to the Ox Mountains, the first people arrived in Ireland about 9,000 years ago. We call them Stone Age people because they used stone tools for their farm work and for hunting. We have learned about these early settlers because many of their tools and weapons survive, having been unearthed by latter day farmers and archaeologists.

Our later Stone Age people or Neolithic people were farmers. This later period covers from about 4,000 BC to 2,000 BC, which means that the first farmers lived in Ireland about six thousand years ago. These farmers were the first people to cultivate the land and raise cattle.

After woodland clearance, wheat and barley were initially cultivated and cattle were allowed to graze. Evidence of field systems during this period are to be seen at Céide Fields, in north Mayo, where cattle farming was undoubtedly carried out. Changes in climate submerged these fields in a layer of peat which kept them intact and allowed the fields, tombs and dwellings of this landscape to be preserved. Information provided by the Heritage Council under the heading, Farming and Archaeology: The Irish Historic Landscape, further explains our farming heritage.

Throughout Ireland, houses from the Neolithic period have been excavated by archaeologists and in many cases, the remains of cereal grains and animal bones have been found and have shown what the diet and living conditions were like at that time.

During the Bronze Age (2,000 BC – 500 BC), farming became more intensive. Wild pigs were native to Ireland but were gradually domesticated. Cattle came to be of great importance during the Iron Age (500 BC to 500 AD) and Early Medieval periods (500 AD to 1100 AD) and cattle became the accepted unit of currency. The wealth of a family was frequently judged by the number of cattle owned during the Early Medieval period. Cereals were also grown during this time as shown by the discovery of corn-drying kilns, horizontal mill sites and quern stones for grinding grain. It is thought that dairy farming originated during the Early Medieval period.

Farming roots 

So, just who were these early farmers and where did they come from? DNA analysis of an early Irish farmer who lived near Belfast more than 5,000 years ago suggests that the ancient Irish were of Middle Eastern descent.

Nicky Ryan, writing for thejournal.ie, in 2015 explains how a team of geneticists from Trinity College Dublin and archaeologists from Queen’s University Belfast unravelled the DNA of ancient Irish remains for the first time, revealing evidence of notable migration into the country. The researchers said the origin of the intriguing genetics were largely unknown.

The team analysed two sets of remains. The older, a woman who lived near Belfast, was a farmer, and the second set were three men from the Bronze Age period more than 1,000 years later and who lived on Rathlin Island off the north coast of Antrim.

The farmer’s roots could be traced back to the Middle East, the birthplace of agriculture. She had black hair, brown eyes, and appeared similar to southern Europeans. The three men were more similar to the Irish we know today. They had blue eyes, and crucially carried the gene responsible for haemochromatosis. The findings suggest that from this time the genome has remained largely similar. This second group appear to have come from the Pontic Steppe, an area stretching from Ukraine to Kazakhstan, and up into Russia.

Early farming practices 

Early farming practices involved a shift from hunting and gathering to cultivating crops and domesticating animals. This transition led to settled communities, increased food production, and significant environmental changes. Now, where have we heard that before?

Early farmers selected and cultivated specific plant species, like wheat and barley, and domesticated animals for food, labour, and other resources. Simple tools like wooden ploughs, sickles, hoes, and shovels were used to till the soil and harvest crops. Techniques such as slash-and-burn agriculture were employed, along with the development of basic irrigation systems.

Natural fertilisers like animal manure and crop rotation were used to maintain soil fertility. Agriculture led to a more reliable and abundant food supply, supporting larger populations and enabling the development of more complex societies. Early farming practices altered landscapes, led to deforestation and wetland drainage.

First cattle 

The first cattle in Ireland were likely brought over from mainland Europe by boat more than 6,000 years ago. Irish mythology features stories of a mermaid bringing three sacred cows: a white cow, a red cow, and a black cow, with the white cow associated with the goddess Bóann. Cattle soon became central to Irish culture and the economy of the time, influencing everything from farming practices to social structures. They were used for ploughing fields, were a measure of wealth, and even served as a form of currency.

The first farmers used cattle for ploughing and other agricultural tasks, contributing to the development of more extensive land management practices and even assisted with the construction of megalithic structures. While many cattle breeds have come and gone, some, like Kerry cattle, are believed to be descendants of the earliest types brought to Ireland. Indeed, Kerry cattle are believed to be one of the oldest breeds in all of Europe and were probably the first cattle bred mainly for milk production.

Farmers past and present 

Ireland has over 120,000 known archaeological monuments and many of these are found in the countryside. Only a small number of these sites and monuments are in State ownership; the remainder are protected under the National Monuments Acts and depend upon the interest and goodwill of each landowner. Interestingly, the farmers of today play a leading role in preserving vital information about the farmers of the past, with farmers and land managers protecting and preserving such sites and archaeological monuments.

Here's to the summer farmers of the Ox Mountains - to those who farmed 6,000 years ago and to those who still farm its slopes today - in their daily plight to produce enough food, for themselves, their families and their animals, helping us all to survive harsh winters.