Hard or soft, the border is more than just a line. In less than a century it has, on the one hand, divided the nation, but on the other created a strange unity and identity for those border people – north or south.
In this two part series An Teorainn takes us on a visually stunning journey from the air, catching some of the best views and dropping in to get a sense of the history and stories both ancient and new – a unique insight into this sometimes forgotten part of our island.
Crua nó bog – tá níos mó i gceist leis an teorainn ná díreach líne ar léarscáíl. In imeacht níos lú ná céad bliain tá an teorainn i ndiaidh náisiún a scoilteadh ar lámh amháin, ach tar éís aontacht agus féiniúlacht aisteach a chruthú i measc an pobal teorannach thuaidh agus theas ar an lámh eile.
Tá sraith dhá chlár ins An Teorainn agus tógtar muid ar aistear fíorálainn físiúil ón aer, ag amharc ar radharcanna dochreidthe agus ag fiosrú na scéalta agus an stair, sean agus nua, a bhaineann leis na críocha seo – léargas ar leith faoi cheantar ar an oileán seo a ligtear i ndearmad go minic.
Episode 1
Carlingford Lough, one of Ireland’s only fjords, is a spectacular setting to open a programme or to begin a border. A deep and sheltered inlet with a tricky tidal entrance guarded by Hawlbowline Lighthouse, Carlingford has seen its share of comings and goings whether it was Queen Meabh looking for her bull or later the Vikings or the Normans, their castle building visible on both sides of the Lough.
This has long been contested territory with some parts of county Louth even shifting provinces from Ulster to Leinster. For almost a century now, the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the Island follows ancient county boundaries but lacks any agreed definition under the waters of the Lough.
“Everymorning we see this …it’s incredible – I am 40 odd years doing this …I can’t imagine anyone having a front office like mine. ” Tom Keenan – Keenan Oysters Carlingford.
In all this current turmoil Tom Keenan is a man who is happiest almost up to his oxters in Carlingford’s waters producing some the country’s best oysters.
Following the border inland, the line appears on maps for the first time, separating Counties Down from Louth. At Narrow Water echoes of the past and more recent troubles are poignantly evidenced, before the border takes to the high ground overlooked by Clermont Carn with its neo-lithic carn right next to a digital transmitter, a testimony to the power of the high ground in ancient as well as hi-tech modern Ireland.
Overlooking the Gap of the North and Slieve Gullion, South Armagh comes into view. Although the hilltop British Army watch towers are gone the sense of a people under siege to some extent remains.
“Silím gur bhuaigh Croiss Mhic Lionáin cúig Uile Éireann mar gheall ar an meoin sin agus tá siad sásta go leor é a choinneáil.” Jarlath Burns
The landscape through which the border weaves its way throws up examples of beligerent architecture on both sides – the Elizabethan Moyra Castle in Armagh, defending the Ulster Plantation to Castle Roche in Co. Louth, guarding the outermost reaches of the Norman Pale. A monumental pre-historic linear earthwork has given rise to much folklore. Known variously as The Dane’s Cast; The Worm Ditch or The Black Pig’s Dyke, for a long time it was considered to be some sort of ancient border. In South Armagh the have The Dorsey or na Doirse – a complex earthwork gateway dating back at least 2000 years and linked to the ancient royal site of Emhain Mhaca – the folkloric home of the Red Branch Knights and the centre of the Ulster Cycle of the Fiannaíocht – Cú Chulainn and Conor McNessa.
“Scéal Chú Chualainn, scéal na Craoibhe Rua tá sin comh tábhachtach nó níos tábhachtaí ná scéal Achilles sa Ghréig nó scéal Arthur i Sasanna agus an difir mór idir scéal Arthur agus scéal s’againne scéal Chúchualainn agus Conchubhair Mac Neasa? Tá fhios againn cá bhfuil Camelot sin Emhain Mhaca! “ Antaine Ó Donnaile
More recent history is etched in the landscape where Armagh meets Tyrone and Monaghan, here the landscape is noticeably that of the big house. Caledon, Tynan Abbey & Castle Leslie – two north and one south – two houses surviving and one burned down, reminding us of our conflicted relationship with the Big House.
“Three stories cover almost all the big houses in Ireland and it’s quite a unique spot here on the border where you have a representation of all those …all within about 1.5 miles of each other.” Garret Carr – Author
In Glaslough village at the gates of Castle Leslie community is very much what you make it and here they pull together and know the power of the meitheal.
“We grew up in the village…so it was bred into us that you get involved in your community because it’s a better way of life and it’s a great way of engaging and meeting people and you do it for the good of the community.” Louise Duffy