In article ,
Féachadóir Féach@d.óir wrote:
Scríobh jl :
In article , Féachadóir
Féach@d.óir wrote:

Irish agriculture was much more pastoral than arable, which may have
meant we held on to forest for longer.

Not sure about that. Goats and sheep can devastate a landscape because
no new shoots get the chance to grow and young trees are quickly
nibbled to death.

The Olde Irish favoured cattle.

I suspect they favoured cattle - but a lot of the mountains here will
support nothing but sheep or goats.

I suspect that only the rich and powerful - those that could afford bards,
for instance - could also afford cattle. Mind you, cattle in those days
were tough and small beasts. It's only since the mid 18th century that the
meat of cattle fetched more money than the skins.

Jochen

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Limavady and the Roe Valley
http://www.jochenlueg.freeuk.com