Ditch Witch Tara Tine has new doc on the history of Louth

The local documentary-maker and YouTuber Tara Tine has currently got fascinting six-part radio documentary series on Dundalk FM, entitled 'Tara Tine's Ancient Landscapes'.

The documentary has already taken audineces on the journey to retrace the possible route of the ancient Slige Midluachra, one of the five principal roads in ancient Ireland which is said to have led to the Hill of Tara, which was considered the political centre of Ireland at many points throughout history.

The Slige Midluachra passed through the Moyry Pass (also known as 'The Gap of the North'), just north of Dundalk and, as Tara has theorised, may have continued westward to Inniskeen before veering south and continuing through Louth village, Ardee, Mellifont and Slane, before finally arriving at Meath's infamous hill.

Tara's whistle-stop tour of these locations includes a look at some of the ancient ruins and finds which can be found there, as well as an interview with Drogheda journalist, author and photographer, Anthony Murphy ('Mythical Ireland') to discuss the importance of the stars to ancient peoples for navigation and survival.

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Continuing the theme of routeways and travel, episode two 'Queen Maebh's Dundalk'  dealt with the often contested route of ancient warrior, Queen Maebh as she travelled through County Louth on her way to capture the Brown Bull of Cooley.

To further explore this topic, Tara chats with Professor Paul Gosling (GMIT) who has been involved in Dundalk's 'Táin March Festival' since its inception.

The series will also explore the idea of Inniskeen as an ancient centre for the arts; the ever-evolving and prominent medieval landscape of the area around the Hill of Faughart (along with two of its most famous associations from that era - St. Brigid and Edward deBruce); the lives, contributions and legacies of some of Dundalk's most famous Anglo-Norman visitors, the deVerdun family; and the history of Cúchulainn's Castle, including memories of its last living resident, as recounted by local man Damien Callan, one of the inaugural winners of the Poc Fada in 1960. Further interviews will be provided by Professor Conor Brady of DKIT, historical re-enactor and artist John Kerr and Niall Roycroft and Shane Delaney of the National Roads Authority, who researched and complied the archaeological report of findings made during the excavation works for the Dundalk M1 western bypass between 2002 and 2005.

Double bills of 'Tara Tine's Ancient Landscapes' can be heard each weekend on Dundalk FM, on Saturday mornings at 9am and being repeated on Sunday evening at 5pm. 

Episodes will also be uploaded to Tara's YouTube channel after broadcast, along with extended versions of some of the interviews featured in the series.