Drone image of the Borora River passing through Moynalty

The Borora – The River of the Red Cow

The River Borora rises on Loughanleagh Mountain in Co. Cavan and flows into the Blackwater River near Kells, Co. Meath. For about 11 km, it forms part of the boundary between the two counties.

The Borora is also known as Abhainn Rua or Owenroe, meaning “Red River”. An earlier form of the name, recorded in 1609 as Roah Reagh, appears to preserve the Irish word ruadh (rua), meaning red.

But could the name have a connection to one of the legendary cows of Irish mythology?

The Red Cow

In ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland, Lady Wilde recounts a story of a sea maiden who foretold the arrival in Ireland of three sacred cows. When they came ashore, they went their separate ways, each travelling in a different direction.

  • Bó Finn, the White Cow, travelled towards the centre of the island.
  • Bó Dhú, the Black Cow, travelled south.
  • Bó Ruadh, the Red Cow, travelled north.

In local tradition, Bó Ruadh, the Red Cow, is associated with the River Borora. The similarity between the names is certainly worth noting: Bó Ruadh and Borora.

A photo of a red highland cow
Photo by Esmee Hulzebos @ pexels.com

Cows in Irish place names

Cattle feature frequently in Irish mythology and traditional stories. They were a major source of wealth and status in early Irish society, so it is hardly surprising that they appear in legends about the landscape.

Rivers, meanwhile, were important landmarks. They provided water, supported settlements and often formed natural boundaries, like with Meath and Cavan. Over time, stories about people, animals and supernatural events became attached to particular places.

The Borora may be another example of this overlap between the landscape and folklore.

From the Borora to the Boyne

The Borora flows into the Blackwater near Kells. The Blackwater, in turn, joins the River Boyne, one of Ireland’s best-known mythological rivers.

The Boyne is associated with Boann, a water and cow goddess from Irish mythology.

In the Dindshenchas, the medieval collection of lore concerning place names, Boann approached a forbidden well of wisdom. Its waters rose up against her, pursuing her towards the sea and giving rise to the River Boyne.

In the same text, Boann’s name also appears as Bó Find, a variant of Bó Finn, meaning “White Cow”.

An illustration of 'Boann the cow goddess' by Jim Fitzpatrick
‘Boann the cow goddess’ by Jim Fitzpatrick

A cow at Kells

The rivers Borora, Blackwater and Boyne.

Although unconfirmed in the texts, Boann is the likely same White Cow as mentioned in Lady Wilde’s story.

This then, places two of the three sacred cows of Ireland relatively close to one another, in the landscapes of Cavan and Meath.

Interestingly, the Blackwater has a cattle connection of its own. An older name for the river is Bó Guaire, meaning “Guaire’s Cow”, which is likely connected to Sliabh Guaire in Co. Cavan, near the Blackwater’s source.

A connection, or a coincidence?

It is difficult to say whether the names Borora, Bó Ruadh and the other cattle-related traditions are connected. Similar-sounding names do not necessarily share the same origin, and folklore can change as stories pass from one generation to the next.

Perhaps the resemblance between Borora and Bó Ruadh is simply a coincidence. Or perhaps it preserves a trace of a story whose original meaning has been lost?

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Sources

Beyond the Borora
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