Irish Greyhound Pig – Sus Scrofa
The Irish Greyhound pig was a descendant of the European wild pig (Sus Scrofa) that had roamed Irish forests since prehistoric times. The European wild pig varied little across the continent. It was rough-bristled, long-legged, had a long head and was usually a blackish colour.
In the early middle Ages there was not much distinction between the wild pig and the domesticated pig – the domesticated pig was fed on acorns and beech mast like its wild cousin, and it remained a lean, narrow-backed and rough-bristled creature.
There are no records suggesting when the wild pig died out in Ireland but it was probably around the 12th Century soon after the arrival of the Normans, when the ongoing deforestation of the land would have gradually reduced their natural habitat.
You can see this beautiful character in our Farmyard Féasta book by clicking here