The raven is accorded a sombre role and is linked with doom and death

I was surprised because the raven’s normal habitat is the wildest possible places, sea cliffs and mountains, but here they were flying around the cathedral and into the nearby Brooke Park.

Ravens are the largest of the crow family: rooks, hooded crows, jackdaws, choughs, magpies and jays.

They are the Darth Vaders of the bird world, completely black and intimidating.

They can be hard to distinguish from their crow cousins but in flight their diamond shaped tail is a very distinctive and distinguishing feature.

It was remarkable to see them even though I have read that they are establishing themselves in towns after a long absence.

There are estimated to be around 3,500 pairs of ravens in Ireland which, compared with 3 million robins, makes them a very scarce bird.

All birds are subject to the same pressures. To survive they need to find food, avoid predators and find a suitable place to breed.

Ravens will eat almost anything, like us they are omnivores. Powerful birds, they can kill small animals and other birds but a lot of their food is obtained by scavenging carrion.

They have no real enemies, except perhaps eagles. Their normal habitats of sea cliffs and mountains means they regularly encounter peregrine falcons but are too powerful even for these top predators. They choose cliffs and tall trees for nesting. The cathedral will do nicely as an urban cliff.

Birds have lived happily without humans for sixty million years since the time of the dinosaurs. We are aware of their presence as part of nature but given our imagination we associate them with different aspects of our life.

The dove is a universal sign of peace. The lark is associated with joy. In contrast, the raven is accorded a more sombre role.

Because of its taste for carrion it would be one of the birds to visit the corpses after a battle. The raven is in many cultures linked with doom and death.

Any visitor to the Central Post Office in O’Connell street in Dublin will see Oliver Sheppard’s bronze statue of the mythical hero Cú Chulainn.

According to legend, Cú Chulainn has defended Ulster single handedly against all the forces of Queen Maebh. He meets his end but not before he has tied his body to a standing stone.

Such is their fear of this ultimate hard man and superhero, his enemies dare not approach the corpse until they are sure he is dead.

Once the raven lands on his shoulder they know he is no longer a threat.

Erected in 1935 and much admired by De Valera, the statue is symbol of the sacrifice of those who fought in the 1916 uprising.

Ulster Rugby play their home games at the Kingspan Stadium previously known as Ravenhill.

The name Ravenhill indicates that ravens once lived in this area in Belfast. Many cities would have been the regular habitat of ravens.

Until recently the slaughter of animals would take place in abattoirs close to the centre of towns.

The ‘Bull Park’ near the cathedral was one of these.

The ravens fed on the leavings of these abattoirs before people became aware of the need for a more sanitary approach to urban life.

Marooned in Derry COVID-19 land and missing Donegal but finding solace in the natural world

Ravens also feature in a modern English myth. There are seven ravens kept permanently in the Tower of London. Legend has it that if they leave it will be the end of the British monarchy.

The Tower was built shortly after 1066 by William the Conqueror and has been a symbol of royal power ever since.

The Tower was built to let the locals know who was in charge. This intimidation was repeated in all the Norman conquests in England, Wales and Ireland.

Like the raven, the Tower has been long associated with gloom and death.

It has been the execution place of many who opposed, or were seen to oppose, the Crown: St Thomas More, Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, Thomas Cromwell and many others.

During the Tudor reconquest of Ireland and the Plantation many Irish chiefs were imprisoned indefinitely in the Tower.

There is a local connection in that Donal Ballagh O’Cahan was one of these unfortunates. Donal was the last of the chiefs of the O’Cahan clan.

His territory covered much of what is now County Derry apart from the city itself.

Greencastle Shore Path - Ten thousand years in half an hour

As a vassal of Hugh O’Neill he took part in the failed Nine Years’ War but did not leave with O’Neill in the Flight of The Earls in 1607.

Surrendering to the Crown, he was promised his lands on condition he accepted English rule.

His lands were too much of a temptation for his English masters, Sir Arthur Chichester, Lord Deputy of Uster and his ally Thomas Phillips. Accused of treason, he was moved first to Dublin

but was moved to the Tower Of London where he died around 1626.

The ravens on the cathedral are like welcome guests. They may become permanent residents or may leave and go back to their more usual haunts.

Sadly this is not the case with the ravens in the Tower. The rules of ‘Perfidious Albion’ apply to them as much as they did to Donal O’Cahan.

They cannot be allowed to leave, the monarchy would end if they did.

Ar eagla na heagla - to be sure to be sure, their wings have been clipped to prevent any chance of escape.