The Vikings in
Ireland
by Suzanne Barrett
By the ninth century Irish education had advanced to the
degree that at the court of Charlemagne Irish masters taught at palace schools.
However, as learned monks now had practical reasons to leave their homeland,
the way was paved for the Viking expansion.
Many of the Norsemen were pirates and traders, and they came
from the Scandinavian North. That they were Norwegians and Danes is known,
however, ancient historians dealt harshly with all Viking invaders and it is
not clearly known if those called Finn-Gaill were of Norwegian descent and
those called Dubh-Gaill were of Danish stock. The term Gaill means Gentile or
foreigner.
Ireland had been free from invasion since prehistoric times
and Christian for three hundred years by the time of the first Viking
incursion. The land was nominally ruled over by the Árd Rí, or High King of the
Irish. In truth, it was more a collection of petty kingdoms which gave lip service
only to the ceremonial overlordship of the Ui-Naill and was constantly warring
over one thing or another. The North of Ireland was ruled by the Ui-Naill
family. Meath was ruled by the Southern Ui-Naill, while Ulster was ruled by
Njall-Caille of the northern Ui-Naill. By the advent of the Vikings, the Árd Rí
was no longer "King of Tara" except in name, for inasmuch as he
ruled, he did so from Derry, which was not even in the kingdom of Meath where
Tara stood.
The earliest record of Viking attacks is around 795 A.D.
The islands of Inismurray and Inisbofin on the northwest were among the first
places attacked. After the initial shock, the Irish rallied, but the nature of
the raids also changed, and settlement succeeded raid. By 807, the Vikings had
won a foothold on Inismurray and Lindisfarne. During the early years they were
beaten back, but by 820 Viking fleets once more appeared along the coasts of
Ireland and plundered Howth, Wexford and Cork. In 841 Vikings founded a
permanent settlement at the mouth of the River Liffey on the east central
coast. This rugged settlement was the foundation for the city of Dublinwith
similar bases established at Waterford in 914 and at Limerick in 922. These
bases most likely were wooden stockades built around beached longboats but
eventually they would become trading centers and the forerunners of urban
centers in Ireland, setting them apart from the prior rural pattern of Irish
history.
The Irish kings built fleets against the invaders, and the
Norsemen built towns. Stone superseded wood and eventually became the chief
building material and round towers became lookouts.
By 822 Viking raids occurred annually, and a few years later,
they made incursions inland. By 840 their attacks were concentrated on the
monastic communities. The monasteries were early targets. These undefended
sanctuaries, the deposits of treasures of the kings, were primarily of wood and
were destroyed by the raiders. Many of the illuminated manuscripts were among
the treasures that were destroyed by the illiterate Norsemen–the Book of Kells
being a notable survivor. Still later, they established settlements along
waterways: Dublin by the River Liffey, in Waterford by the River Barrow, in
Limerick by the River Shannon, and in Anagassan by the River Boyne. (Dublin
would remain a separate kingdom and would be ruled by a Norse king from 853,
when the dynasty of Olaf was created, until long after the final dissolution of
Viking political power in 1014, a period of more than 160 years.)
After many incursions into parts of Ireland, the Irish began
fighting back. While the Norwegian Vikings held their main winter camps, new
aggression by Danish intruders held off any advancement. In the mid 800s many
Vikings were killed by the Irish, however, by the end of the century, the
Scandinavians had integrated into Irish life through the taking of wives and
settling on the shores. In the latter half of the century, the Danes and the
Norwegian Vikings were fighting each other.
Eventually the raids ceased and many of the Vikings
became mercenaries, fighting for whichever warring faction of the four
provinces needed aid. But after this period, most Norse became known as
merchants and traders. Second generation Vikings often had Irish names and many
converted to Christianity. Furthermore, ancient Irish and Viking design became
intermingled as the dual cultures thrived. The Norse towns and adjoining
regions–primarily Dublin, and later, Limerick–became client kingdoms after the
Irish pattern. In 1000 A.D. the Norse introduced the first native coinage into
Ireland.
The Viking period in Ireland lasted about 220 years, with the
period of strongest influence lasting a mere 140 years--from the establishment
of Dublin until its sack by the King of Tara. But aspects of Irish culture,
linguistics, and politics would be influenced for all time by the Norse
presence.
This is but an overview of the Viking period. A later article
will go into detail about the conflict between the high Kings of Ireland and
the Viking rulers. For further reading the Viking Answer Lady has an
excellent, detailed history of the period. Also check out an article
by Renee Vincent, author of the recently published novel Ræliksen set in Viking
Ireland.
If this whets your appetite to learn more about Viking
Ireland, why not visit Dublinia,
a Viking and Medieval Museum right in Dublin City Centre located at the
crossroads of St Michael’s Hill, Patrick St., and Thomas St. Dublinia is
connected to Christ Church Cathedral by a medieval footbridge. Open daily
throughout the year (10.00am to 5.00pm April to September and 10.00am to 4.30pm
October to March). Admission is €6.95 for adults, €5.95 students and seniors
and €20.00 for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children). Group and combined
rates also available (combining Dublinia and Christchurch Cathedral), also
there's a guided tour of Viking and Medieval Dublin with costumed guides
stationed around the exhibits to provide more information.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...
After working twenty-five years for a major defense
contractor, Suzanne left engineering to write full time. Nine years after
beginning her first novel (set in Ireland) she “got the call.” Suzanne has
published eleven novels, both contemporary and historical and now writes
exclusively for Turquoise Morning Press. But writing is only one of her
hobbies. Suzanne creates artisan jewelry, gardens in her mountain acreage in
Northern California and enjoys cooking, water fitness, searching the coastal
beaches for sea glass and many other hobbies. She reviews for major
publications and writes non-fiction articles for an Irish website.
Her latest books are Loving Luke
and The Prodigal
Lover, available at Amazon and other online stores. Both novels are
set in Northern California. In Love and
War, a novel of Ireland is set in County Waterford where Suzanne
spent a winter researching Irish history.
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