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The Vikings In Ulster

Brief History of the Vikings around Strangford Lough.

The Viking Age in Ireland began when Rechru, (Rathlin Island) was raided in 795, as was the Isle of Skye on the Scottish Western Isles and St Patrick’s Isle, off Skerries, Co Dublin; the Isle of Iona was raided in 802 and 806 and in 807 there where more raids on the Irish coast. By 811,the Irish launched the first documented counter offensive which is recorded in 'The Annals of Ulster', with a Ulaid victory, the Ulaid being the name for Ulster at the time.
Vikings raiding into Strangford Lough, artists impression, rosemary marr The maritime kingdom of Dal Fiatach, with its close proximity to western Scotland is situated around Strangford Lough, which is the name that the Norse raiders gave to the strong currents (Strangfjord) at the Narrow inlet from the Irish sea into the lough, this area of eastern Ulster had a concentration of rich Christian monasteries and would have been a focus for Viking activity.

The Annals of Ulster records a raid in 823 when Bangor, was attacked and plundered, and again in 824 when the Vikings ‘destroyed the oratory and shook the relics of Comgall from their shrine’.

In the year 825, brought raids on the monasteries of Down and Movilla, and saw a victorious Ulaid response later in that year, with a counter-offensive that clearly demonstrates their naval and military capability. For the second time in 15 years, the Clans local to Lough Cuan, historically known as the Dal Fiatach successfully united ensuring that the next 17 years are free from recorded Viking attack in the Strangford area.

AD 825-876

Although Artist Impression of Viking raid of Dunlethglaisse in AD825, by Rosemary Marraround Ireland the years between 825-876 saw an increase of Norse aggression and the establishment of Norse base's on Carlingford Lough and Lough Neagh, which enabled to raid at will both coastal and inland territories, in the Strangford area the only reference to Viking activity is recorded in the annals of Ulster in 842 as‘naval force at Linn Sailech in Ulaid’ there is no archaeological evidence to identify the locality of Linn Sailech. The years 853 records the killing of Cathmal, Co-King of Ulaid by Norsemen and in 875, the annals also records the death of the Danish King Halfdan of York, who was trying to unite the Viking of Dublin and York, was killed in battle in Strangford Lough by the Norse.

Although there was much Viking activity throughout the British isles, in Ireland various tribal allegiances continued to defies the Norse aggression, the next 11 years show no report in the annals of attacks in Ulster. In 813 the annals records that ‘the heathens inflict a battle rout on the crew of new fleet of the Ulaid, on the coast of England and many fell, including Cumusach, son of Mael Mocheigi, son of the King of Leth Cathail’. The highlighting the capability of Lecale to fight a naval action in the Irish sea.

914 sees a large fleet arrive in Waterford and the re-establishment of Dublin under Sitric in 917. In 919 the Vikings secured a decisive victory over Niall Glundubh and a allegiance of Irish Clans which included the Ulaid. According to Cogadh Gaelhel re Gaillaib, ‘The war of the Gael with the foreigners’, Aedh, son of Eochaid, King of Ulaid was among the 12 Irish kings slain.

Throughout the 920’s there seems to have been campaign by the Scandinavians to seize territory on the east Ulster coast,this was strenuously Muirchertach Mac Neill, king of the northern Ui Neil, (Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks) son of Niall Glundubh. In 924 the annals of Ulster state arrival of a Viking fleet in Strangford Lough and that the kings son and heir, Mael Dun was killed in a the ensuing battle with the Ulaid. It is very possibly that this is the same fleet which lost 900 men after it floundered in the sand bar at the entrance to Dundrum inner bay in 924.

 
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