|
Posted by Liam Bryant, 22nd Feb 2006
The history of the island of Ireland is much bound up with its larger neighbour on the east of the Irish Sea. Ethnically both islands are inhabited by one and the same people, descendants of a common pre-Celtic stock who migrated to these islands at the end of the last Ice Age. To that stock have been added smaller numbers of Celts, Saxons, Vikings and Normans, all closely related white tribes, with language, religion and methods of government being the only real historical differences between them.
This month’s article casts a revering glance at one of Ireland’s most famous heroes, a real historical figure but around whom many legends have evolved. Brian Boru was born of noble blood in what is now Kildare around 940AD.
His brother Mahon became King of Munster following the death of their father Cennetig, in 951. Ireland at this time was divided into small warring kingdoms and there was little organised opposition to the regular raiding from fierce Viking pirates who found the island easy prey and plundered its coastal towns and religious buildings. While Mahon favoured an alliance with the Norse raiders, Brian, perhaps out of revenge at witnessing his mother being slain by Norse raiders felt compelled to expunge them from his land.
At an early age he conducted guerrilla warfare against the Vikings and such tactics won him popular support amongst the men of Munster, including his brother. Thus so, Mahon fell from favour with the Norse and he was slain by them in a battle at Limerick in 975. Boru then became leader of his people, King of Munster, and established alliances with the other Irish kings to drive the Vikings out of Ireland. He used his position to help rebuild the abbeys, libraries and centres of learning ravaged by the Vikings.
In Northern Ireland, Malachy followed Boru's lead when his forces defeated a Norse army to take Dublin in 980 and Malachy became King of Meath. The two kings met in 998 and agreed to divide Ireland between them, with Boru receiving the South and Malachy the North.
Boru, however, had much support, even in Northern Ireland, and Malachy ev-entually allowed Boru to peacefully take over his lands. Boru was granted the title "Ard Ri", meaning "High King". Not all Irish chieftains were so favoured towards Boru and in particular the King of Lei-nster, Mael-mordha, joined forces with the Norse in the biggest showdown in all of Ireland’s tragic yet glorious history.
The decisive Battle of Clontarf, (now a Dublin suburb), a battle about which reams could be written, with acts of bravery and heroism on both sides, took place on Good Friday April 23rd 1014. Sitrygg Silkenbeard, Norse King of Dublin had shipped in 1,000 auxiliaries from Norway, Iceland and Normandy. The name of every Irish family that took part has been chronicled, the names documented of all those slain on that tragic spring morning. First into the fray were the Dalcassian Knights, established some 600 years before, all being direct descendants of the ancient King of Munster. They were the Royal Household troops; heroic defenders of race and culture.
Hand to hand, breast-to-breast combat was the order of the day with axe, sword and dagger. Mostly barefoot and lacking the chain mail of the Norse, yet the Munster folk gained the upper hand and literally forced thousands to flee into the sea to be swallowed by the surf.
What little remained of the Norse forces retreated to their ships. But before all the invaders fled, a small group of Norsemen came upon Brian's tent and decided that if they couldn't have Ireland, they would at least kill its King. Despite being nearly 75 years old, Brian was able to kill several men but King Brodar of Man struck Boru the fatal blow. Before he died, Brian was able to avenge himself by beheading Brodar.
Two noble warriors and leaders fell that day. Boru was the last High King of Ireland - never again would a leader emerge to unite all Ireland against its foreign foes. Our island’s history is full of the brave and noble. Brian Boru epitomises the best of our Race; courageous, skilful at both diplomacy and in battle, and a great inspiration to his people. Moreover his memory lives on.
|
|
