Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Vikings
Raids by marauding Vikings had been a fact of Irish life for quite some time before a group
of them decided to take a break from their hell-raising to build a harbour (or
longphort
, in
Irish) on the banks of the Liffey in 837. Although a Celtic army forced them out some 65
years later, they returned in 917 with a massive fleet, established a stronghold by the black
pool at Wood Quay, just behind Christ Church Cathedral, and dug their heels in. They went
back to plundering the countryside but also laid down guidelines on plot sizes and town
boundaries for their town of 'Dyflinn' (derived from the Irish for 'black pool,' '
dubh linn
'), which became the most prominent trading centre in the Viking world.
But their good times came to an end in 1014 when an alliance of Irish clans led by Brian
Ború decisively whipped them (and the Irish clans that
didn't
side with Brian Ború) at the
Battle of Clontarf, forever breaking the Scandinavian grip on the eastern seaboard.
However, rather than abandoning the place in defeat, the Vikings enjoyed Dublin so much
that they decided to stay there and integrate.
During the 12th century Dublin became a pilgrimage city, in part because it housed the Bachall Íosa (staff
of Jesus), St Patrick's legendary crozier.
