Did You Know
?
The Viking
Raids on St Mullins
When the river Barrow falls
as the tide goes out, rocks appear at the bend just below the Mill, known
locally as the “Scar” a Viking name
for weir.
“Around the swelling
waters a graceful swallow glides
As the ever patient Herron
awaits the falling tides.
Shadows of raiding Viking
ships about the scar appear
The clash of swords, the
shouts men, the ancient smell of fear.”
The
Vikings used the rivers to raid inland Ireland and were very fond of
monasteries as that was where the wealth of the country lay. Rape, pillage and
Plunder was their game and they struck fear into the natives as no mercy was
shown.
In
824 a large fleet of Vikings sailed up the Barrow from Waterford to St Mullins
and plundered the monastery of St Moling (Four Masters).
In
888 Riagan,son of Dunghal defeated the Vikings
at St Mullins after which 200 hundred heads were left behind.
In
915 The Chiefs of Liphe of “Broad Deeds” waged a battle with the Vikings leaving
500 heads in the valley over Tigh –Moling St Mullins. The Irish were no Angles
and great men for counting the heads of their enemies.
[Annals of the Four Masters, Vol 2. pp 590-1]
AD
951 Teach Moling was plundered by Laraic from Waterford the same fellow that
Waterford is named after Port –Lairge .
