The Viking Raids on St Mullins No 4
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 even the word would strike fear into Ya. The Vikings came from Norway Sweden and Denmark and were a shower of savages, never mind what you see at the movies today.
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. Plunder doesn’t really describe what went on, it means they killed all around them and stole anything of value including the women. Now we are worried about global warming and our kids watching too much telly give me a break we have it good.
In 824 a large fleet of Vikings sailed up the Barrow from Waterford to St Mullins with badness in their hearts and plundered the monastery of St Moling. Can you imagine these mad lads charging up the hill with Axes and swords roaring and shouting in this quite little village? The Monks were totally unprepared for this invasion and had lived peacefully with the local tribes having made good Christians out of them.
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 “Broad Deeds” waged a battle with the Vikings leaving 500 heads in the valley over Tigh –Moling St Mullins. You see the Irish got it together after a while and were no push over, no prisoners taken just leave your head behind. The Irish were no Angles and great men for counting the heads of their enemies and we were still at it when the Normans arrived 250 years later. The Vikings built towns like Wexford and Waterford which were fortified against the local tribes who took every opportunity to do in a few of the invading enemy. The Viking never made any in roads into the centre of Ireland it was a dangerous place for the foreigners. Heavily forested with narrow paths they were greatly outnumbered by the mad Irish tribes who charged with no fear of death, painted and naked sure that would put the wind up myself. AD 951 Teach Moling was again plundered by Laraic from Waterford the same fellow that Waterford is named after Port –Lairge. Eventually over years the Viking descendants became Irish themselves, we have that kind of effect on invaders.
“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.”
No comments:
Post a Comment