Above: Danish Wars

Towards the close of the eighth century the Danes began to make descents on the coasts of Europe. They came from Norway, Sweden, Jutland, and in general from the islands and coasts of the Baltic. They deemed piracy the noblest career that a duel could engage in; and they sent forth swarms of daring and desperate marauders, who for two centuries kept the whole of Western Europe in a state of continual terror.

Our records make mention of two distinct races of Galls or Northmen : the Lochlanns-i.e., Norwegians and Swedes, who, as they were fair-haired, were called Finn-Galls or White strangers: and the Danars or Danes of Denmark, who were called Duv-Galls, Black strangers, because they were dark-haired and swarthy. In modern Irish histories the term ” Danes ” is applied to both indifferently.

The Finn-Galls or Norwegians were the first to arrive. They appeared on the Irish coast for the first time n; 795. when they plundered Lambay Island near Dublin, then called Reclim.

From that time forward they continued to send detached parties to Ireland, who plundered and ravaged wherever they came, both islands and mainland, and destroyed many of the great monasteries. At first they came as mere robbers : then they began to make permanent settlements on several points of the coast, from which they penetrated inland in all direc- tions ; and wherever there was a religious establishment likely to afford plunder, there they were sure to appear. About the middle of the ninth century they estab- lished themselves permanently in Dublin, Limerick, and Water ford, where they built fortresses.

Hitherto there was little combination among the Norsemen; but now appeared the most renowned of all their leaders-Turgesius or Thorgils-who, coining with a fleet in 832, united the whole of their scattered forces. Soon afterwards three other fleets arrived, one of which, sailing up the lower Bann, took possession of Lough Neagh; another anchored in Dundalk Bay; while the third occupied Lough Ree on the Shannon. Turgesius established himself for a time in Armagh which he sacked three times in one month; and he posted parties at important points on the coast-such as Dublin, Limerick, Dundalk and Carlingford.

After committing great ravages in the north, he placed him- self at the head of the fleet in Lough Ree; and from this central station he commanded a large part of Leinster and Connaught, and plundered those of the ecclesiastical establishments that lay within reach- Clonmacnoise, Lorrha, and Terryglass in Tipperary, and the churches of Iniscaltra in Lough Derg.