CorkHeritage

2. Raiders from the Sea - The Vikings:

Viking Between the seventh and ninth centuries, the monastery overlooking Corcach Mór na Mumhan flourished financially, as did many other monasteries in Ireland and in Britain. Most enjoyed a steady income, whether from providing accommodation to travellers or education to students. Ores such as gold and silver were donated by patrons of monasteries and were used in the manufacture of religious objects, such as chalices, crosses and brooches.

This period of peace and prosperity was soon to be threatened, however. Scandinavian countries were experiencing overpopulation as a result of mass migration of northern peoples into northwestern Asia and particularly into northwest Europe. Subsequently, they began to plunder neighbouring lands, but once they had exhausted those sources they began to look further afield. Once they learned that a substantial number of monasteries in Britain and Ireland were wealthy in material objects, they initiated a series of raids on these ecclesiastical sites. The first invaders to reach Ireland came from Norway and became known as Northmen or Vikings, a name originating from the Norwegian word “vikingr”, meaning pirate or raider. All that is known of the first recorded attack on the monastery at Corcach Mór na Mumhan was that it occurred in 820 AD and the most valuable treasures were plundered. It is also known that it was raided four to five times in the ensuing one hundred years.

Upon landing in Corcach Mór na Mumhan, the Vikings were met by an area that differed markedly from the city we know today. No physical features of the present-day city centre existed around 800 AD. At that time, the area was basically a small-scale delta – a marshland with a series of alluvial or sandy islands dotted along its length. The River Lee wound its way between the islands, meandering through a valley dominated by two steep and heavily forested valleysides to the north and the south. At high tide these islands were invisible, reappearing again at low tide. The constant wet form of the marshes would have contributed to the growth of vegetation such as rushes and reeds.

Marshland at Dripsey, Co. Cork

The environment, therefore, would not have been entirely welcoming, but the Norwegians nonetheless established a settlement or longphort here. We cannot be sure of the exact location of the Viking town, but it is known that in AD 848 a settlement base called Dún Corcaighe, or Fort of the Marshes, was besieged by Olchobar, King of Caiseal from North Munster. It is thought that it was located on an island, the core of which could be marked by South Main Street, an area that was developed in ensuing centuries by other colonialists. With this in mind, Dún Corcaighe would have been located strategically near the mature stage of the River Lee, and therefore would have controlled the lowest crossing-point of the river, whilst being sheltered by the valley sides. The Norwegians established a maritime network with other Viking ports, namely those at Dublin, Waterford, Wexford, and Limerick.

Although we have no evidence of the layout of Cork’s Viking town, archaeological excavations in other areas, particularly in Dublin and Waterford, have shown that the general form of early Viking longphorts consisted of a cluster of wooden houses surrounded by a high pointed timber wall. The settlement at Cork was probably surrounded by a stockade, encompassing a crowded town with numerous timber dwellings aligning a central street, which would have doubled as a trading area.

The presence of the Vikings was not tolerated kindly by the native Irish. There was conflict between the Vikings and the Gaelic clans throughout the ninth century. In AD865, the monks recorded the death of the chief of the ‘foreigners of Corcach Mor na Mumhan’. Known as Gnimhbeolu, he was slain in battle with a local Irish clan named the Deise. The coastal aspect of the Viking settlements was no coincidence. Inland, Gaelic clans would have outnumbered the Vikings and thus they were restricted to settling in coastal areas. They did conduct incursions into the interior by use of the river system, but they established bases only in port areas, where escape by boat could be swift, if necessary.

Sea Stallion Project, National Museum Dublin, 2007

At the reconstruction of Viking Age Ship, Sea Stallion on display at National Museum, Dublin, Summer 2007

An ambitious project is underway to recreate the epic Viking voyages made from Scandinavia to our lands generations ago.

1,211 years after the first Viking raids on Ireland, an ambitious project got underway to recreate the epic voyages made from Scandinavia to our land generations ago.

A reconstructed Viking ship has sailed right into the heart of Dublin for the first time in a millennium.

The Sea Stallion is sailing from Roskilde, Denmark to the banks welcomed dozens of international crew members.

RTÉ.ie presented a live webcast of that arrival ceremony and host a Viking costume contest.

Reconstruction of Viking Age Ship, Sea Stallion on display at National Museum, Dublin, Summer 2007

Major find in Roskilde Fjord

60 men could sit by the oars of the warship and it could carry an additional 10-20 men. The large crew suggests that the ship belonged to a rich chieftain or perhaps even a king. The original ship stayed in use until the very late 11th century before she was scuttled to block Roskilde Fjord.

The newly constructed version was built using Viking tools, materials and much the same methods as the original ship.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark christened the ship ‘Havingsten fra Glendalough’, which translates into ‘The Sea Stallion from Glendalough’.

On 1 July, the ship and its 70-strong crew (including two Irish members) set sail from Roskilde and arrived in Dublin on c.14 August.

The purpose of the voyage was to test and document the seaworthiness, speed and manoeuvrability of the ship on the rough open sea and in coastal waters with treacherous currents. The crew will test how the long, narrow, flexible hull will withstand the tough ocean waves.

The experimental archaeology expedition also provided valuable new information on Viking longships and society.

The ship was manned by members of the Viking Ship Museum staff and 120 volunteers who took turns in joining the 70-person crew.

Reconstruction of Viking Age Ship, Sea Stallion on display at National Museum, Dublin, Summer 2007

Project catches the imagination

The organisers saw the expedition as an interesting social experiment as 70 present-day individuals reacted to being confined to an open-decked ship with little room for private life or home comforts.

They believed the voyage will provide new insights into the hearts, minds and spirits of the Vikings while teaching us a thing or two about ourselves.

The project caught the imagination of the Danish people with print, TV and online media all readying themselves to cover the epic journey from start to finish.

A crew from the BBC’s award-winning Timewatch programme also filmed the project for a documentary while here in Ireland, RTÉ.ie/Vikings brought regular updates on proceedings from a uniquely Irish angle.

Arriving home

Upon its return to Ireland, the Sea Stallion went on public view at Collins Barracks for the winter months before sailing back to Denmark in 2008.

Reconstruction of Viking Age Ship, Sea Stallion on display at National Museum, Dublin, Summer 2007