The Battle of Clontarf

 

The battle which has been taught as the defining moment of the end of Norse power in Ireland is now known to have been a battle for power over Ireland between the major kings of the island. Brian Boru’s rise and constant struggle to gain and retain power created a revolt in Dublin and Leinster, leading to a series of raids which then resulted in a full-scale war. The Norse king of Dublin allied himself with Máel-Mórda (King of Leinster) to free themselves from Brian. Máel-Mórda and Sigtrygg Silkbeard (Norse King of Dublin) first raided Meath and then Sigtrygg sent his army to sail to Cork and attempted to raid the city which resulted in a defeat for Sigtrygg and the death of his son. Brian then raised his army and travelled to Leinster where he and his army set up camp from September 1013 to the end of the year. With the defeat of his army in Cork and the inevitable invasion coming, Sigtrygg sent for aid to nearby Norse kings which he gained the help of Sigurd Hlodvirsson (Earl of Orkney) and Brodir (a warrior from the Isle of Man). The armies of the Norsemen coming to Sigtrygg’s help then began to arrive to Dublin during Holy Week 1014 and Brian began to march on Dublin alongside Máel Sechnaill (King of Mide), Mael Ruanaidh Ua hEidhin (King of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne) and Tadhg Ua Cellaigh (King of Uí Maine).

The battle began when Brian sent his army north where they first attacked and burned Kilmainham. After the attack finished, his armies set up camp alongside the Liffey to the west of Kilmainham. As Brian’s armies finished plundering around Dublin, his son Donnchad took the new levies from the Dal Cais and the third battalion of Munster to the south and raided Leinster. The lands of Leinster were left unprotected at this stage as the armies of Máel-Mórda had arrived in Dublin and Donnchad’s men could take what they pleased.

Brian’s armies then crossed the river Liffey and headed for Fingal where they attacked and plundered the town. After they attacked Fingal, they headed west towards Howth, burning everything they came across and creating havoc in the hinterlands of Dublin. The news of these attacks drew the armies of Máel-Mórda and Sigtrygg out of the city and into the plains.  Once Brian’s armies reached Howth, they plundered and burned the town. Brian being in his 70’s established a camp along the route to Howth as he was unable to fight, choosing to stay behind and pray.

Upon hearing of the raids led by Brian’s men the armies of Dublin and Leinster marched north to meet the armies of Munster, Connaught and Meath in an area called Magh-n-Elda. At this time the armies of the Norse Kings coming to Sigtrygg’s aid arrived by ship into Dublin and joined with his armies.

At this stage Brian and his forces were gathered in a camp set up in the plains with Brian holding council with the nobles supporting him. It is then said in the Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaib that “Brian looked out behind him and beheld the battle phalanx, compact, huge, disciplined, moving in silence, mutely, bravely, haughty, unitedly, with one mind, traversing the plain towards them”. His armies carried spears made of white hazel, javelin like darts to be thrown at the enemy, shields with bosses made of brass and decorated with chains made of bronze and crested golden helmets which the nobles had precious stones and gems decorating them. Many of the soldiers carried lochlann axes which they could use to cut through the mail armour of their foes and the great knights and chiefs carried swords made of steel.

The army was formed with the Dal Cais at the front, led by Brian's son Murchad, Murchad's fifteen-year-old son Toirdelbach, Brian's brother Cudulligh, and Domnall mac Diarmata of Corcu Baiscind. In the second row were the armies of Munster, led by Mothla mac Domnaill mic Fáeláin, King of the Déisi Muman, and Magnus mac Amchada, King of Uí Liatháin. The third row was made up of the armies of Connaught, led by led by Mael Ruanaidh Ua hEidhin and Tadhg Ua Cellaigh. The fourth was then made up of the armies of Meath led by Maelsechlainn, son of Domhnall. To the left flank of the army was Fergal ua Ruairc, with the armies of the Uí Briúin and the Conmhaícne. The armies of Brian’s Norse allies are then said to be placed “on one side of the army” (possibly on the right flank of Brian’s army)

The armies of Dublin and Leinster formed seven great battalions which were then backed up by the arriving armies of Danes. They formed their armies into three rows with the Danes at the front, led by Brodir, Sigurd and Plait. The second row was the army of Dublin, led by Dubgall mac Amlaíb and Gilla Ciaráin mac Glún Iairn. In the third row then was the army of Leinster, led by Máel Mórda. Their soldiers carried bows to rain arrows on the armies of Brian and the infantry carried spears and heavy swords. They wore “polished, pliable, triple plated, heavy, stout, corslets of double refined iron, and of cool uncorroded brass”.

The armies lined up against each other and it is said that Brian’s armies formed lines so precise that four horse chariots could be run along the front and rear if they wished to do so. Birds are said to have circled overhead waiting to scavenge the dead bodies. Plait, son of the King of Lochlainn and on the side of Dublin and Leinster had said that no man could defeat him in combat the night before battle. Coming forward from the ranks of the Danish line, he called out Domhnall to fight. The men fought hard and well but both killed each other, stabbing their swords through the heart of the other, clenching the hair of other as they were both killed.

The battle then began, the right flank of the defending army moved forward with one thousand men and led by Dunnall. They met in combat with Brian’s left flank which were equal in number. Both flanks broke away from the main body of their armies, pushing further north than the rest of the army and described to be an arrow shot away from the main bodies. This battle brought a great number of casualties with no more than one hundred of Brian’s forces left standing after the route of the Ui Cendselaigh who were chased to a wood beside the main army and with their backs turned to main army, were cut down.

The battalions of the Dal Cais (presumably with the battalions of Munster men and the Norse right flank on Brian’s side) and the Danes (presumably joined by the Leinster men) then raced forward into combat, cutting each other down and equal in strength. The fighting is said to have been fierce and neither armies held back. The battalions of Connaught then moved forward and met with the armies of Dublin. The battle was said to have been very decisive and it was so fierce that only one hundred of the Connaught men and twenty of the Dublin men survived. The Dublin men were forced back across the Tolka river and the last of their fighting was said to have been at Dubgall’s Bridge. The battle lasted from sunrise to evening in which time the tide had risen, leaving the Danish ships further out at sea than from when they landed. After the armies of the Danes and Leinster men routed, they could only flee to the beach where the Danes had landed and attempt to swim to the ships. They were closely followed by Brian’s armies and in the chaos many of the fleeing soldiers drowned, laying in heaps on the beach.

During the battle, Brian stayed behind at the camp with only his attendant. There he said to have sang 50 psalms, 50 prays and 50 our fathers. Once the battle began to end, Brian wished to wait among the servants for his armies to return and said he did not care what would happen to him as he knew that he would not survive the battle, nor did he want to. In the middle of their conversation though, Brian’s servant saw a group of Norse men approaching and Brian unsheathing his sword, stood in wait for them to arrive. One of the three Norse men recognised Brian and as soon as Brian saw the men, he swung at one of them with his sword and cut off his left leg at the knee and cut his right leg by the foot. The man swung back at Brian, hitting him in the head, both killing each other. Brodar was then killed by Brian’s Brother, Ulf the Quarrelsome (Cuiduligh). Ulf killed him gruesomely after catching him, cutting open his belly, and led him round and round the trunk of a tree, and so wound all his entrails out of him, and he did not die before they were all drawn out of him. The bodies of Brian and his son Murchad were then brought to swords where they waited for the coarb of Patrick (traditionally the head of the church in Ireland) and he was then brought to Armagh. There they held 12 days of mourning before he was buried in the monastery.

Duffy, Seán (2013). Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan.

https://archive.org/details/cogadhgaedhelreg00todd/page/158/mode/2up