The Normans in Ireland
Although an important piece of Irish history, the life of the Normans in Ireland was somewhat short lived (+200 years) in terms of occupation. In saying this, the Norman invasion of Ireland would lead to the English occupation on Irish soil for over 800 years, a reason why this era held importance in Ireland history.
The Normans brought many new things to Ireland such as Architecture, languages, such as English and French, and farming ideas just to name a few. As brilliant builders the Normans constructed many Castles in Ireland to some of which still stand today, many other lay in ruin.
When did the normans come to ireland?
1 May 1169 marked the beginning of the Norman military invasion of Ireland headed by Diarmait Mac Murchada. Without long he had regained the King of Leinster seat and moved onto remove the High King of Ireland, Ruaidri Ua Conchobair. In this battle MacMurrough failed to remove O’Connor from the throne and requested that Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke come to Ireland and assist with his quest.
By 1170 the 2nd Earl of Pembroke (also known as Strongbow) arrived in Ireland with an almighty force of soldiers armed with the latest advanced weaponry found in Europe. With Strongbows unbeatable army it wasn’t long until the Normans had control of Dublin removing the Vikings that had already settled in Ireland.
Normans Settle In Ireland
Before long Strongbow married MacMurrough’s daughter, Aoife, and was soon King of Leinster. Other Norman soldiers started settling in Ireland taking to Irish culture & customs and marrying into Irish families. They even made alliances with clan chieftains helping to fight against other chieftains.
By now King Henry had become very unsettled on how their invasion had developed in what could only been seen as a very confusing state of affairs. Strongbow, A Norman, was now a King in Ireland, his army were becoming more Irish than the Irish, too many battles were taken place but yet England had seen no political or economical return for all their efforts.
To overcome the problem of the Normans fitting into the Irish way of life King Henry II decided to travel to Ireland, this was to be the first time an English King Invades Ireland.
King Henry II Invades Ireland
After the Normans invaded and settled in Ireland it was an embarrassment to King Henry II of England, after all he gave the permission for the Normans to enter Ireland. What King Henry didn’t foresee was the Normans fitting into the Irish way of life and taking power in certain regions.
King Henry decided that the best way to deal with the mess and to put Strongbow in his place was for himself to invade Ireland. Henry’s arrival in Ireland during 1171 marked the 1st time an English King would set foot on Irish soil and when he lands at Waterford he declares himself Lord of Ireland. The sheer size of Henry’s army was remarkable using over 400 ships to travel from England to Ireland to transport his men and weapons. Many of the Kings didn’t resist Henry’s invasion as they seen him as coming to Ireland to tame Strongbow. With this view on Henry’s invasion many of the Kings promised to be loyal to Henry’s Kingship in Ireland. The Kings of Ulster thought different though, they wanted no part in foreign power within Ireland and dismissed Henry’s calls to be loyal to the English throne.
Strongbow himself was still allowed to be in power of Leinster but he needed to remain loyal to Henry who had taken over Dublin for the English. For King Henry II it was an embarrassment how the Irish invasion turned out but worse yet, he had some Irish Kings refusing to recognise his status on the Island.
The Ulster Invasion
In February 1171 King Henry sent John de Courcy North with an army and orders for Irish allies to help. de Courcy’s army invaded an area known as Down without much resistance until later when a number of clashes took place in hopes to remove him and the invaders. Within the next few years John de Courcy had tool control of Antrim and Down building the first mottes and castles but would be later be replaced by another Norman by the name of Hugh de lacy.
In 1258 three of Irelands largest clans met together to make the decision on merging all clans to defeat the invaders of Ireland and it was then decided that Brian O’ Neill would become the High King of Ireland. Within a number of years Brian was poisoned by the Normans and the Irish would be defeated in fierce battle of Downpatrick in 1260.
After the murder of Brian and a great loss at the battle of Downpatrick it was a wake-up call for other Irish Chieftains that Ireland needed help from their cousins in Scotland known as the Galloglach's, foreign fighters. The Galloglach's were descended from the Ulster Gaels who had migrated to Scotland and settled with the Vikings there and were also fierce fighters who favoured the battle-axe as their primary weapon in battles. The Galloglach's were just like the Irish and showed no fear during battles which made them great warriors and helped bring Irish forces back to life.
Edward Bruce High King Of Ireland
In May of 1315 Edward Bruce, brother of King Robert I of Scotland, arrives in Ireland to help against the control of country by the Anglo Normans. Edward becomes the High King of Ireland but was killed in 1318 during the battle of of Faughart against John de Birmingham. Edwards body was cut into quaters and sent to different towns in Ireland with his head being delieverd to the King of England, Edward II.
The Civil War in England at the end of the 1400’s gave Ireland a brief break from English authority and the Fitzgeralds of Kildare had Lordship of Ireland. The Irish were beginning to gain more control over Ireland with England really only having much authority in Dublin. A turn around for the regain of control in Ireland was in 1494 with the Poynings Law was introduced; this would see that all decisions made in the Irish parliament in Dublin would have to be passed over to Westminster in London.
Go back for more information about Ireland in the middle ages.
