Death of a High King: The Battle of Islandbridge 919

The Battle of Islandbridge was fought in 919 between Gaelic Irish under the High King Niall Glúndubh and a Viking force from Dublin under Sitric from the Uí Ímair (descendants of Ivar). Niall Glúndubh was a capable king and he became King of Tara/High King at a high point in the fortunes of the Uí Néill. However, his reign coincided with the return of the Uí Ímair to Ireland with large numbers of troops. The Gaelic Irish lost the battle of Islandbridge, with Niall and large numbers of other Gaelic kings and lords being killed. Niall Glúndubh was the first King of Tara to be killed by the Norse. Moreover, in the coming century, they would kill or defeat other Uí Néill kings/lords as they seemed about to achieve a hegemonic position, such as Muirchertach (Niall's son), Ruairi Ua Canannain, and Domhall Ua Neill. Ultimately this would allow the rise of new power groups in Ireland, such as the Brian Boru and the Dál Cais. The O'Neill/ O Néill surname comes from Niall Glúndubh, being adopted by his grandson Domhnall Ua Neill, also King of Tara
#irishhistory #militaryhistory #Dublin #Viking #Norse #irishbattles #oneill #medieval #medievalwarfare #highking #irish #Ireland
References
Annals of Ulster, CELT, UCC https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100001...
Annals of the Four Masters, CELT, UCC, https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005...
Byrne, F J, Irish Kings and High Kings. Four Courts Press, Dublin 2001.
Jaski, Bart. "The Vikings and the Kingship of Tara." Peritia 9, 1995
McGettingan, Darren. The Kings of Aileach and the Vikings, AD 800-1600. Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2020.