Age of Invasion

Between the late 8^th Century and the mid-12^th Century, two new groups arrived in Ireland. This period is what is known as The Age of Invasion. The first were the Vikings and we know, from the Monastic Annals, that they first attacked Ireland in the year 795. Warfare was widespread in Ireland throughout its history, so when the Vikings arrived what was most horrifying to the Irish, and to people across Europe in general, was that these Scandinavian warriors were pagan. For the first 100 years or so they were regularly beaten in battle by Irish Kings. In time, they were drawn into the Irish way of life, intermarrying with the existing Irish population, establishing port towns and minting silver coins. There are many Viking placenames and loan-words still in use in Ireland today. For example, Wexford (Weasfjord – inlet of the mud flats) or Selskar (Skar – Rock in old Norse).