This day in Ireland 1010 years ago....

[Catalpa]

This day in Ireland 1010 years ago....

A great battle was fought that resulted in a defeat for the Vikings of Dublin and their Irish allies.

30 December 999 AD: King Brian Boru won a great Victory over the Vikings of Dublin and their allies the Leinstermen at the Battle of Gleann Máma/ Cath Gleann Máma on this day.

In this engagement he had as an ally Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, the king of Meath. Not all accounts agree though that they were brothers in arms at this time. Indeed within a few years they were to clash with Brian emerging the victor. Years later they faced the Vikings again at Clontarf but as here the part played in that battle by the Mide king is open to question. Though we have the date and the year for this battle, 30 December 999, its exact location is now lost to us. Some have postulated that it was a glen in the Wicklow Mountains, others that it was fought much nearer to the walls of Dublin. The inherent military probability is that the second opinion is correct.

Whatever the immediate impact of Glenn Máma it did embed a deep sense of bitterness within the heart of King Maelmorda of the kingdom of Laigin (Leinster). He ignominiously hid in a tree as his army broke and ran. It was there he was taken by no less a figure than Brian’s son Murchad who hauled the hapless Maelmorda out of the yew tree where he had hidden.

The Battle of Glen Máma resulted in the total defeat of the Vikings and their Leinster Irish allies. The Leinstermen were none too enamoured with their subordinate status to the Kings of Tara that stretched back centuries. They saw the Vikings as allies worthy of their support if they could just shake off subjection by the O’Neills and later from the ‘upstart’ King Brian of Cashel who took their place. On this occasion however their support for the rulers of Dublin paid them no dividends. In the follow up to this Victory Dublin was captured and King Sitric was forced out of his capital.

Brian, king of Caisel, led an army to Glenn Máma and the foreigners of Áth Cliath, accompanied by the Laigin, came to attack him.
And they were defeated and a slaughter was inflicted on them, including Aralt son of Amlaíb, and Cuilén son of Eitigén, and other nobles of the foreigners.
This happened on Thursday the third of the Kalends of January [30 December], Brian afterwards entered Áth Cliath, and Áth Cliath was plundered by him.

Annals of Ulster 999 AD

A great army was led by Mael Sechnaill son of Domnall and by Brian son of
Cendétigh to Glenn Máma and the foreigners of Áth Cliath came to attack
them,
and the foreigners were defeated and slaughter inflicted on them,
including Aralt son of Amlaíb, and Culén son of Etigén, and the nobles of Áth
Cliath,
and Mael Sechnaill and Brian went thereafter to Áth Cliath and were
a week there and carried off its gold and silver and captives, and expelled
the king i.e. Sitric son of Amlaíb.

Chronicon Scotorum

[He3]

Thanks for that reminder from times past Catalpa.

They say that if we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.

So it is reassuring to see why in modern times, political figures who clearly know their history, might think it useful to look up trees in North Dublin and surrounding areas -

Whatever the immediate impact of Glenn Máma it did embed a deep sense of bitterness within the heart of King Maelmorda of the kingdom of Laigin (Leinster). He ignominiously hid in a tree as his army broke and ran. It was there he was taken by no less a figure than Brian’s son Murchad who hauled the hapless Maelmorda out of the yew tree where he had hidden.

[TommyO'Brien]

Unfortunately the Annals are a bit like the bible - a collection of truth, fiction, makey-up bits and reliable information. So we cannot be sure that was the correct date.

[jmcc]

Unfortunately the Annals are a bit like the bible - a collection of truth, fiction, makey-up bits and reliable information.

Sounds a bit like some of your posts Tommy.

Regards...jmcc

[He3]

Unfortunately the Annals are a bit like the bible - a collection of truth, fiction, makey-up bits and reliable information.

A more modern comparison would be with the Dáil Debates.

[Catalpa]

Unfortunately the Annals are a bit like the bible - a collection of truth, fiction, makey-up bits and reliable information. So we cannot be sure that was the correct date.

Oh please unless you were there to say otherwise

- give it a miss!

[Thranduil]

Unfortunately the Annals are a bit like the bible - a collection of truth, fiction, makey-up bits and reliable information. So we cannot be sure that was the correct date.

Only a tiny part of a few of the Annals (there are many) are demonstrably unreliable (eg the bits that claim the Irish line stretches back to Middle Eastern biblical kings was tacked on), much of it deals with mundane recording of details like weather or the appointment of a new Abbot at a monastery, occurrence of a famine or a new succession of kingship etc.