Events from the 9th century in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

800s

;802 *Death of Muiredach mac Domnaill, King of Mide. He is succeeded by Diarmait mac Donnchado. ;803 *Death of Diarmait mac Donnchado, King of Mide. He is succeeded by

Conchobar mac Donnchada Conchobar mac Donnchada (or Conchobar mac Donnchado) was High-King of Ireland with opposition (''rí Érenn co fressabra'') between 819 and 833. Conchobar was the son of Donnchad Midi, high-king of Ireland ( 733– 797); his mother was Fuirsea ...

. ;804 * Aed Oirdnide of the

Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...

is ordained overking of the Uí Néill by the abbot of

Armagh Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the ...

. ;806 *

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

raid on

Iona Abbey Iona Abbey is an abbey located on the island of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest Christian religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity t ...

in which 68 people, the entire population of the abbey, are massacred. ;807 *Construction of the

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

of Kells is begun. *The Book of Armagh is compiled. *Vikings raid Roscam and

Sligo Abbey Sligo Abbey () was a Dominican Order, Dominican convent in Sligo, Ireland, founded in 1253. It was built in the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque style with some later additions and alterations. Extensive ruins remain, mainly of the church and ...

810s

;812 *Death of

Cosgrach mac Flannbhrath Cosgrach mac Flannbhrath, King of Umaill, died 812. Flathghal's relationship to the kings Dunghal mac Flaithniadh (died 776) and Aedhghal (died 779) is uncertain, as they does not seem to appear in the extant genealogies. However, he was a so ...

, King of Umaill. ;815 *Birth of

Johannes Scotus Eriugena John Scotus Eriugena, also known as Johannes Scotus Erigena, John the Scot, or John the Irish-born ( – c. 877) was an Irish Neoplatonist philosopher, theologian and poet of the Early Middle Ages. Bertrand Russell dubbed him "the mos ...

. ;819 *Conchobar mac Donnchada or Conchobar mac Donnchado is

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned an ...

with opposition ().

820s

;820 *

Feidlimid mac Cremthanin Fedelmid mac Crimthainn was the King of Munster between 820 and 846. He was numbered as a member of the Céli Dé, an abbot of Cork Abbey and Clonfert Abbey, and possibly a bishop. After his death, he was later considered a saint in some mart ...

begins his reign as King of Munster, continuing until his death in 847. ;822 *Death of

Tighearnach mac Cathmogha Tighearnach mac Cathmogha (died 822) was King of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne Uí Fhiachrach Aidhne (also known as Hy Fiachrach) was a kingdom located in what is now the south of County Galway. Legendary origins and geography Originally known as Aid ...

, King of

Uí Fiachrach Aidhne Uí Fhiachrach Aidhne (also known as Hy Fiachrach) was a kingdom located in what is now the south of County Galway. Legendary origins and geography Originally known as Aidhne, it was said to have been settled by the mythical Fir Bolg. Dubhalta ...

830s

;832 *A Viking fleet of about 120 ships under

Turgesius Turgesius (died 845) (also called Turgeis, Tuirgeis, Turges, and Thorgest) was a Viking chief active in Ireland during the 9th century. Turgesius Island, the principal island on Lough Lene, is named after him. It is not at all clear whether the ...

invades kingdoms on Ireland’s northern and eastern coasts. *

Clondalkin Clondalkin ( ; ) is a suburban town situated 10 km south-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland, under the administrative jurisdiction of South Dublin. It features an 8th-century round tower that acts as a focal point for the area. Clondal ...

was sacked by Vikings from Denmark and the monastery was burned to the ground. ;833 *Death of Conchobar mac Donnchada, King of Mide and High King of Ireland with opposition. ;836 *Viking raids penetrate deep inland. ;837 *Large Viking fleets appear on the

River Boyne The River Boyne ( ga, An Bhóinn or ''Abhainn na Bóinne'') is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newberry Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through C ...

and the

River Liffey The River Liffey ( Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the Riv ...

, made up of sixty ships at each location. ;838 - 841 *A small Viking fleet enters the River Liffey in eastern Ireland, probably led by the chieftain Saxolb (Soxulfr) who is killed later this year. The Vikings overwinter on

Lough Neagh Lough Neagh ( ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake in the island of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It has a surface area of and supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's water. Its main inflows come ...

in 840 and set up a base, which the Irish call

longphorts A longphort (Ir. plur. ''longphuirt'') is a term used in Ireland for a Viking ship enclosureConnolly S.J (1998). The Oxford Companion to Irish History. Oxford University Press. p. 580 or shore fortress. Although these ''longphorts'' were used as ...

and which will eventually become

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

. ;839 *Thorgest (in Latin ''Turgesius'') is the first Viking to attempt creation of an Irish kingdom. He sails up the Shannon and the Bann to Armagh where he forges a realm spanning

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and ...

and Meath.

840s

;840 *Death of

Murchad mac Áedo Murchad mac Áedo was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He reigned from 839-840. He was of the Síl Cathail sept and great grandson of the founder of this sept Cathal mac Muiredaig Cathal mac Muiredaig Muillethan ...

is a King of Connacht from the

Uí Briúin The Uí Briúin were a royal dynasty of Connacht. Their eponymous apical ancestor was Brión, son of Eochaid Mugmedon and Mongfind, and an elder half brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages. They formed part of the Connachta, along with the U ...

branch of the

Connachta The Connachta are a group of medieval Irish dynasties who claimed descent from the legendary High King Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles). The modern western province of Connacht ( Irish ''Cúige Chonnacht'', province, literally ...

. ;841 *First longphort built at

Linn Duachaill Linn Duachaill (; "Duachall's pool") is the name of a Viking longphort near the village of Annagassan, County Louth, Ireland. The settlement was built in 841 CE, the same time as the settlement of ''Dubh Linn'', or Dublin. In contrast to Dublin, t ...

(now

Annagassan Annagassan ()"Annagassan" A Dictionary of British Place-Names. A. D. Mills. Oxford University Press, 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Solihull Libraries. 16 April 2008 is a village in the townland of Ballynagassan, County ...

) on the

County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, M ...

coast and at the hurdle ford of the

. *Abbot of

driven out by Turgesius, Viking leader. ;842 *First reported Viking-Irish alliance. *

Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid Máel Sechnaill mac Máel Ruanaida (Modern Irish: ''Maolsheachlann Mac Maolruanaidh''), also known as Máel Sechnaill I, anglicised as Malachy MacMulrooney (died 27 November 862) was High King of Ireland. The Annals of Ulster use the Old Irish ti ...

becomes High King of Ireland. ;843 *Death of Mael Ruanaid mac Dunnchado, King of Mide since 833. ;845 *

Forannan Forannan, fl. c. 969, was Bishop of Donoughmore. His clan held the plain of Magh Feimhin, near Clonmel. Forannan was chosen bishop by popular election, and consecrated, according to his 'Life,' in 'the city called in the barbarous dialect of the I ...

, abbot of Armagh, is captured by the Vikings. *Viking leader Turgesius is captured and killed by Máel Sechnaill, King of Mide. *

, philosopher and poet moves from Ireland to France and takes over the Palatine Academy at the invitation of

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippi ...

King

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a se ...

. ;846 *Máel Sechnaill becomes overking of the

, reigning until his death in 862. ;847 *Death of Feidlimid mac Cremthanin, King of Munster, who has reigned since 820. ;847 or 848 *Birth of

Flann Sinna Flann Sinna ( lit. ''Flann of the Shannon''; Irish: ''Flann na Sionainne''; 84725 May 916), also known as Flann mac Máel Sechnaill, was the son of Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid of Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the Southern Uí Néill. He wa ...

(d. 916), son of Máel Sechnaill I of

Clann Cholmáin Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his ...

, a branch of the southern Uí Néill. He is King of Mide from 877. ;848 * Death of Fínsnechta mac Tommaltaig, King of Connacht. * Viking army defeated by Máel Sechnaill, High King of Ireland, near modern

Skreen Skreen () is a small village and parish in County Sligo, Ireland. History St Adomnán, the first biographer of St Columba (Colmcille) and one of his successors at Iona, first served as abbot at Skreen Abbey, which allegedly acquired its nam ...

County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in the county. Sligo County Council is the local ...

. * Viking army defeated by

Tigernach mac Fócartai Tigernach mac Fócartai (died 865), also called Tigernach of Lagore, was King of Lagore. Background Tigernach belonged to the Uí Chernaig branch of the once-powerful Síl nÁedo Sláine kindred, part of the southern Uí Néill. His great-great- ...

, King of Lagore, somewhere in modern

* Viking army defeated by Ólchobar mac Cináeda, King of Munster, and Lorcán mac Cellaig,

King of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasion ...

, near modern

Castledermot Castledermot () is an inland village in the south-east of Ireland in County Kildare, about from Dublin, and from the town of Carlow. The N9 road from Dublin to Waterford previously passed through the village but upon completion of a motorway ...

County Kildare County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the count ...

. The Viking leader

Tomrair Tomrair (died 848) was a ninth-century Viking active in Ireland. He is one of the first Vikings recorded by Irish sources. Tomrair is reported to have been killed at the Battle of Sciath Nechtain, a conflict in which twelve hundred Vikings were ...

is killed; he is called

jarl Jarl is a rank of the nobility in Scandinavia. In Old Norse, it meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. ''Jarl'' could also mean a sovereign prince. For example, the rulers of several of the pet ...

and deputy of the king of

Laithlind In the modern Gaelic languages, () signifies Scandinavia or, more specifically, Norway. As such it is cognate with the Welsh name for Scandinavia, (). In both old Gaelic and old Welsh, such names literally mean 'land of lakes' or 'land of ...

. * Viking army defeated near Cashel by Ólchobar mac Cináeda. * Vikings at

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

; besieged by Ólchobar mac Cináeda. * The ''

Annales Bertiniani ''Annales Bertiniani'' (''Annals of Saint Bertin'') are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the Abbey of Saint Bertin, Saint-Omer, France, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus contin ...

'' report the arrival of Irish envoys at the court of Frankish Emperor

. They bring gifts from the "king of the Irish" and announced an Irish victory over Vikings. The

Irish annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over ...

record several defeats for Viking armies; which of these is meant is unclear. The identity of the "king of the Irish" is no more certain, but Ólchobar mac Cináeda may be intended rather than Máel Sechnaill. * Sedulius Scottus arrives at

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far fro ...

, perhaps having been a member of the embassy to

850s

;851 * Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid secures the submission of the King of

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh ( Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...

. *

Cináed mac Conaing Cináed mac Conaing (died 851) was King of Knowth in the medieval Irish province of Mide, succeeding his father Conaing mac Flainn in 849. Cináed's family belonged to the Knowth, or Uí Chonaing, branch of the Síl nÁedo Sláine, part of the ...

is drowned on the orders of Máel Sechnaill and Tigernach mac Fócartai. ;853 * Amlaíb, "son of the king of

", arrives in Ireland and collects tribute from the Vikings and the Irish.''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, ...

''.

860s

;860 or 862 *Death of Mael Sechnaill I, overking of the Uí Néill, who has reigned since 846. ;864 *Death of Lorcan mac Cathail, King of Mide since 862. ;866 * Aed Finliath clears the northern coastline of Viking bases. He defeats the Vikings at

Lough Foyle Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle ( or "loch of the lip"), is the estuary of the River Foyle, on the north coast of Ireland. It lies between County Londonderry in Northern Ireland and County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Sovereignty over ...

870s

;874 *

Amlaíb Conung Amlaíb Conung ( non, Óláfr ; died c. 874) was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century. He was the son of the king of Lochlann, identified in the non-contemporary ''Fragmentary Annals of Ireland'' as Gofraid, and br ...

is killed in Scotland on a campaign against

Causantín mac Cináeda Causantín mac Cináeda ( Modern Gaelic: ; died 877) was a king of the Picts. He is often known as Constantine I in reference to his place in modern lists of kings of Scots, but contemporary sources described only as a Pictish king. A son of (" ...

at about this date. ;875 * Oistin mac Amlaíb, Norse

King of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The Norse refe ...

, is deceitfully killed, probably by Halfdan Ragnarsson. ;877 *

kills Donnchad mac Aedacain and becomes King of Mide. * Battle of Strangford Lough: In a battle between

Dubgaill and Finngaill ''Dubgaill'' and ''Finngaill'', or ''Dubgenti'' and ''Finngenti'', are Middle Irish terms used to denote different rival groups of Vikings in Ireland and Britain. Literally, ''Dub-/Finngaill'' is translated as "dark and fair foreigners" Downham (2 ...

Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

Strangford Lough Strangford Lough (from Old Norse ''Strangr Fjörðr'', meaning "strong sea-inlet"PlaceNames N ...

, Halfdan Ragnarsson, leader of the

Great Heathen Army The Great Heathen Army,; da, Store Hedenske Hær also known as the Viking Great Army,Hadley. "The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army, AD 872–3, Torksey, Lincolnshire", ''Antiquaries Journal''. 96, pp. 23–67 was a coalition of Scandin ...

, is killed in an attempt to claim the

Kingdom of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norsemen, Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The N ...

from Bárid mac Ímair (who is lamed). ;879 * Death of Finshnechta mac Maele Corcrai,

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

Luighne Connacht Luighne Connacht was a territory located in north-central Connacht, on the borders of what is now County Mayo and County Sligo, Ireland. Origin The Luighne were a people, originally found in Brega, south of Kells in what is now County Meath ...

. * Death of

Áed Findliath Áed mac Néill (died 879), called Áed Findliath ("fair-grey Áed"; Modern Irish: ''Aodh Fionnadhliath'') to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland. He was also called Áed Olach ...

, High King of Ireland.

880s

;880 * Death of Irish philosopher and poet

in France (877 also commonly given as the date). ;882 * Death of

Conchobar mac Taidg Mór Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the grandson of Muirgius mac Tommaltaig (died 815), a previous king. His father Tadg Mór (died 810) had been slain fighting in Muirgi ...

, King of Connacht from the

branch of the

. ;883 * Death of Eochocán mac Áedo, king of

. ;885 * Death of

Máel Pátraic Mael Patraic (died 885) was Abbot of Clonmacnoise. Mael Patraic was of the Uí Mháine Uí Mhaine, often Anglicised as Hy Many, was one of the oldest and largest kingdoms located in Connacht, Ireland. Its territory of approximately encomp ...

, Abbot of Clonmacnoise. ;888 *Death of

Áed mac Conchobair Áed mac Conchobair (died 888) was a King of Connacht from the Uí Briúin branch of the Connachta. He was the son of Conchobar mac Taidg Mór (died 882), the previous king and was the first of his three sons to rule in succession. He was of the ...

, King of Connacht.

890s

;895 *Death of

Muiredach mac Eochocáin Muiredach mac Eochocáin (died 895) or Muiredach mac Eochucáin was a Dál Fiatach king of Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh ( Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confedera ...

or Muiredach mac Eochucáin, a Dál Fiatach king of

. ;896 *Death of

Flann mac Lonáin Flann mac Lonáin (died 896) was an Irish poet. Background and career Flann mac Lonáin was a famed and at times controversial poet. He was the Chief Ollam of Ireland He seems to have been born in the east Clare/west Tipperary region. Distingu ...

, poet. *Death of

Sitriuc mac Ímair Sihtric mac Ímair ( non, Sigtryggr Ívarrsson ; died 896) was a ninth-century King of Dublin. He was a son of Ímar and a member of the Uí Ímair. Biography Sitriuc succeeded his brother Sichfrith as King of Dublin in 888.Downham p. 25 For mo ...

(Sigtryggr), Viking king (perhaps

king of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The Norse refe ...

). * Death of Murchadh mac Maenach, King of Uí Briúin Seóla

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:9th Century In Ireland