Cammán mac Amlaíb was a Norse-Gaelic

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 ...

who is recorded in 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 t ...

as being defeated in 960. He has been identified as being a son of

Amlaíb mac Gofraid Olaf Guthfrithson or Anlaf Guthfrithson ( non, Óláfr Guðrøðsson ; oe, Ánláf; sga, Amlaíb mac Gofraid; died 941) was a Hiberno-Scandinavian (Irish-Viking) leader who ruled Dublin and Viking Northumbria in the 10th century. He was th ...

(d.941), as well as possibly being Sitriuc Cam, who was defeated in battle by

Amlaíb Cuarán Amlaíb mac Sitric (d. 980; non, Óláfr Sigtryggsson ), commonly called Amlaíb Cuarán (O.N.: ), was a 10th-century Norse-Gael who was King of Northumbria and Dublin. His byname, ''cuarán'', is usually translated as "sandal". His name appe ...

two years later.

Cammán

In 960, Cammán is recorded in the ''

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, ...

'' as being defeated at a place named ''Dub''. Cammán's opponent in the battle is not mentioned, and according to Clare Downham, the placename ''Dub'' seems incomplete, since there are many places in Ireland with this

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

element (which means "dark"). Several locations have been suggested. For example: Edmund Hogan identified it with Black River, in Rosclougher, County Leitrim; and Diarmuid Ó Murchadha identified it with the Munster Blackwater. Downham 2007: p. 184. Downham identified Cammán as a son of

(d.941). Downham 2007: p. 241. Downham noted that Cammán's name is Gaelic, and that Colmán Etchingham suggested that his name may be a

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A (abbreviated ) is a word-formati ...

form of the Gaelic ''camm'', which means "crooked". Downham stated that Cammán, therefore, may be identical to Sitriuc Cam, who is recorded in the annals around the same time. Downham 2007: pp. 48–49.

Sitriuc Cam

Sitriuc Cam is recorded in the ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,24 ...

'' to have attacked Uí Cholgain from the sea, was defeated by the

with the Dubliners and a party of Leinstermen, and escaped to his ships following the slaughter of his people. Downham 2007: pp. 269–270. Uí Cholgain occupied the territory around Lusk, County Dublin.

One of the sons of Amlaíb

Downham identified Cammán/Sitriuc Cam as one of the sons of Amlaíb, who raided the northern coasts of Dublin in 962. The ''Annals of the Four Masters'' record the presence of ''Lagmainn'' (" lawmen") on the excursions of the sons of Amlaíb. It has been proposed that the use of these officials shows that Amlaíb's sons had contacts in the

Isles Isles may refer to: Places *British Isles, often referred to as "the Isles" *Kingdom of the Isles, a medieval realm comprising the Hebrides, the islands of the Firth of Clyde, and the Isle of Man People * Carlin Isles (born 1989), American rugby ...

. The sons are also recorded as raiding

North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

around this time period—Lyn and

Holyhead Holyhead (,; cy, Caergybi , "Cybi's fort") is the largest town and a community in the county of Isle of Anglesey, Wales, with a population of 13,659 at the 2011 census. Holyhead is on Holy Island, bounded by the Irish Sea to the north, and is ...

were struck in 961, and

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

was raided in 962. Downham 2007: pp. 184–185.

Notes

References

;Footnotes ;Bibliography * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Camman Mac Amlaib Viking warriors Uí Ímair 10th-century Irish people 10th-century Vikings