21 Dec Vikings in Ireland
On any tours of Ireland you will come across many Viking influences and history.
Norsemen , largely from Western Norway, who made raids on Ireland from 795 onward.
The Vikings founded the first Irish cities , such as Dublin , Limerick , Wexford, and Waterford , after 840.
Their frequent raids on Irish monasteries gave them a reputation of being uncivilized barbarians. However, by bringing home looted treasures and later burying them in graves in Scandinavia , they preserved important Irish metalwork fragments that might otherwise have perished , and which are now preserved in museums in Bergen , Oslo , Stockholm , and elsewhere.
Recent research suggests that Vikings had a complex and dynamic culture.
The Vikings often made strategic alliances with Irish Kings , intermarried with the native population , and many became Christian by the year 1000.
Great traders , they taught the Irish much about commerce and boat building , at which they excelled.
Contrary to popular tradition , the Viking influence began to decline before the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.
Keep a look out on any Ireland tours for the Viking connections. There are many must see attractions and hidden gems related to the Vikings.