Inside Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin stands a medieval monument traditionally associated with Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow. He was an Anglo-Norman lord whose intervention in Ireland helped reshape the political history of Leinster. Strongbow died in Dublin in 1176 and was buried at Christ Church, but the monument visitors see today is not his surviving 12th-century tomb.
Who was Strongbow?
Strongbow was Richard de Clare, earl of Pembroke and Strigoil and later lord of Leinster. After Diarmait Mac Murchada lost power in Leinster, he sought military assistance in Britain. Strongbow agreed to support him in return for marriage to Diarmait’s daughter Aoife and a claim to succeed him in Leinster.
An advance force arrived in Ireland in 1169. Strongbow followed in 1170, landing near Waterford. After Waterford was captured, he married Aoife there, and the allied forces subsequently took Dublin. When Diarmait died in 1171, Strongbow claimed authority in Leinster. Henry II of England travelled to Ireland later that year, and Strongbow submitted to the king while retaining substantial lands and influence.
Is this Strongbow’s original tomb?
Christ Church Cathedral records that Strongbow was buried in the cathedral in 1176. His original monument was destroyed when the nave roof vaulting collapsed in 1562. The monument now known as “Strongbow’s Tomb” is an early-14th-century replacement, traditionally said to have come from Drogheda; it does not depict Strongbow himself.
A smaller damaged figure lies beside the armoured effigy and has long been described in popular tradition as Strongbow’s son. Its identity is uncertain. The monument remains important not because it is an intact portrait tomb, but because it reflects how Strongbow’s burial and legacy have been remembered at Christ Church for centuries.
Visiting Christ Church Cathedral
The monument can be seen inside Christ Church Cathedral, alongside the cathedral’s medieval architecture and 12th-century crypt. Travellers interested in including Christ Church in a privately planned Dublin itinerary can explore our East Coast Luxury tour; its published Dublin section identifies the cathedral as one of the city’s historic sights.
Authoritative sources
- Christ Church Cathedral: History — the cathedral’s account of Strongbow’s burial, the 1562 collapse and the replacement monument.
- National Gallery of Ireland: The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife — historical context for Richard de Clare, Diarmait Mac Murchada and Aoife.
