Imagine powerful giant men who surrounded themselves with the most beautiful and intelligent women. Bards sang glorious sagas of their physical prowess and their skill in weaponry. Kings really were built like oak trees. Wars were fought and won in the bedchamber as often as on the battlefield. It was a time when women really were courted and a man had to pay a bride price for the right to have her in wedlock. Their children were comely women and powerfully-built men who were feared and adored by their people.
This is the world in which Brian Bóru rose to national power and united all of Ireland for one glorious Battle at Clontarf in 1014. Unfortunately, if you open a book on the history of Ireland, you probably won't discover that Brian Bóru really didn't go to battle against the Vikings. In fact, he didn't even participate at Clontarf, even though he lost his life. Occasionally, you'll find a paragraph or two about Tairrdelbach the Great Ua Conchobair (Turlogh Mor O'Connor). His achievements are generally dismissed by historians for having no lasting value to the general scope of Irish history. Why? Because he failed to achieve his goal: to unite all of Ireland under one King and pass down that Kingship to his heirs without strife or opposition.
Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair was the seventh son of the King of Connacht. His mother was the great-granddaughter of Brian Bóru and that legacy meant everything to him. He was taught to respect and admire everything Bóru stood for. By the time he was eighteen, he was happy that he was still alive, having witnessed some of the tremendous violence that followed the death of Brian Bóru and the struggle to fill the void left behind at his death. It wasn't until circumstances forced the Kingship of Connacht on him, that he came to believe his purpose in life was to fulfill Brian Bóru's dreams.
Tairrdelbach had endless energy, intelligence and ambition when he was elected King of Connacht. The rest of Ireland was alternately awed and annoyed by his refusal to follow the unwritten rules of Kingship. He spent fifty years forcing Ireland to change and evolve. His innovative ideas brought Ireland into European awareness. He came closer to establishing an Irish monarchy than any other man. He rose to power at a time when Ireland had no strong champion to step forward and defend her. When Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair did so, all of Ireland threw themselves behind his cause.
The Battle of Clontarf is probably the single most important event in Irish history. It wasn’t a battle between the Irish and the Vikings, as most history books often describe it. It was a battle between Brian Bóru, High King of Éire, and Máel Mórda, King of Leinster. Most of Ireland backed Brian Bóru, while Leinster hosted those who wanted to force Brian Bóru out of his kingship, which consisted of, mostly, Vikings. The confrontation took place in 1014.
The History of Ireland (Éire) was rewritten by England (Anglo-Land) after the signing of the Treaty of Windsor, in 1175. This treaty, which was signed by a representative of Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair’s son, Ruaidri the Young (now High King of Éire), and King Henry II, King of the Anglo-Norman Empire. The treaty was intended to control the actions of Henry’s subjects while they were in Ireland.
The events that took place 1014-1175, are pretty much written off as unimportant years in Irish history. This is something the historians, be they English or Irish, seem to agree on. Thus, a century-and-a-half of is largely unknown historically.
I use, for the most part, the original spelling for names and places, as Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair would have known them. Although he is known today as Turlough the Great O'Connor, when he was alive, he was called Tairrdelbach Mór mac Ruaidrí na Saide Buide Ua Conchobair, King of Clann Siol Muiredaig, King of Connacht and High King of Éire.
This is the world in which Brian Bóru rose to national power and united all of Ireland for one glorious Battle at Clontarf in 1014. Unfortunately, if you open a book on the history of Ireland, you probably won't discover that Brian Bóru really didn't go to battle against the Vikings. In fact, he didn't even participate at Clontarf, even though he lost his life. Occasionally, you'll find a paragraph or two about Tairrdelbach the Great Ua Conchobair (Turlogh Mor O'Connor). His achievements are generally dismissed by historians for having no lasting value to the general scope of Irish history. Why? Because he failed to achieve his goal: to unite all of Ireland under one King and pass down that Kingship to his heirs without strife or opposition.
Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair was the seventh son of the King of Connacht. His mother was the great-granddaughter of Brian Bóru and that legacy meant everything to him. He was taught to respect and admire everything Bóru stood for. By the time he was eighteen, he was happy that he was still alive, having witnessed some of the tremendous violence that followed the death of Brian Bóru and the struggle to fill the void left behind at his death. It wasn't until circumstances forced the Kingship of Connacht on him, that he came to believe his purpose in life was to fulfill Brian Bóru's dreams.
Tairrdelbach had endless energy, intelligence and ambition when he was elected King of Connacht. The rest of Ireland was alternately awed and annoyed by his refusal to follow the unwritten rules of Kingship. He spent fifty years forcing Ireland to change and evolve. His innovative ideas brought Ireland into European awareness. He came closer to establishing an Irish monarchy than any other man. He rose to power at a time when Ireland had no strong champion to step forward and defend her. When Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair did so, all of Ireland threw themselves behind his cause.
The Battle of Clontarf is probably the single most important event in Irish history. It wasn’t a battle between the Irish and the Vikings, as most history books often describe it. It was a battle between Brian Bóru, High King of Éire, and Máel Mórda, King of Leinster. Most of Ireland backed Brian Bóru, while Leinster hosted those who wanted to force Brian Bóru out of his kingship, which consisted of, mostly, Vikings. The confrontation took place in 1014.
The History of Ireland (Éire) was rewritten by England (Anglo-Land) after the signing of the Treaty of Windsor, in 1175. This treaty, which was signed by a representative of Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair’s son, Ruaidri the Young (now High King of Éire), and King Henry II, King of the Anglo-Norman Empire. The treaty was intended to control the actions of Henry’s subjects while they were in Ireland.
The events that took place 1014-1175, are pretty much written off as unimportant years in Irish history. This is something the historians, be they English or Irish, seem to agree on. Thus, a century-and-a-half of is largely unknown historically.
I use, for the most part, the original spelling for names and places, as Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair would have known them. Although he is known today as Turlough the Great O'Connor, when he was alive, he was called Tairrdelbach Mór mac Ruaidrí na Saide Buide Ua Conchobair, King of Clann Siol Muiredaig, King of Connacht and High King of Éire.
