1169 CE - Robert Fitzstephen, the first Norman invader, lands at Bannow

by Larry Chamberlin

1 May 1169 Robert Fitzstephen landed near Wexford. The following day he was joined by Maurice de Prendergast, a Flemish mercenary. These Normans introduced a new style of warfare to Ireland. The Irish fought in the same basic style as they had for hundreds of years. The Normans used such improvements as metal helmets, chain mail, the long bow and siege machines. These innovations were developed in part during the Crusades, in which the Normans took a leading role. Additionally, the Normans of the mainland had been among the first to seize on the gains from new economic methods which tied ownership of land to accumulation of wealth. For over two hundred years they had been raising and training armies of professional soldiers, skilled in weaponry and innovative in their own right toward developing new techniques of warfare.

Dairmait joined the Normans and together they took Wexford. During the next several weeks, Dairmait and his Norman allies retook virtually all his former territory. Thereafter, Dairmait made a secret peace treaty with the Ard Rķ that should have sent the Normans home. However, Maurice Fitzgerald then arrived, ready for conquest, and the peace accord disappeared. Now Dairmait set his sights on the Ard Rķ itself, and attacked Ruadrķ Ua Conchobair at his stronghold in Limerick. Dairmait sent for Strongbow for assistance. Strongbow sent his kinsman, Raymond Le Gros, another Geraldine, who was a brilliant tactician, bold and bloodthirsty. Le Gros laid waste to the territory around Waterford, despite being greatly outnumbered.

Sources:

Oxford History of Ireland, ed. R. F. Foster, Oxford University Press, (c)1989, ISBN 0-19-285271-X

A History of Ireland, Peter & Fiona Somerset Fry, Rutledge, (c)1988 & Barnes & Noble [reprint] 1993, ISBN: 1-56619-215-3

Chronicles of the Celts, Iain Zaczek, Collins & Brown, London, (c)1996, ISBN: 1-85585-407-4

The Geraldines, an Experiment in Irish Government, 1169 - 1601, Brian Fitzgerald, The Devin-Adair Company, New York, 1952; Staples Printers Ltd., Rochester, Kent, (c)1951

The World of the Celts, Simon James, Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1993, ISBN 0-500-0567-8

The People of Ireland, ed. Patrick Loughery, New Amsterdam Books, N.Y., (c)1989, ISBN: 0-941533-55-7

***The Celts, Jean Markale (orig. publ. as "Les Celts et la Civilsation Celtique" by Payot, Paris, 1976; U.S. ed. publ. by Inner Traditions, Rochester, Vermont, 1993, ISBN: 0-89281-413-6)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: *** = These tracts deal with mythical legends and historical events, without clearly distinguishing between the two. Markale, while presenting the historical texts of the contemporary writers in great detail and with a fine critical analysis, nonetheless includes events from Irish legend without properly disclaiming their authenticity. Despite this shortcoming, if one is cautious enough to note the sources, the books is excellent.

prepared by Larry Chamberlin

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