By the end of the eighth century A.D. things were getting bad in Scandinavia. There was a shortage of farmland and members of the nobility were taking several wives each. The young Norwegian bachelors jumped in their ships and headed south. They reached England first and then Ireland, France and on up the rivers of Russia. There was no one to stop them from taking what they wanted. They always took a few local women home for wives.
Eventually the Vikings started settling down in the places they had been raiding. Now the Irish are great hosts but they expect their guest to go home. So a campaign was begun to send the Vikings home. But the Vikings didn't want to go home and force had to be used. It all came to a head on this day in 1014 when the Irish King, Brian Boru defeated the Viking forces under the King of Dublin, Sigtrygg Silkbeard and his Irish allies. It was a bloody affair. Seven to ten thousand men were killed including Brian Boru, his son, and his grandson.
Clontarf is on the north side of Dublin Bay. It's all built up now and you'd have to have a good job to afford a house there. Ever since the battle, the name Clontarf has stood as a symbol of Irish independence. My mother's family came from County Meath just to the north of Clontarf.
My ancestors being good Irish patriots wanted to take part in the battle, but there's no way they could have gotten down to the battle and back home in time to milk the cows so they skipped the battle, It's just as well otherwise they might have joined the men who went to heaven that day, and I might not have been here to tell you the story.
Clontarf is also the name of a town in Swift County, a couple of hours drive west of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The soil around Clontarf is sandy and the first European settlers passed it up for more fertile land. Bishop John Ireland in St. Paul noticed this. He had heard reports of Irish immigrants being discriminated against in the Eastern cities and he encouraged the Irish to come to Minnesota for free land. It was Bishop Ireland who gave the town its name knowing it would appeal to the Irish.
And the Irish responded in goodly numbers. They found that the sandy soil was perfect for growing hay and were soon shipping their hay all over the Midwest. The farmers nicknamed Clontarf "The Hay Capital of the World." The Irish thrive on hyperbole. Swift County was a bit too quiet for some of the new immigrants and many of them continued on to the cities of the west. Clontarf's population peaked at 250 in the 1940s and holds steady today at 160.
Housing is very affordable in Clontarf. There hasn't been a battle there in hundreds of years. And most of the locals are Packers fans.
 |
| The Death of Brian Boru |
Didn't the Irish get their red hair from the Vikings? The lucky sots! And then, in hardly an act of appreciation, they t'row the bums out yust because they were tired of their company. Some of my best friends are red-haired (and formerly red-haired) Irish descendants and every stinkin' one of 'em are proud as punch about their red locks and beardz, eh. Even them brunette-haired Irish descendants strut their stuff on Syttende Mai, hootin' and hollerin' for just an excuse to extend the party of everyday life. Skål!
ReplyDeleteAnd these Irish immigrants that organized Clontarf in Minnesota -- where'd they do it? Right smack in the middle of Vikings country! They couldn't stay away! Oh sure, The Packers, are a better football team -- who isn't? -- but I'll bet, coming over here in the 'bo-at' (the way some people talk ...) two red-haired fellows met along the rail there and, admiring one another's fine red locks, said, almost simultaneously,
"Vikings! Hoo Yah! Ve must be related! Let's move to Minnesoter!"
And they did.
What'cha got agin Vikings? We have several characters around here that could easily be from Viking stock.
ReplyDeleteThat aside, Meath, eh? Kells, too, which lost its famous book which is not at Trinity College in Dublin.
My Irish ancestors hailed from County Cork which has a reputation for rapscallions.
So, from Meath, Dublin is a short hike by Bloom's standards. Meath to Cork is more like a trek. And if I wanted to connect the dots to my Arab blood, I'd have to get a Sherpa and head for Syria! I suppose with that combination I might be called "Black Irish" 'er something. I've been called worse.
Learned a lot from this post. Tanks!