Viking Ireland

Viking on Lough Ree

Black and white photograph showing an actor dressed in Viking costume taken during the Tercentenary Festival in Athlone in 1991

© PJ Murray

Viking on Lough Ree
© PJ Murray

Viking on Lough Ree

Black and white photograph showing an actor dressed in Viking costume taken during the Tercentenary Festival in Athlone in 1991

© PJ Murray

Enlarge image

During early Christian Ireland many of the monasteries were often attacked by different groups. The Irish sometimes raided monasteries looking for treasures. However, the problem worsened for the monasteries in the eight century when the Vikings or Norsemen from Scandinavia began to raid Ireland. They were feared by everyone because they killed anyone who got in their way or took them as slaves.

A Viking Long Boat

An illustration of a Viking long boat, which first came to Dublin in the 9th century.

A Viking Long Boat

A Viking Long Boat

An illustration of a Viking long boat, which first came to Dublin in the 9th century.

Enlarge image

In 795 AD Viking longships began to raid various places in Ireland. At first they attacked the monasteries along the coast and later they raided inland. The Vikings were great experts at building boats which were used for long journeys. Some of their longships have been found underwater in places like Roskilde in Denmark .

We know that the Vikings stole treasures from Ireland because many of them were later found. For example, one of these treasures, Ranvaig’s Casket, was given on loan to the National Museum of Ireland. It is usually in the National Museum of Denmark.

The Vikings who came to Ireland from 795 AD to 840 AD were mainly from the area now known as Norway. The Danish Vikings came to Ireland from about 849 AD and fought the Norse Vikings.