Transcriber’s Note: The spelling, accents and hyphenation of given namesare inconsistent and have been retained as printed.
SCANDINAVIAN RELATIONS
WITH IRELAND DURING
THE VIKING PERIOD
BY
A. WALSH
DUBLIN
THE TALBOT PRESS LIMITED
LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN LIMITED
1922
PREFACE
This short study was written during my tenure of aTravelling Studentship from the National University ofIreland, and in March, 1920, was accepted for the ResearchDegree Certificate of Cambridge University.
A glance at the bibliography shows that comparativelylittle has been written in English on this interesting periodof our history. On the other hand modern Scandinavianscholars—Alexander Bugge, Marstrander, and Vogt—havethrown a good deal of light on the subject, but unfortunatelyvery few of their books have been translated into English.The present dissertation is based principally upon the Oldand Middle Irish annals and chronicles and the Icelandicsagas; reference has also been made to the work ofScandinavian, English and Irish scholars on the subject.
I should like to acknowledge my debt to ProfessorChadwick, who directed my work: those who have had theprivilege of working under him will readily understand howmuch is due to his encouragement and stimulating criticism.I wish also to express my thanks to my friends, Miss N.Kershaw and Mr. E. J. Thomas, for many kindnesses whilethe book was in preparation; to Miss Eleanor Hull andProfessor Ó’Máille, University College, Galway, for theloan of books; and to the Librarian and staff of CambridgeUniversity Library, the National Library, Dublin, andT.C.D. Library.
A. W.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
| Preface | ||
| Chap. | ||
| I. | The Vikings in Ireland (795-1014) | 1 |
| II. | Intercourse between the Gaill and the Gaedhil during the Viking Period | 10 |
| III. | The Growth of the Seaport Towns | 21 |
| IV. | The Expansion of Irish Trade | 29 |
| V. | Shipbuilding and Seafaring | 35 |
| VI. | Linguistic Influences | 40 |
| (a) Loan-words from Old Norse in Irish. |