The vikings on Lough Neagh

The largest freshwater lake in the British Isles (by area), sitting at the heart of Ulster and with ingress and egress to the sea via the Upper and Lower Bann and the Blackwater rivers, Lough Neagh was a perfect base for water-borne raiders like the Vikings. 

Once in there they could strike in any direction and sail away again, their ships full of loot. The political situation of early medieval Ireland also helped them as the lake sat in the middle of different kingdoms and clan territories, as this map of early 8th Century Ireland shows:

With Norse coastal settlements already established in the likes of Dublin, Waterford, Cork, and Limerick, the Vikings -or “Ostmen” (men from the east) as they called themselves- began to push inland by sailing their shallow-keeled longships up the navigable rivers and into the inland lakes such as Lough Ree on the Shannon, Lough Erne and Lough Neagh. From these bases they could ravage the interior of the country.

The Annals of Ulster first mention Vikings on Lough Neagh in the year 839 A.D which records “A raiding party of the foreigners were on Loch nEchach [Lough Neagh], and from there they plundered the states and churches of the north of Ireland.” A year later the annals state “Lugbad [Louth Priory] was plundered by the heathens from Loch nEchach and they led away captive bishops and priests and scholars, and put others to death.” 

There is also a reference in 840 to Armagh being burned, but it’s not clear by who. However, we might be able to guess. The annals reported that in 841 “The heathens were still on Loch nEchach.”

They appear to have left soon after, however, possibly related to a defeat inflicted on their (semi-legendary) leader named in the annals as “Tuirgéis” – probably Old Norse Thorgestr – in 845.  

Eighty three years later, in 928, the annals record that the Vikings were back on Lough Neagh.

“Ailche's son went on Loch nEchach with a fleet of the foreigners, and he ravaged the islands of the lake and the territories bordering it.”

This “Ailche’s son” is mentioned several times in the annals, having previously ravaged Clonmacnoise in 922. The interesting thing is his name, which suggests he was Irish, or more likely that the Norse were by now integrating and inter-marrying into Irish culture and adopting Irish names.

In 930 the annals report that “Foreigners on Loch nEchach, and their naval camp was at Rubha Menna.” The Life of Saint Columba mentions that this place is at Shane’s castle, where the River Maine flows into the Lough.   

The tale appears to come to an end in 945, when “The foreigners of Loch nEchach were killed by Domnall son of Muirchertach and by his kinsman, i.e. Flaithbertach, and their fleet was destroyed.”

They left behind their own memorial though, in the name of Oxford Island outside Craigavon. “Oxford” comes from the Old Norse Ost Fjordr, perhaps “East Fjord” or maybe they were trying to lay claim to the whole lake, which they would have called a fjord, using their name for themselves, the Ostmen.

Several people have asked where the island in Ireland is which is attacked by the viking Wolf Warriors in Odin’s Game. To clear that up, it’s Coney Island on Lough Neagh.