The Irish standard., 1898-06-11
WHERE THE IRISH AND THE DANES
FOUGHT DRAvELY.
The LATTER COMPLETELY DEFEATED
LIVELY DESCRIPTION BY THE LATE
A. NJ. SULLIVAN, NJ. r.
DEATH OF THE GREAT BRIAN BoRu
SLAIN WHILE PRAYING IN tIIS TENT
BEFORE A CRUCIFIX.

At the beginning of the eleventh CEN
tury the Danish power all over Europe
had made considerable advances. In
France it had fastened itself upon Nor
mandy, and in England it had once more
become victorious, the Danish prince,
Sweyne, having been proclaimed king of
England. All these triumphs made them
turn their attention more earnestly to
Ireland, which they SO often and so des-
perately yet so vainly sought to con-
quer.
At length the Danes of Ireland, hold
ing several of the large seaport cities,
but yielding tribute to the Irish mon
arch-seem to have been reused to the
design of ra]lying all the might of the
Seaman race for one gigantic and SUI
preme effort to conquer the kingdom, for
it was reflection hard for Mortimer to
endure, that they who mad conquered
England almost as often as they tried,
who had now placed a Danish sovereign
on the English throne, and had estab-
lished a Danish dukodom of Normandy
in France, had never yet been able to
bring this dearly coveted western isle
into subjection and had never once
given a monarch to its line of kings
Coincidently with the victories of
Sweyne in England, several Danish ex-
petitions appeared upon the Irish coast;
now at Cork in the south, now at Lough
N.Y. ,pf1 11y
met and repelled by the local princes.
These forays, however, though serious
and dangerous enough, were but the
prelude of the forthcoming grand as
sault, or as it has been aptly styled,
"the last field day Of Christianity and
Paganism on irish SOIL.
"A taunt thrown out over a game of
chess at kincur:i," says McGee, "is said
to have hastnnrI tnis memorable day
Mael-Murra, prince Of Leinster, playing
or advising Or the game, made or rec
commended / false move, upon which
Morrogh, son Of Brian, observed it was
no wonder his friends the Danes Ito
whom he owed his elevation) We're
|
vice like that, Mael-Murra, highly in
censed at the allusion-~all the moro
severe for its bitter truth--arose, or
dered his horse, and rode away. We
next hear of him as concerting with
Danish agents.. These agents passing
over to England conferred with the
chiefs, who entered warmly into the
proposed invasion"
Here was a mighty thunder storm
gathering over and around ireland
Never before was an effort of such
magnitude made for the conquest of the
island. Never before had the Danish
power SO palpahly put forth its utmost
strength, and never hitherto had it put
forth such strength in vain. This was
the supreme moment for Ireland to
show what she could do when united in
self-defense against a foreign invader
Here were the unconquered Northmen
conquerors Of Britain, Normandy, An
glesea, and the Scottish Isles, now con-
centrating the might of their whole race
to burst in an overwhelming billow lid
on Ireland.
If before a far less formidable as
sault England went down, dare ireland
hope now to meet and Withstand this
tremendous shock? In truth 1t seemed
a hard chance. 1t was q trial hour fol
the men of Erin. And gloriously dit
60,
were they daunted by the tidings of the
extensive and mighty preparations go.
ing forward: fer the news filed Europe
and a hundred harbor:s in Norway, Den.
mark, and other Danish ports rcsoundet
day and night with The hustle prepara
tory for the coming war.
Brian was fully equal to the emerg.
ency. He resorted to meet force by
force, combination by combiration
preparation by preparation; to defy The
foe, and let them see what IrishmcI
could do" His efforts were lobly sec
onded by the zeal of all the tributary
princes. Towards the close of March
Brian's arrangements being completed
| Iic SdVC LuS CAuCl IL! d
march to kilmainham. by the second
week in April there had rallied to the
national standard force which, Il
:. numerically unequal TO that assembled
by the invaders, was, as the result
showed, able to compensate by superior
valor for whatever 1t lacked in numbers
The great Danish iiotilla, under Brodar
the admiral-in-chief. entered Dublir
. Bayou Palm Sunday, April Is, 1014
Brian Immediately swung his arm,
round upon Glasnevin, crossed the
:. Tolka at the point where the Botanica
Gardens now stand, and faced his lint
Of battle southwark.
With the dawn of Good Friday, Apri
2s, 1o14, the battle began. The Danisl
] army, facing inland, stretched along tn