Battle of Clontarf, 1014
The Battle of Clontarf took place on April 23, 1014 pitting forces led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising Sigtrygg Silkbeard, King of Dublin; Diarmait mac Murchada, King of Leinster; and a Viking contingent led by Sigurd of Orkney; and Brodir of Mann. It lasted from sunrise to sunset, and ended in a rout of the Viking and Leinster forces. It is estimated that between 7, 000 and 10, 000 men were killed. Brian, his son Murchad, his grandson Toirdelbach, Leinster king M?El and Viking leaders Sigurd and Brodir were also slain. In Ireland, the battle came to be seen as an event that freed the Irish from foreign domination, and Brian was hailed as a national hero. The Patriot's History of Ireland by Mary Francis Cusack, 1869
