Irish History
And
The Fighting Irish
And
The Fighting Irish
( Irish Invasions of Britain )
Irish Invasions of Britian continued from previous page . .
The
Roman Poet, Claudian, says " And Theodosius following the Scots through all windings, broke the
waves of the Hyperborean Sea with his adventurous oars. " From refernces in the writings of the Romans, it is evident that the Irish and the Picts had at various times made treaty with them. Ammianus Marcellinus, speaking of the invasion of 360, says that those nations " had broken the agreed peace in the British provinces. In 386 the invaders, successfully fighting their way had almost reached the gates of London. Theodosius overcame and drove them back. The British historian Gildas, records three great invasions of the allied fighters, the Picts and the Scots in 396, 418 and 426. For their attacks had then grown fiercer - as the Roman garrison in Britain had been depleted for much needed service against the Continental invaders of the Empire. Each time the Britons had to beg their Roman conquerors to return and protect them. They sent embassies to Rome thus entreating. By command of the Romans they made the great dike across their Northern boundary from sea to sea, to keep out the invaders. But the Romans were scarcely gone when the invaders came flying over the dyke. And the Britons had once more to cry out for Roman protection. The next time that the Romans returned to free them from their oppressors, they ordered the Britons to put up a defence of solid masonwork across the country. And in consequence was built the Great Roman wall, 12 feet high and 8 feet thick - extending from sea to sea. But wals were useless against these preserving and indomitable invaders. The Britons tediously had to appeal to Rome again. In their appeal they said that their " barbarian " enemies drove them upon the sea, and the sea threw them back upon the barbarians, so that they were either slaughtered or drowned.
In the year 450 the Britons, to save themselves from their enemies chose as their King a strong man, Vortigern, who it is claimed by some, was Irish, his proper title being Mor-Tigearna ( High-Lord ) Finally to free themselves from the yoke of their neighbours, the British in 474 invited over Hengis and Horsa with their Saxon hosts. They readily came, cleared the country of the Picts and Scots, and then appropriated it for themselves. The poor harried Britons had exchanged one yoke for another.
A long while after the Irish were still dominating Wales. One particularly important Irish invasion of Wales, an account of which is contained in an ancient Welsh manuscript, was conducted by an Irish Commander, whom they named Ganfael, which probably stands for Ceannfaelad - and who may have been Ceannfaelad, son of King Blathmac, mentioned by the Four Masters under the date 670. After this conquest of Wales, the Welsh account says that the Irish ruled there for 59 years. They were eventually driven out by Caswallawn. For a long time Wales was ruled by chiefs who were not only Irish but probably owed allegiance to Irish Kings. The Christian faith which the whole irish people imbibed so readily from Patrick during the fifth century caused a radical change in their character. After that century, there is not, with the exception of the presumed Welsh conquest, any other recorded instances of military raids abroad. If we compare the history of Ireland in the 6th century, after Christianity was received , with that of the 4th century, before the coming of Christianity, the wonderful change and contrast is probably much more striking than any other such change in any other nation known to history.
In the year 450 the Britons, to save themselves from their enemies chose as their King a strong man, Vortigern, who it is claimed by some, was Irish, his proper title being Mor-Tigearna ( High-Lord ) Finally to free themselves from the yoke of their neighbours, the British in 474 invited over Hengis and Horsa with their Saxon hosts. They readily came, cleared the country of the Picts and Scots, and then appropriated it for themselves. The poor harried Britons had exchanged one yoke for another.
A long while after the Irish were still dominating Wales. One particularly important Irish invasion of Wales, an account of which is contained in an ancient Welsh manuscript, was conducted by an Irish Commander, whom they named Ganfael, which probably stands for Ceannfaelad - and who may have been Ceannfaelad, son of King Blathmac, mentioned by the Four Masters under the date 670. After this conquest of Wales, the Welsh account says that the Irish ruled there for 59 years. They were eventually driven out by Caswallawn. For a long time Wales was ruled by chiefs who were not only Irish but probably owed allegiance to Irish Kings. The Christian faith which the whole irish people imbibed so readily from Patrick during the fifth century caused a radical change in their character. After that century, there is not, with the exception of the presumed Welsh conquest, any other recorded instances of military raids abroad. If we compare the history of Ireland in the 6th century, after Christianity was received , with that of the 4th century, before the coming of Christianity, the wonderful change and contrast is probably much more striking than any other such change in any other nation known to history.
