Was Brian Boru buried on Islandmore?
Gerard Madden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Islandmore containing about 218 acres is the largest island on Lough Derg1. Despite its proximity to Tipperary, it is officially in County Clare and in the parish of Whitegate. Tradition says that the devil in a bad mood took a mouthful out of the mountain near Templemore in Tipperary and spat it out into Lough Derg. The ‘devil’s bit’ created Islandmore!
The Ordnance maps show the remains of an ancient Abbey here. All that is now left is a heap of stones overgrown with bushes. It is probably identical with the Muc-inis of the Annals and other sources.2 An excavation might reveal its secrets but this is unlikely to occur in the immediate future.
Also on the Island, there is a large Leacht or standing stone which is supposed to have been erected when the monks left here and went to Holy Island. Ralph Lucas, from Whitegate, recorded a less reverential explanation in 1944, when he conducted a survey for the tourist board.3 Many believed that the standing stone on Islandmore in the river Shannon marked the last resting place of this great man.  
The unknown author of 'Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh' (the war of the Gael with the foreigner), written in the 12th century, tells us that Brian made his will during the course of the battle of Clontarf and he even quotes from it - 'I bequeath my soul to God and to the intercession of St. Patrick, my body to Armagh and my blessing to my son Donnchadh.4 To compensate for the privilege, twelve score cows were to be given to the Comarba of Patrick and the community of Armagh.
Almost immediately after his death, Brian was cast in the role of an Irish national hero and defender of the Christian faith. The Irish chronicler Marianus Scotus, an inclusus at Mainz, who compiled a Chronicon from the beginning of the World to the year 1082, started the belief that Brian was slain while at prayer.5 The Annals of Ulster described him as the Augustus of north -western Europe.
We are told that the bodies of Brian and his son Murchad were escorted by the clergy to Armagh and buried on the north western side of the church – the side traditionally reserved for those slain in battle. The exact location has long been forgotten.

Brian Boru was dependent on the revenues generated by the great Viking towns of Ireland such as Dublin, to finance his ambitions. He first conquered it on New Year's Day in the year 1000 and to make his hold on the town secure, his daughter Slaine married Sitric of Dublin. Brian was married to Sitric’s mother Gormflaith, the sister of Maelmórda, King of Leinster 999-1014.
In 1013, Sitric allied with Brian’s enemies revolted against the High King, which eventually included Mael Morda of Leinster and the northernmost families of Ui Neill. Dublin was the only Viking town that rebelled, and the high king turned all his attentions to recapturing it. The capture of the Viking stronghold of Dublin had been their goal but it was left untouched by them. Sitric would reign there for another twenty-two years.
All accounts of the Battle of Clontarf agree that the combat was lengthy and hard-fought, and that the slaughter was dreadful. Medieval Irish historical records claim that it was a brilliant victory for the Irish, but the outcome of the battle suggests that the result was not that decisive.  Brian's troops eventually held the field, but they were decimated to such an extent that they could do no more than march home. The bodies of thirty chieftains were carried away to their respective counties and the Annals of Ulster tell us that the Irish spent twelve days ‘waking’ their leaders and burying their dead.

 A story recorded in the forties places Brian's remains on Islandmore. Brian was brought directly to the river Shannon near Banagher, where boats were procured to bring him to Killaloe. The boatmen stopped at Portumna and delayed a while there. On their way towards Killaloe, the weather was very warm and the remains rapidly deteriorated. They buried him on Islandmore on the southern shore looking towards Killaloe. This stone, which is nearly three metres high, was whitewashed every year until the early nineties by members of the Tiernan and O'Meara families. Whether it was done to commemorate the man or as a beacon to eel fishermen on a dark night, I do not know!

According to another tradition Brian, his son Murchadh and grandson Toirdhealbhach are buried in Bully’s acre, Kilmainham. An old cross shaft marked the grave.6