In the 8th century, the coasts of Scandinavia were inhabited by a race of
pirates who were known under a variety of names such as Northmen, Ostmen,
Vikings or Danes. Initially, they confined their plundering expeditions to
places within striking distance of home, but as time passed, they extended the
scope of their operations. Their initial raids on Ireland occurred in 795 when
Inis Patrick (island off the coast of Skerries) was “burned by foreign
plunderers who carried off the shrine of Dochonna.” Reachra of Bregia (Lambay)
was devastated about the same time. The Christian communities on these two
islands and on Ireland’s Eye were again plundered in 798. After a few more
marauding raids on Bregia (Fingal), the Danes took and retained possession of
favourable landing places which they fortified and used as bases from which to
launch expeditions on a more extensive scale.
In the 8th century, the coasts of Scandinavia were inhabited by a race of
pirates who were known under a variety of names such as Northmen, Ostmen,
Vikings or Danes. Initially, they confined their plundering expeditions to
places within striking distance of home, but as time passed, they extended the
scope of their operations. Their initial raids on Ireland occurred in 795 when
Inis Patrick (island off the coast of Skerries) was “burned by foreign
plunderers who carried off the shrine of Dochonna.” Reachra of Bregia (Lambay)
was devastated about the same time. The Christian communities on these two
islands and on Ireland’s Eye were again plundered in 798. After a few more
marauding raids on Bregia (Fingal), the Danes took and retained possession of
favourable landing places which they fortified and used as bases from which to
launch expeditions on a more extensive scale.