Year by Year
Explore Year by Year articles from the most modern historical year back to the oldest.
3,295 Articles Archived
Bread Famine
Archived: 29 October 2026
Conventionally dated 825, though annalistic chronologies vary, this cluster of Irish events records pestilence, famine and bread scarcity affecting vulnerable people across Ireland. Raiders plundered Downpatrick, Movilla and Inis Daimle, but Ulaid defeated them at Mag Inis; elsewhere raiders routed Osraige. Blathmac son of Flann was killed on Iona, later commemorated as a martyr. Numerous prominent clerics and several kings died, highlighting fragile religious and political networks. Armagh’s bishop Artrí extended Patrick’s law over Connacht, asserting ecclesiastical authority. The notices do not describe a unified national crisis but reveal overlapping hardship, violence, leadership losses and competing regional authority within Ireland.
Monastic Raids
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 824 Scandinavian raiders attacked two Irish religious communities, Bangor in Ulaid and Sceilig off Kerry. At Bangor, they plundered the monastery, destroyed an oratory and violently disturbed the shrine and relics of its founder, Comgall, damaging a centre of dynastic and ecclesiastical prestige. At remote Sceilig, Étgal was captured and died of hunger and thirst, providing a rare named victim. Annalistic dating confirms both incidents despite manuscript chronological complications. The raids demonstrate mobile maritime danger across northern Irish Sea and Atlantic routes, not a unified campaign or permanent settlement. They marked early Viking-age insecurity; permanent Scandinavian bases came later.
Bangor Raids
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 823, the Irish annals record Viking raiders attacking Bangor, breaking Comgall’s shrine, plundering its oratory and killing churchmen, though the monastery survived. Feidlimid of Munster and Armagh’s bishop asserted Patrick’s law in Munster, while Feidlimid also burned Galinne and suffered defeat at Mag Aí against Cathal of Uí Maine. Conflict around Clonmacnoise involved resignations, deaths, the killing of a tanist-abbot and compensation in churches. In the north, Niall son of Áed displaced Murchad as ruler of Ailech. Other deaths, including Tethba’s king and lightning fire at Armagh, underline Ireland’s interconnected yet contested ecclesiastical and political landscape across the island.
Brega Conflict
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 822, Irish annals recorded an exceptional frost that froze seas, lakes and rivers, enabling herds, horses and laden traffic to cross waterways. Political conflict centred on Brega, where Murchad of Cenél nEógain gained secret submissions before Conchobor of Clann Cholmáin reasserted control through devastation and coercion. Warfare also killed rulers and nobles in Connacht, Bréifne, Ard Ciannachta and the midlands. Ecclesiastical leaders died at Birr, Achad Bó Cainnig and Lugbad, illustrating churches’ roles. Chronicon Scotorum reports raids on Daiminis and Corcach. These notices portray a Ireland shaped by environmental change, dynastic rivalry, local warfare, religious institutions and seaborne vulnerability.
Brega Rivalry
Archived: 29 October 2026
Annals conventionally dated to 821 depict severe winter conditions, when ice enabled livestock and laden traffic to cross waters, reshaping movement across Ireland. Political rivalry centred on Brega: Murchad of Cenél nÉogain gained secret submissions after reaching Ard Brecáin, while Conchobar of Mide later campaigned there, inflicting heavy losses and compelling Uí Chernaig submission. Other killings involved Ard Ciannachta. In Connacht, Uí Briúin suffered defeat at Tarbga; in Bréifne, Cenél Feidlimthe killed King Máel Dúin. Local groups also defeated the Delbna. Deaths of leaders at Birr and Achad Bó underline monasteries' political, economic and scholarly importance amid fragmented, competing lordships.
Feidlimid's Accession
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 820 Feidlimid mac Crimthainn of the Eóganacht Chaisil became king of Caisel, Munster’s overkingship. Recorded by the Annals of Inisfallen, despite difficulties in other annals, his accession began a twenty-seven-year reign. The circumstances of succession, amid rivalry between Eóganacht branches, remain unknown. His authority depended upon kinship, armed support, tribute, alliances and ecclesiastical recognition within politically fragmented Ireland. Caisel controlled a central Munster landscape, while churches supplied wealth, status and influence. Rural producers sustained ecclesiastical power. Scandinavian raiding was an established threat though no dated attack occurred in Ireland that year. Later military campaigns extended Feidlimid’s influence beyond Munster.
Áed Oirdnide
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 819, Áed Oirdnide, northern Uí Néill king of Tara, ravaged Cualu and reached Glendalough before dying near Áth dá Ferta in Mag Conaille. His death ended a long pursuit of supremacy but did not create a unified Irish kingdom. Conchobar son of Donnchad of Clann Cholmáin succeeded him, amid rivalry between Cenél nÉogain and Cenél Conaill, in which Máel Bresail was killed. Other conflicts claimed Cairell in Ulaid, while Leinster lost Cathal of Uí Cheinnselaig, prior of Ferns. At Armagh, Whitsun rites were disrupted. Ecclesiastical obituaries underline churches’ political, social and learned importance, while rural communities endured warfare’s burdens.
Winter Freeze
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 818 Ireland experienced an exceptional winter, with rivers and lakes frozen from Epiphany to Shrovetide, enabling travel, hunting and the transport of building materials across Lough Erne. Politically, Áed Oirdnide intervened in Leinster after Muiredach son of Bran’s death, redistributing authority among Bran’s grandsons. Churchmen carried saints’ shrines through Munster and Connacht, while violence breached ecclesiastical protection. In Connacht, Uí Briúin kings defeated Uí Maine at Forath amid regional rivalry. Deaths of abbots and rulers marked shifting local power. On 21 October, fire destroyed a third of Clonmacnoise, damaging a major ecclesiastical settlement and its communities’ buildings and livelihoods.
Frozen Loughs
Archived: 29 October 2026
In 817, severe frost and snow transformed Ireland’s rivers and lakes into temporary routes. People crossed the Boyne dry-shod, hunted and moved livestock on Lough Neagh, and carried oratory materials across frozen Lough Erne. Áed Oirdnide, high king of Tara, imposed a partition of Leinster, while violence there dishonoured and killed church officers. Religious authority travelled: Cuanu took Mochta’s shrine to Munster, and Artrí brought Patrick’s shrine to Connacht. In the west, Uí Briúin rulers defeated Uí Maine at Forath, killing King Cathal and nobles. Fire destroyed a third of Clonmacnoise, emphasising ecclesiastical vulnerability and reconstruction during this extraordinary year.
Clonmacnoise Conflagration
Archived: 29 October 2026
Events conventionally assigned to 816 reveal both chronological uncertainty in Irish annals and disruption. Almost half of Clonmacnoise, a timber-built Shannon monastery and centre, burned; no source identifies the cause. Thirty days later its abbot, Suibne son of Cuanu, died, compounding pressures on recovery and leadership. In Connacht, following overking Muirgius’s death, Diarmait son of Tommaltach fought Uí Fhiachrach, burning and plundering Foibrén and killing many common people; Cathal son of Ailill died. A battle involving Uí Maine is linked to conflicts but variously dated 816 or 818. Other notices record ecclesiastical deaths and burning, underscoring churches’ vulnerability amid warfare.
Some records do not yet have a verified historical year and are awaiting chronological placement.