This lecture by Dr. Sean Duffy was very similar to the lecture on William Wallace because there's not much facts on Brian Boru nobody even knows his real date of birth.The lecture wasn't just based on Brian Boru in general but it was about how he gained power over the Ui Neill clang. The rule back then was you couldn't be a high king unless you were a descendant of Niall of the 9 hostages.
Nobody knows the exact date of the birth of Brian Boru, it was said that he was born in 925 he was the youngest of two sons of Cennedig, head of Dal Cais, one of the royal free tribes of Munster. Brian’s brother, Mahon, being the eldest, succeeded Cennedig as chief of the Dalcassians. Being hemmed into Clare by the Norse Leader, Ivar of Limerick, Mahon brian brother was willing to accept terms but Brian, seeing almost all of the Dal Cais tribe including his mother brutally murdered by a danish raid when he was only a child, refused to be any part of such a truce. He deserted Mahon with a group of soldiers. Brian and his group of solider attacked danish settlements. They used a mild form of gorilla warfare.
How Brian came to power.
In the year 795 When Vikings started to attack Ireland from Scotland and other places Scandinavia and Normandy.Ui Neill defeated them in all the main areas they controlled. In the towns that the viking occupied they built them up and these towns became very rich .Brain family taught if they got their hands on limerick they would gain power . Nearly overnight they gained controlled over limerick,then Cork and eventually Dublin.
Brian then battled against Ui Neill and he defeated him.It wasn't hard for him to defeat them because Ui Neill had no money, no fleet and Brian used his big Viking boats and other supplies to overthrow the Monopoly.Brian became the king of Scotland.This was a significant achievement because Brian was the first king of Scotland in over 400 years who wasn't a direct descendant of Niall of the 9 hostages.
One of the most famous battle's in history is the "Battle of Clontarf" Dr. Sean Duffy said this battle wasn't to important because Brian Boru didn't truly banish the Vikings because there was still Vikings in Ireland.Brian was murdered during this battle. The reason people called it a victory was because what Brian stopped happening in 1013 the Danes conquered England.
Dr. Sean Duffy's theory was after king Cnut conquered England he taught it would be easy to take Ireland.When Brian overthrown the Ui Neill clang he showed others that it was not impossible to become king if you hadn't got royal blood . 1014 battle of Clantarff preventing the Scandinavians conquering Ireland.
This is one of the main reasons Brian Boru is remembered. he was a great leader and tactician who changed history.
So was Brian Boru important? I'm confused. Should we celebrate the battle of Clontarf of 1014 as a great Irish victory, or did it matter? What would have happened if Brian Boru had not been killed? Was he king of Ireland?
ReplyDeleteAnd where is everyone else?
yes we should still celebrate the victory of the battle of Clontarf of 1014 but we should understand what we are celebrating it wast a big battle against the vikings as its told to be but it stopped the danes conquering Ireland. well when Brian was murdered he was an old man so inevitably he would of died soon enough. when he defeated the UI Nieil clang he became king of Ireland..
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ReplyDeleteFrom the looks of it, brian brou had pretty modern ideas for his time, the way he came to power showed that a person did not have to be "chosen" to be king. comein up with the idea of capturing villages and towns as a way to gain enough strength to take over the island was a pretty revonutionary idea.
ReplyDeleteyea i agree with you there chris his tactics were impeccable. The way he went about gaining control was very impressive. it wast that he was ahead of his time he was just thinking outside the box cause he was a smart man and a flawless leader.
ReplyDeleteIt was very revolutionary and others copied his ideas in the future.
from the lecturer by Dr. Sean Duffy i got the impression that Brian Boru was a brave man, he faught agnest the vikings, which in those times was a very daring and dangerious thing to do as they were barbairans, although Brian boru was himself was indeed a Viking he was only one man, he managed to get teh support of many people in succeding in his quest for control of Ui Neill clang,
ReplyDeletealthought Brian Boru was a brave man, i have to disagree with chris however, i dont think that what he done was revolutionary. yes he did show that you dont have o be chossen as a "king" to be a leader. but in a way he was chosen and he was infact supported by the people otherwise he would not of succedded. its like leo said and i agree with him ....
"it wasnt that he was ahead of his time he was just thinking outside the box " (great point leo well done)
In my opinion one thing is clear from the lecture and that is love him or hate him or dont even know that much about him, you have to admit Brian Boru was a great man..
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ReplyDeleteHe's like Braveheart, the legend inspires more people than the truth ever could
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ReplyDeleteyes i agree with you john love him or hate him you can't take away what he achieved he was a great leader and tactician who proved himself numerous of times in the battle field and the facts are their.
ReplyDeleteChris make up you mind on what your saying your criticizing your previous comment your saying how much of a great man he is you said "comein up with the idea of capturing villages and towns as a way to gain enough strength to take over the island was a pretty revolutionary idea" now your saying he is a fake you keep on putting these extraordinary characters down without backing your points up with facts or even theories. You keep putting Brian down by degrading him by saying his ledgent "inspires more people than the truth"how do you know that. Dr. Sean Duffy didn't mention it in his lecture. He outline how great he was and how he changed history by defeating the UI Neill clang and becoming head king of Ireland. I done further reading on Brian i found out how good of a leader he was how many battles he won, even when he was out numbered he still managed to win battles. So say what you want but he was brilliant .
i still stand by my first comment, but we still dont know that much about him, a lot of it is legend, thats all i meant in the second comment!
ReplyDeletealrite just state what you mean instead of jumping to conclusions. its obvious we dont know everything about people from the past because the lack of literacy.
ReplyDeletechris im sorry but i have to pull you up on your comment " he`s like brave heart, the legend inspirers more people than the truth does"
ReplyDeletewell chris how do you know what the truth is... we dont know nor wil we ever know (not in this life time anyway. and whos to say that the truth if every we did discover it through some mirical of space travil and time wouldnt incourage people more.
the fact is he was a great man weather you love or hate him and myth or fact his spirit lives on in the scotish people. so what if the film help bring it out. the point is they remember the myth in the first place and whos to say its even a myth in fact for all we know it could indeed be the truth..
Hi leo.. Is Ui Neill clang correct or did you mean the Ui Neill Chlann? As in the Irish for O’Neill Family?
ReplyDeleteBrian Boru is extremely important because he was a revolutionary High King he wasn't the last high king however he was the last influential high king. Brian Boru was capable of turning and fighting against tradition and this is why he is remembered as a great and influential high king.
Also Brian Boru had the advantage of towns setting up at ports along the coast this brought money and fleets to the southern half of Ireland. Boru had the economic advantage over the Ui Neills who did not expect a country man from limerick to overthrow them.
Another reason Boru was influential was the fact that he was the first man to show all men that if you had enough Armour, Ships, and Army you could become king and this had nothing to do with your descendents or with God choosing you, this was a huge step in the opposite direction of tradition.
This overthrow of the Ui Neill family is said to have prevented the invasion of Ireland if we throw an eye across the water to England and look at the invasion that took place there in 1013 by the Danes could this pattern have repeated on Ireland if it weren’t for the battle of Clontarf ?? I strongly agree! King Cnut was defeated by Brian Boru and his army in 1014. Boru had defeated king Cnut and his army stopping the invasion of Ireland.
Does that not make him a legend! Wwooowww! He’s a legend!
Oh Oh aint it interesting that Clontarf means-Meadow of the bulls : )
ReplyDeleteThere is not much known about Brian Boru but from what we do no about him it is clear he was a smart man and had a lot of ambition.
ReplyDeletehe was the first high king who was not a descended of the Ui Neill family which is a great achievement considering the fact that it had never been done before, and for him to realise that if he had Limerick he would process a great deal of power is very clever. He knew that he would have a great deal of money coming into the counties that the Ui Neills would not and this would give him a great advantage. Also for him to have the courage to attempt to take over the Ui Neills is amazing.
He showed bravery in the battles and I think his defeat of King Cnut in the battle of Clontarf prevented the invasion of Ireland which would of had a devastating effect on the country.
And Chris he's nothing like Braveheart!! The only reason braveheart’s legend inspires more people than the truth is because many people have only seen the movie, and many important facts where changed to appeal to the 21 century!! We may not no a lot about Brian Boru but what we do is solid facts!
yes i agree with jessica
ReplyDelete"Chris he's nothing like Braveheart!! The only reason braveheart’s legend inspires more people than the truth is because many people have only seen the movie" the movie bravehart cast a shaddow over the truth but in brian case we have facts on his greatness.