Vikings in Early Medieval Ireland

The late COLMÁN ETCHINGHAM was a Lecturer in History at Maynooth University.

• Part I: Annals and the Chronology, Distribution and Purpose of Viking Raids on Irish Churches1. Introductory: Agenda, Methodology, Interpretation and Sources2. The Chronology of Viking Church Raids3. The Regional Distribution of Viking Church Raids4. The Immediate Purpose of Viking Church Raids5. Viking Raiding of Churches and Politics: Quantitative AnalysisAppendix 1: Catalogue of Viking Raids on Irish Churches in the Annals, 795-1015Appendix 2: Catalogue of Viking Raids on Irish Churches Unique to Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib, 795-1015Part II: Viking Kings and the Broader Context of Raids on Churches6. Early Viking Church Raiders and the Emergence of Political Purpose7. The Mid-Ninth-Century Crisis: Laithlinn, 'Fair Foreigners' and 'Black Foreigners'8. Church Raiding and Politics in the Era of Amlaíb and Ímar9. Church Raiding and Politics in the Later Ninth Century10. Exile, Return and the Dublin-York Axis: The Context of Church Raiding, 914- 94111. York Lost and Dublin Re-Orientated: Amlaíb Cúarán, 941-98012. Church Raiding and Subjugated Vikings, 980-101413. EpilogueBibliographyIndex

Etchingham's research is a splendid read and possibly one of the best choices for a first overview of the scholarly discussions on Vikings in early medieval Ireland. His dense source work and his skills in reading and comparing Frankish, Anglo-Saxon, and Irish material are remarkable. The angle Etchingham chose to observe Viking activity in Ireland is crucial and an important contribution to the field ... Hence, I can warmly recommend this book and encourage this dive into scholarly debates and Viking warfare.