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Brian Ború Heritage First Church in Ireland in 445Ad

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It was only after he had achieved this MAP honour that he set his eyes on further TRAIL advancement by working towards his final goal: to become High-king of Ireland. As TIPPERARY opposed to other sites connected with Brian Boru, the royal Munster seat of kingship survives as a magnificent and DUBLIN much-visited site. CASHEL (52.5199, -7.8903) www.cashel.ie CLARE Tobermurragh Tobermurragh or Murrough’s Well, is ARMAGH situated near the Pier Head in Killaloe. It is here that, according to tradition, Brian’s BRIAN KILLALOE son Murrough was baptised. The well is now enclosed and covered by a red ARMAGH Kincora BALLINA brick building built at the end of the 19th century. St Patrick’s Cathedral The twin towns of Killaloe Ballina sit on KILLALOE, (52.8090, -8.4482) the banks of beautiful Lough Derg and www.killaloeballina.ie/brianboru.html BORÚ As Irelands oldest City, Armagh has a there are many fine restaurants, shops distinct historical and cultural legacy. and café’s within their streets. Must see Known as the Ancient Cathedral City, it attractions include St Lua’s Oratory, St. is here where Saint Patrick founded his Flannan’s Cathedral, Brian Ború Heritage first church in Ireland in 445ad. Saint Centre, Tobermurragh, Beal Ború and Early Life Patricks Church of Ireland Cathedral is Crag Liath. Killaloe Ballina boasts heritage also the burial place of the great Irish High town designation and their magnificent arched bridge plays a pivotal role in Brian Ború, son of Cinnéide and Bé Bhoinn, was born in 941 at Killaloe. King, Brian Ború, who was buried in the Brian Ború Heritage Centre Cathedral in 1014ad. connecting County Clare to County His family belonged to the Uí Toirdealbhaigh – a Dalcassian tribe who had Tipperary. Located beside Killaloe bridge, the settled here hundreds of years earlier at Grianán Lachtna on the slopes of To secure his position as High King of CLONTARF Instead of taking his seat at Tara or Brian Ború Heritage Centre serves as an Crag Hill. Brian’s father and his grandfather Lorcán were the first of his Ireland, Brian needed to have influence on The Promenade Cashel, Brian Ború ruled over Ireland information centre, tourist office, shop from his palace at Kincora. The site, at and community library. The centre charts family to rise to prominence leading their tribe against the Vikings. the province of Ulster. It was during this time that Brian pursued an alternate means the top of the hill, had panoramic views the history of the town especially the life of consolidating his control. At the time, Walk back in time along a 3km Battle of of the river and surrounding countryside. of Brian Ború. Admission applies. the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland was Clontarf Heritage Trail on the beautiful The site is now occupied by St. Flannan’s KILLALOE, (52.8075, -8.4403) The Vikings centered on monasteries. Brian recognised seaside promenade at Clontarf, Dublin. Church, St. Lua’s oratory and The Green. www.shannonheritage.com/ DaytimeAttractions/BrianBoruHeritageCentre Armagh as being one of these important No trace of the Palace remains. (52.8069 -8.4444) monasteries and it is documented in the Nestled between the magnificent Saint KILLALOE, Brian’s father Cinnéide died in battle in 951 and Mahon took over www.clarelibrary.ie leadership of the Dalcassians. Brian convinced a reluctant Mahon to ‘Book of Armagh’ that in 1004 Brian left Anne’s Park and Fairview Park, Clontarf has lots to offer the visitor. Once an old B twenty-two ounces of gold on St. Patrick’s F defend their territories against the Vikings and together they drove them alter and declared that Armagh was the fishing village it is now a modern coastal A R from Cashel and Limerick paving the way for Mahon to become King of T suburb with a host of amenities from T religious capital of Ireland. This was a A T Munster in 970. Following Mahon’s murder by rival Munster chiefs, Brian clever move by Brian, as the supremacy businesses, restaurants and cafes to suit L E N all tastes and just three miles from Dublin of the monastery in Armagh would only O O L led his tribe and avenged his brother’s death. He attacked Scattery Island, F last as long as Brian remained High King. City Centre. C routing Vikings and killing their leader Ivar. He then turned his attention Therefore, it was in the interest of Armagh to Donovan and Molloy who were responsible for Mahon’s death and – with all its wealth and power – to Clontarf is renowned as the location of they too were killed. Brian now consolidated his position in Munster with support Brian. the famous battle on Good Friday, April Crag Liath, Greenanlaghna & Carrig Aoibheal the marriage of his daughter to Molloy’s son. His inauguration as King of 1014. This was the deciding battle in the St Lua’s Oratory Following the death of Brian in the Battle long career of Ireland’s High King Brian Munster took place at Cashel in 977. The hill of Crag Liath slopes down to the of Clontarf, his body was taken from Boru and was the culmination of a revolt St. Lua’s oratory in the grounds of St. road near Beal Ború. On its south-eastern Clontarf to Armagh, where the clergy of against Brian by the King of Leinster Flannan’s Catholic Church originally stood slope lies Greenanlaghna, the remains of Armagh held a wake that lasted twelve and the Vikings of Dublin that started on Inis Lua on the River Shannon just a fort associated with Brian Ború’s family. High King of Ireland days. Following this, Brian’s body was in 1013. Brian and his army (which also south of Killaloe. It is an early example of On the northern slope is a great projecting buried on the north side of the high alter to included Vikings) laid siege to Dublin a nave-and-chancel church. It was likely rock, 6 metres high known as Carraig Although Brian continued to defend against invading Vikings he allowed which he had previously donated gold. from September to Christmas 1013. The to have been built around the 10th or Aoibheal or Aoibheal’s Rock, home to the 0,//(11,80 final confrontation was at the Battle 11th century. those Vikings who had settled and established commercial activities to ARMAGH (54.3478 -6.6564) banshee Aoibheal. www.armagh.co.uk of Clontarf on Good Friday, 23rd April KILLALOE, (52.8069, -8.4444) Killaloe, (52.8390, -8.4672) continue to operate. Some Vikings sided with Brian in his battles against 1014. The battle raged from sunrise until www.killaloeballina.ie/churchesandoratories. www.clarelibrary.ie plundering Vikings. evening, resulting in heavy casualties on html both sides. Brian’s army defeated the combined armies of Leinster and Dublin Brian and the High King Malachy at times cooperated in their battles who were reinforced by Vikings from the against the Vikings, but their political rivalry continued. At one stage they Western and Northern Isles and the Isle divided control of the country between them with Malachy reigning in the of Man. Northern half and Brian in the South. But Brian had ambitions to unite the There are varying opinions as to the whole country. In 999 they successfully captured Dublin from the Vikings actual location of the battle and how and Brian strengthened his position by marrying Gormlaith, Sitric’s mother. many died, but the final push of the St Flannan’s Cathedral & Oratory Between then and 1002 Brian demanded Malachy’s abdication. Finally battle took place on the then seafront in Tountinna The Graves of the Leinstermen Malachy, unable to gain support of the northern Uí Neills, abdicated and Clontarf. As the Vikings retreated to their Built in the 13th century, St. Flannan’s longships they were slaughtered by Brian’s Cathedral stands on the west bank of Brian became High King or Ard Rí of a united Ireland. Tountinna is the highest peak of the Arra army or drowned by the incoming tide. the Shannon. The Cathedral is home to Mountain range. On the heathery slopes, Brian’s army won the day, but the aged a number of stone features including a beside the road are the remains of a The tide began to change in 1013 with a revolt against Brian by Leinstermen High King was killed by a fleeing Viking Romanesque Doorway, an Ogham Stone pre-historic chamber tomb, known as the aided by Dublin Vikings. Vikings in Munster too were getting more active. CASHEL named Brodar from the Isle of Man, as he thought to date back to 1000AD, a 12th Graves of the Leinstermen. The Graves Rock of Cashel prayed in his tent after the battle. Brian’s century high cross, an ornately carved consist of a line of small slate slabs. There The spark that led to the Battle of Clontarf may have been a dispute during son Murrough and his grandson Turlough font and a magnificent East Window. is a low earthen mound to the north of Every effort has been made to ensure the a game of chess at Kincora. Vikings from the Isle of Man, Orkney Islands also died at Clontarf. An 11th century Romanesque oratory is the chief slab. These slabs are Bronze Age information in this guide is correct, however CLONTARF ( 53.3601, -6.2059) adjacent to the Cathedral. and Hebrides came to the aid of Sitric at Gormlaith’s request. Cashel, Co. Tipperary is a thriving town and date no later than 1000BC.
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