Annagassan
Encyclopedia
Annagassan is a village
in the townland
of Ballynagassan, County Louth
, Ireland
. It sits where the River Glyde
enters the Irish Sea
.
It was first mentioned as Linn Duachaill
in AD 841 when the establishment of a Viking
longphort
was recorded. This has subsequently been confirmed by archaeological work.
In 827 the Annals of Ulster record that the Vikings attacked the Ciannachta people of Co. Louth and north Meath. These early raids were sporadic coastal attacks by small seaborne forces; however, from the 830s, a ‘new phase’ was characterised by larger fleets, which penetrated up navigable rivers and plundered extensive inland areas. There is a legend that one such Viking was stranded after a raid and settled there. The locals believe this Viking heritage is evidenced by the long-held residence of a seafaring man of "mythic proportions" and wild Scandinavian appearance and demeanour, known to the villagers as "The Bear".
Annagassan was once as important as the Viking settlement at Dubh Linn (The Black Pool). The modern village is generally believed to be built on what archaologists consider to be a man-made polder structure, constructed to provide shelter for the fjord. The original settlement was located further upstream; navigation was considerably easier on the River Glyde in the 9th century before the intervening build-up of sediment.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Ballynagassan, County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It sits where the River Glyde
River Glyde
The River Glyde rises in the town of Bailieborough in Cavan. Some smaller tributaries of the Glyde are the River Dee and the Killanny Rivers which contain stocks of sea trout and salmon. The Glyde flows in a south-easterly direction before entering the sea at Annagassan in Louth, site of the...
enters the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
.
It was first mentioned as Linn Duachaill
Linn Duachaill
Linn Duachaill is the name of a Viking longphort near the village of Annagassan, County Louth, Ireland. The settlement was built in 841 AD, the same time as the settlement of Dubh Linn, or Dublin...
in AD 841 when the establishment of a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
longphort
Longphort
A longphort is a term used in Ireland for a Viking ship enclosure or shore fortress. Longphorts were originally built to serve as camps for the raiding parties in...
was recorded. This has subsequently been confirmed by archaeological work.
In 827 the Annals of Ulster record that the Vikings attacked the Ciannachta people of Co. Louth and north Meath. These early raids were sporadic coastal attacks by small seaborne forces; however, from the 830s, a ‘new phase’ was characterised by larger fleets, which penetrated up navigable rivers and plundered extensive inland areas. There is a legend that one such Viking was stranded after a raid and settled there. The locals believe this Viking heritage is evidenced by the long-held residence of a seafaring man of "mythic proportions" and wild Scandinavian appearance and demeanour, known to the villagers as "The Bear".
Annagassan was once as important as the Viking settlement at Dubh Linn (The Black Pool). The modern village is generally believed to be built on what archaologists consider to be a man-made polder structure, constructed to provide shelter for the fjord. The original settlement was located further upstream; navigation was considerably easier on the River Glyde in the 9th century before the intervening build-up of sediment.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland