History of County Wexford - Arrival of The Normans

Arrival of The Normans

Wexford was the site of an invasion by Normans in 1169 at the behest of Diarmuid Mac Murrough, King of Uí Cheinnsealaig and King of Leinster (Laigin), which led to the subsequent colonisation of the country by the Anglo-Normans.

Áed Ua Crimthainn writing three years earlier, in 1166, wrote the following in the Book of Leinster regarding Diarmuid's (or Diarmait's) expulsion:

Diarmait enlisted help abroad and received it principally in Wales. In 1169, a group of Normans commanded by Robert Fitz-Stephen landed near Bannow in three ships (at Bannow Island, since joined to the mainland by the process of silting).

Diarmait himself had returned to Ireland shortly before this, possibly as early as August 1167, with a small force – that included Richard FitzGodebert, and a small number of Knights and Archers. Another force under Raymond le Gros landed at Baginbun (then called Dún Domhnaill) in 1170. Mac Murrough died in 1171 and was buried at Ferns. His Kingdom, since regained, passed to Strongbow (Richard de Clare), contrary to Irish custom. Strongbow had married Aoife (or Eva), Diarmait's daughter, in 1170. Strongbow, after first submitting to the King, parcelled out these lands to his followers according to feudal law.

A 1247 list of Knight's fees includes the following names of the new 'owners': de Heddon (Hayden), Howel, de London, de Bosco, Chever (Cheevers), Brun (Browne), Ketting (Keating), Purcell, de Wythay (Whitty), Cod (Codd), de Prendelgast (Prendergast), and de Rupe (Roche) . In 1324 the names Deverous (Devereux), le Poeur (Power), Synod (Synott or Sinnott), Hey (Hay or Hayes), and FitzHenry, are also listed – as are many others not included here. Most of these names are still widespread in the County today. Furlong, Sutton, and Lambert were, and are, also prominent Norman names in County Wexford.

Wexford, particularly the baronies of Bargy and Forth, saw one of the most heavy concentrations of medieval English settlements in Ireland. This area was once known as the 'Wexford Pale'. An old dialect of English, known as Yola, was spoken uniquely in Wexford up until the 19th century. The north of the county remained Gaelic Irish in character, predominantly under the control of the MacMurrough Kavanagh clan.

During the Norman period, important towns existed at Bannow and Clonmines. However, these declined in importance over time. The Norman town of Bannow (erroneously thought by some to have been reclaimed by the sea)was gradually abandoned due to the silting up of Bannow Bay and an early Norman Church can still be seen there today.