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"Yric, son of Harald" (i.e., Eric Bloodaxe, late King of
Norway) on the throne.[1]
Henceforward Olaf limited his activities to Ireland,
where he reigned, the most famous of the Dublin Kings,
for some thirty years. In 980, having summoned auxiliaries
from the Scottish isles and Man, he prepared to attack the
árd-rí, Maelsechnaill II. A fierce battle was fought between
them at Tara in which the Norse armies were completely
routed, Olaf’s son Raghnall being among the slain. Maelsechnaill
followed up this victory by a three days’ siege
of Dublin, after which he carried off a number of hostages
from the Norsemen, and also obtained from them 2,000
kine, together with jewels and various other treasures.[2]
Olaf himself, utterly disheartened by his defeat, went on
pilgrimage to Iona, where he died soon after.
Some fifteen years before, a severe blow had been struck
at the power of the Limerick Vikings under Ivarr, grandson
of Ivarr and his sons. The attack made on them at Sulcoit
(968) by two princes of the Dal Cais, the brothers
Mathgamain and Brian, resulted in victory for the Irish,
who took Limerick shortly after.[3] Mathgamain was
treacherously murdered in 976, and Brian then became
King of Thomond. He soon brought the Kingdoms of
Ossory and Leinster under his control, and by the terms
of a treaty made in 998 Maelsechnaill consented to leave
Brian master of Leth Mogha (i.e., the southern half of
Ireland). The Leinstermen under King Maelmordha,
dissatisfied with this arrangement, began to make trouble
and revolted, assisted by the Dublin Norsemen. An important
victory was gained over their combined armies at
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