Battle of Tara 980
Marker: recorded battle location (no official boundary).
Key facts
| Date (year) | 980 | Wikidata P585 point in time |
|---|---|---|
| Century | 10th century | derived |
| Period | Early medieval, Anglo-Saxon & Viking | derived |
| Country | Ireland | derived |
| Participants | Kingdom of Meath | Wikidata |
About the battle
The Battle of Tara was fought between the Gaelic Irish of Meath, led by Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, and the Norse Vikings of Dublin, led by Amlaíb Cuarán. It took place near the Hill of Tara in Ireland in the year 980. From the period of 950-980 AD, the Vikings had formed temporary alliances with certain Irish clans, enabling them to continue their perennial raids and plunder of the island, however they faced resistance from an alliance of Irish rulers who wanted to eliminate the Viking presence in southern Ireland. The battle was a devastating defeat for the Vikings and led to the Irish regaining control of Dublin.
Visiting the battlefield
The battle took place near the Hill of Tara in Ireland, which is an ancient ceremonial burial site and the location of the Lia Fáil (Stone of Destiny) which was a place of inauguration and the seat of power for the High Kings of Ireland. It is assumed by historians that the defence of this sacred site, which also appears in Irish mythology, against the foreign Norse Vikings would have been a rallying point for many local Irishmen.
Location
- Recorded location (Wikidata; may be approximate): 53.5775, -6.6119
Battlefields are often on private farmland: please keep to public rights of way and respect landowners.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Battle of Tara (Ireland) (revision 1370590540), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section and section(s) “Location”; condensed by selecting paragraphs; citations removed. No text added.
Battle location from Wikidata (CC0).
Nearby battlefields
- Battle of Tara Hill 1798 · 0 km
- Battle of Dungan's Hill 1647 · 16 km
- Battle of the Boyne 1690 · 20 km
- Battle of Portlester 1643 · 24 km
- Battle of Kells 1315 · 24 km
- Battle of Julianstown 1641 · 24 km
Browse more: battles in Ireland · Early medieval, Anglo-Saxon & Viking · 10th century battles