Loch Garman: A Novel of Viking Age Ireland (The Norsemen Saga Book 7)

by James L. Nelson

  He watched and he let his rage build. He had defied Abbot Columb once, joining with Airtre to turn on the heathens. He had been wracked with guilt over that decision, but the guilt had passed, and in its place a sense that he had done exactly the right thing. The heathens were a blight, they were a curse. They were the work of Satan. They had to be. God would not allow such a pestilence to plague Ireland, a land that was, before all others, true to His word, and preserving His works.

  These vermin had to be crushed, had to be thrown out of Ireland just as God had thrown Lucifer from Paradise. It was God’s will.

  Bécc mac Carthach scowled at the heathen camp a mile away. He felt the sun, warm on his mail shirt. He spoke out loud, his voice no more than a whisper.

  “His will be done.”

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  Other books in The Norsemen Saga:

  Fin Gall

  Dubh-Linn

  The Lord of Vík-ló

  Glendalough Fair

  Night Wolf

  Raider’s Wake

  Historical Note

  The impact of nearly three hundred years of Norse raiding and settling, trading and intermarrying, during the medieval period in Ireland, left a profound mark on that country, one that is clearly visible to this day. Settlement patterns, architecture, urbanization, artistic styles, all were affected by the interaction of Irish and Viking. DNA tests of most modern Irishmen and women will reveal a not insignificant amount of Norse blood in their veins. Even the red hair so strongly associated with the Irish might well have been originally a Norse trait.

  The intersection of Irish and Viking is also seen in Norse words, known as “loanwords,” that became part of the Irish language. To be sure, such loanwords are less common in Gaelic than in English, perhaps because English and Norse were both Germanic languages, and thus more closely related. Gaelic, a member of the Celtic language family, was entirely unrelated to Norse, making it less likely that they might influence one another. Yet still some Norse words worked their way into the Irish language.

  Most of the Norse loanwords in Irish, interestingly enough, have to do with shipbuilding and seamanship. Terms such as the Norse skaut, meaning a “sheet,” became the Irish scód, and styri, meaning “rudder,” became the Gaelic stiúir. The predominance of Norse loanwords in Irish maritime terminology would suggest that the Irish were not a particularly seafaring people before the coming of the Vikings.

  Norse place-names, that is, towns with names of Norse origin, are yet another marker of the Vikings’ influence, though, like loanwords, there are fewer Norse place-names in Ireland than in England. Many Irish urban centers originated as Viking settlements, or longphorts, but retained their Gaelic names. The most obvious example of this is Dublin—originally Dubh-linn—a Gaelic term meaning “Black Pool.” Despite its becoming the largest of all the Viking towns, and the largest urban center in Ireland, it retained its local name.

  The same was not true for many other Viking settlements, most of which tended to be on high ground overlooking tidal river estuaries. Wicklow, settled first by the Vikings, gets its name from the Norse vík meaning “a bay,” and ló, meaning a grassy meadow. In the original Norse it is Vík-ló, “a grassy meadow by the bay.” Irish towns that end in “ford” such as Carlingford and Waterford have their origins in the Norse “fiord,” an inlet from the sea.

  By the same token, the town of Wexford gets its name from the Vikings who settled there. The area was known to the Irish as “Loch Garman,” or “the lake of Garman,” named for Garman Garbh who, legend has it, was drowned on the mudflats by waters released by an Enchantress (there are various versions of the tale, as there tends to be with such things). To the Norsemen who settled there, the longphort was known as “Waesfiord,” meaning “inlet of the mudflats,” not the most inspiring of place-names.

  Loch Garman, or Waesfiord, was located at the mouth of Slaney River, in what was then called Laigin, now part of modern-day Leinster. Also in Laigin was the monastery at Ferns. Ferns was an important monastic center, and as such often fell victim to Viking depredations. However, between 853 and 873, the annals reflect a drop-off in Viking raids, which some historians interpret as evidence of Viking integration into Irish society. Rather than simply raiding, the Vikings may have been engaged in more peaceful interactions, such as genuine trade. Such a shift might even have left Thorgrim Night Wolf willing to pay the Irish for what he needed, rather than simply take it.

  Regarding precious metals, silver was by far the most common in the medieval world, but gold was also available to the Irish and used primarily for such decorative purposes as filigree or gilding. The question for historians is, where did the gold come from? Undoubtedly from several sources. Since gold does not corrode it can be melted down and used over and over again. Thus some of the gold used in the medieval period might well have been recycled from earlier times. Gold was certainly imported as well. Currency had a surprisingly wide circulation, thanks largely to the Vikings, and coins from Frankia, the Arab world and even late Rome and Byzantium have found their way to Ireland.

  But those were not the only sources for Irish gold. Ireland itself was a source for much of the gold that adorned the churches and the wealthy. The early records contain numerous references to gold mining in Ireland, and that precious metal is still found there today, with Leinster being one of the most abundant locations. In 1795 enough gold was found in County Wicklow to spark a gold rush, one so intense that the militia had to be called up to stop it. Thus, though the Mine of St. Aiden is fictitious, it is entirely plausible that such a thing might have existed.

  Glossary

  adze – a tool much like an ax but with the blade set at a right angle to the handle.

  Ægir – Norse god of the sea. In Norse mythology he was also the host of great feasts for the gods.

  Asgard – the dwelling place of the Norse gods and goddesses, essentially the Norse heaven.

  athwartships – at a right angle to the centerline of a vessel.

  beitass – a wooden pole, or spar, secured to the side of a ship on the after end and leading forward to which the corner, or clew, of a sail could be secured.

  berserkir – a Viking warrior able to work himself up into a frenzy of blood-lust before a battle. The berserkirs, near psychopathic killers in battle, were the fiercest of the Viking soldiers. The word berserkir comes from the Norse for “bear shirt” and is the origin of the modern English “berserk”.

  block – nautical term for a pulley.

  boss – the round, iron centerpiece of a wooden shield. The boss formed and iron cup protruding from the front of the shield, providing a hollow in the back across which ran the hand grip.

  bothach – Gaelic term for poor tenant farmers, serfs

  brace – line used for hauling a yard side to side on a horizontal plane. Used to adjust the angle of the sail to the wind.

  brat – a rectangular cloth worn in various configurations as an outer garment over a leine.

  bride-price – money paid by the family of the groom to the family of the bride.

  byrdingr – A smaller ocean-going cargo vessel used by the Norsemen for trade and transportation. Generally about 40 feet in length, the byrdingr was a smaller version of the more well-known knarr.

  cable – a measure of approximately 600 feet.

  clench nail – a type of nail that, after being driven through a board, has a type of washer called a rove placed over the end and is then bent over to secure it in place.

  clew – one of the lower corners of a square sail, to which the sheet is attached.

  curach – a boat, unique to Ireland, made of a wood frame covered in hide. They ranged in size, the largest propelled by sail and capable of carrying
several tons. The most common sea-going craft of mediaeval Ireland. Curach was the Gaelic word for boat which later became the word curragh.

  dagmál – breakfast time

  derbfine – In Irish law, a family of four generations, including a man, his sons, grandsons and great grandsons.

  dragon ship – the largest of the Viking warships, upwards of 160 feet long and able to carry as many as 300 men. Dragon ships were the flagships of the fleet, the ships of kings.

  dubh gall – Gaelic term for Vikings of Danish descent. It means Black Strangers, a reference to the mail armor they wore, made dark by the oil used to preserve it. See fin gall.

  ell – a unit of length, a little more than a yard.

  eyrir – Scandinavian unit of measurement, approximately an ounce.

  félag – a fellowship of men who owed each other a mutual obligation, such as multiple owners of a ship, or a band or warriors who had sworn allegiance to one another.

  figurehead – ornamental carving on the bow of a ship.

  fin gall – Gaelic term for Vikings of Norwegian descent. It means White Strangers. See dubh gall.

  forestay – a rope running from the top of a ship’s mast to the bow used to support the mast.

  Frisia – a region in the northern part of the modern-day Netherlands.

  Freya – Norse goddess of beauty and love, she was also associated with warriors, as many of the Norse deity were. Freya often led the Valkyrie to the battlefield.

  gallows – tall, T-shaped posts on the ship’s centerline, forward of the mast, on which the oars and yard were stored when not in use.

  hack silver – pieces of silver from larger units cut up for distribution.

  halyard – a line by which a sail or a yard is raised.

  Haustmánudur – early autumn. Literally, harvest-month.

  Hel – in Norse mythology, the daughter of Loki and the ruler of the underworld where those who are not raised up to Valhalla are sent to suffer. The same name, Hel, is given to the realm over which she rules, the Norse hell.

  hólmganga – a formal, organized duel fought in a marked off area between two men.

  hird – an elite corps of Viking warriors hired and maintained by a king or powerful jarl. Unlike most Viking warrior groups, which would assemble and disperse at will, the hird was retained as a semi-permanent force which formed the core of a Viking army.

  hirdsman – a warrior who is a member of the hird.

  jarl – title given to a man of high rank. A jarl might be an independent ruler or subordinate to a king. Jarl is the origin of the English word earl.

  Jörmungandr – in Norse mythology, a vast sea serpent that surrounds the earth, grasping its own tail.

  knarr – a Norse merchant vessel. Smaller, wider and more sturdy than the longship, knarrs were the workhorse of Norse trade, carrying cargo and settlers wherever the Norsemen traveled.

  Laigin – Medieval name for the modern-day county of Leinster in the south east corner of Ireland.

  league – a distance of three miles.

  lee shore – land that is downwind of a ship, on which a ship is in danger of being driven.

  leeward – down wind.

  leech – either one of the two vertical edges of a square sail.

  leine – a long, loose-fitting smock worn by men and women under other clothing. Similar to the shift of a later period.

  levies – conscripted soldiers of 9th century warfare.

  Loki – Norse god of fire and free spirits. Loki was mischievous and his tricks caused great trouble for the gods, for which he was punished.

  longphort – literally, a ship fortress. A small, fortified port to protect shipping and serve as a center of commerce and a launching off point for raiding.

  luchrupán – Middle Irish word that became the modern-day leprechaun.

  luff – the shivering of a sail when its edge is pointed into the wind and the wind strikes it on both sides.

  Midgard – one of nine worlds in Norse mythology, it is the earth, the world known and visible to humans.

  Niflheim – the World of Fog. One of the nine worlds in Norse mythology, somewhat analogous to Hell, the afterlife for people who do not die honorable deaths.

  Njord – Norse god of the sea and seafaring.

  Odin – foremost of the Norse gods. Odin was the god of wisdom and war, protector of both chieftains and poets.

  oénach – a major fair, often held on a feast day in an area bordered by two territories.

  perch – a unit of measure equal to 16½ feet. The same as a rod.

  Ragnarok – the mythical final battle when most humans and gods would be killed by the forces of evil and the earth destroyed, only to rise again, purified.

  rath – Gaelic word for a ringfort. Many Irish place names still contain the word Rath.

  rod – a unit of measure equal to 16½ feet. The same as a perch

  rove – a square washer used to fasten the planks of a longship. A nail is driven through the plank and the hole in the washer and then bent over.

  ringfort – common Irish homestead, consisting of houses protected by circular earthwork and palisade walls.

  rí túaithe – Gaelic term for a minor king, who would owe allegiance to nobles higher in rank.

  rí tuath – a minor king who is lord over several rí túaithe.

  rí ruirech – a supreme or provincial king, to whom the rí tuath owe allegiance.

  sceattas – small, thick silver coins minted in England and Frisia in the early Middle Ages.

  seax – any of a variety of edged weapons longer than a knife but shorter and lighter than a typical sword.

  sheer strake – the uppermost plank, or strake, of a boat or ship’s hull. On a Viking ship the sheer strake would form the upper edge of the ship’s hull.

  sheet – a rope that controls a sail. In the case of a square sail the sheets pull the clews down to hold the sail so the wind can fill it.

  shieldwall – a defensive wall formed by soldiers standing in line with shields overlapping.

  shroud – a heavy rope streching from the top of the mast to the ship’s side that prevents the mast from falling sideways.

  skald – a Viking-era poet, generally one attached to a royal court. The skalds wrote a very stylized type of verse particular to the medieval Scandinavians. Poetry was an important part of Viking culture and the ability to write it a highly-regarded skill.

  sling - the center portion of the yard.

  spar – generic term used for any of the masts or yards that are part of a ship’s rig.

  stem – the curved timber that forms the bow of the ship. On Viking ships the stem extended well above the upper edge of the ship and the figurehead was mounted there.

  strake – one of the wooden planks that make up the hull of a ship. The construction technique, used by the Norsemen, in which one strake overlaps the one below it is called lapstrake construction.

  swine array – a Viking battle formation consisting of a wedge-shaped arrangement of men used to attack a shield wall or other defensive position.

  tánaise ríg – Gaelic term for heir apparent, the man assumed to be next in line for a kingship.

  thing – a communal assembly

  Thor – Norse god of storms and wind, but also the protector of humans and the other gods. Thor’s chosen weapon was a hammer. Hammer amulets were popular with Norsemen in the same way that crosses are popular with Christians.

  thrall – Norse term for a slave. Origin of the English word “enthrall”.

  thwart – a rower’s seat in a boat. From the Old Norse term meaning “across.”

  tuath – a minor kingdom in medieval Ireland that consisted of several túaithe.

  túaithe – a further subdivision of a kingdom, ruled by a rí túaithe

  Ulfberht – a particular make of sword crafted in the Germanic countries and inscribed with the name Ulfberht or some variant. Though it is not clear who Ulfberht was, the swords that bore his name
were of the highest quality and much prized.

  unstep – to take a mast down. To put a mast in place is to step the mast.

  Valhalla – a great hall in Asgard where slain warriors would go to feast, drink and fight until the coming of Ragnarok.

  Valkyrie – female spirits of Norse mythology who gathered the spirits of the dead from the battle field and escorted them to Valhalla. They were the Choosers of the Slain, and though later romantically portrayed as Odin’s warrior handmaidens, they were originally viewed more demonically, as spirits who devoured the corpses of the dead.

  vantnale – a wooden lever attached to the lower end of a shroud and used to make the shroud fast and to tension it.

  varonn – spring time. Literally “spring work” in Old Norse.

  Vik – An area of Norway south of modern-day Oslo. The name is possibly the origin of the term Viking.

  wattle and daub – common medieval technique for building walls. Small sticks were woven through larger uprights to form the wattle, and the structure was plastered with mud or plaster, the daub.

  weather – closest to the direction from which the wind is blowing, when used to indicate the position of something relative to the wind.

  wergild – the fine imposed for taking a man’s life. The amount of the wergild was dependent on the victim’s social standing.

  yard – a long, tapered timber from which a sail was suspended. When a Viking ship was not under sail, the yard was turned lengthwise and lowered to near the deck with the sail lashed to it.

  Acknowledgements

  Once again, in the process of creating a new chapter in the saga of Thorgrim Night Wolf, I have been blessed by the contribution of many talented individuals. Thanks once more to Steve Cromwell for the cover design and to Alistair Corbett for his terrific photographic skills. Thanks to Alicia Street at iProofread and More for cleaning up my numerous errors (and saving me from more than one embarrassing goof!). Thanks to Nat Sobel and Judith Weber and all the folks at Sobel Weber Associates, Inc. for sheparding this series into audiobooks as well as translations in Spanish, German and Russian. And a special thanks to Chris Boyle who kindly provided the maps for this and earlier works in the series. They are something the books have long needed, and I can’t say enough about the quality job he did in crafting them.