Early Raids
In the 8th century, the coasts of Scandinavia were inhabited by a race of pirates who were known under a variety of names such as Northmen, Ostmen, Vikings or Danes. Initially, they confined their plundering expeditions to places within striking distance of home, but as time passed, they extended the scope of their operations. Their initial raids on Ireland occurred in 795 when Inis Patrick (island off the coast of Skerries) was “burned by foreign plunderers who carried off the shrine of Dochonna.” Reachra of Bregia (Lambay) was devastated about the same time. The Christian communities on these two islands and on Ireland’s Eye were again plundered in 798. After a few more marauding raids on Bregia (Fingal), the Danes took and retained possession of favourable landing places which they fortified and used as bases from which to launch expeditions on a more extensive scale.
