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SCANDINAVIAN ANTIQUITIES OF DUBLIN'. C9
CHAPTER VIII. BOOK i.
Aulaf, King of Dublin, attempts to recover Northumberland Is defeated
by Athelstan at Brunanburg. Returns to Dublin The Irish besiege
Dublin.
WHILE Athelstan was thus providing for the govern- Auiaf prepares
nient of Northumbria Aulaf, King of Dublin, was pre- Nonhumber-
paring to assert his right to it. "The foreigners of Loch
Erne," 1
under the command of " Amhlaeibh Ceann-
chairech, 2 had crossed Breifne (Cavan and Leitrim) to
Loch Kibh, and had remained there for seven months
plundering the country on the banks of the Shannon.3
Their assistance, however, was now required, and
in 936 " Amhlaeibh, the son of Godfrey, lord of the
foreigners, came at Lammas from Ath Cliath, and
carried offAmhlaeibh Ceannchairech from Loch Ribh,
and the foreigners that were with him." 4 Aulaf 's pre-
parations being complete " the Danes of the North with his allies,
of Ireland "5 and " the foreigners of Ath Cliath left Dublin, A.D.
937
their fortress, and went to England," 6 where they
were joined by Howel Dha. 7
King of Wales, Theyiard at
*-
/
the mouth of
'
Hryngr "
(Eric), son of Harald Blaatand, 8 and the number.
1 Ann. 4 Mast., A.D. 934 (=935); "The foreigners deserted Ath-
Crymogaea, p. 127. cliath by the help of God and Mac-
2 Aulaf Ceannchairech that is, tail." Ann. Ulst. A.D. 931 (=937).
"of the scabbed head." Aulaf is 7 Harald Blaataud was son of
called the Red King of Scotland. Gormo Grandaevus, King of East
s Ann. 4 Mast., 934. Anglia, who died A.D. 931 (=935).
4 During the absence of Aulaf on Harald reigned fifty years. Hams-
this or some other expedition, Dublin fort Chron. ; Ann. Barthelin, 935.
was burned by Donnchadh, son of 8 Langebek, vol. ii., p. 1 48. It
Fknn, King of Ireland. The Annals adds that Ilrynkr (or Ilerich or
of the Four Masters places Aulafs Eric) was killed in Northumbria :
expedition to Loch Ribh in 935, doubtless he was killed at Brun.
and the burning of Dublin in 934. anburg. See Egil's Sajra, and
Ann. Clonmac., A.D. 931 Ann. Ulst., A.D. 931 (=937), where
( = 937). lie is called u Imar, the King of
6 Ann. 4 Mast., A.D. 937, ?ay - Denmark's own son."