BREAKING STORY: In the famous “Annals of the Four Masters” an epic battle in 999/1,000 AD is described, the Battle of Glenn Máma which was “[…]the decisive and only engagement of the brief Leinster revolt of 999–1000 against the King of Munster, Brian Boru. In it, the combined forces of the Kingdoms of Munster and Meath, under King Brian Boru and the High King of Ireland, Máel Sechnaill II, inflicted a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin, led by King Máel Mórda of Leinster.” (Source: Wikipedia) . Máel Mórda’s men escaped in three directions, one of which was likely through (Lis)Caille, the land beside St. Finian’s church. We know that in 1229, 2 acres of land from Liscaillah/Liscayllah, land adjacent to the church in Esker, was given to the Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral by the King Henry II, for ever, see image below. However, even earlier than that, in AD 999/1,000 these Leinstermen and Dublin armies who were fleeing the Battle of Glenn Máma at Lyons Hill, Ardclough, Kildare, fled North-East to Dublin (likely) through Liscaillah*, as recorded in the Annals of the Four Master’s:
“People will come to Glenn Máma – (Lyons Hill) It will not be a mere laying of hands (=an easy matter) – Persons will drink a deadly draught Around the Cloch (stone) in Claen Congair (the slope of the house) The rout will be routed forth with victory Until it reaches beyond *Caille* (?) northwards, And beautiful Ath Cliath (Dublin) will be burnt After an irruption over Laighenmhaigh (Leinster plain) “
See the possible route of the Leinstermen’s and the men of Norweigian King Sygtrygg Silkbeard of Dublin’s retreat marked in red, on the map image below. After passing through the lands of Liscaillah at St. Finian’s church, I suspect that they likely used the River Liffey to retreat to Dublin at speed. It is recorded that many were slaughtered at fording points along the Liffey. The King of Munster, Brian Boru, was victorious and assumed power in Dublin. Interestingly, the daughter of Brian Boru, Sláine, was married to Sygtrygg Silkbeard of Dublin, the man he defeated (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigtrygg_Silkbeard)
Read about the location of Caille/Liscaillah, discussed in full here in THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD OF GLENN MÁMA AD 1000 By JOSEPH H LLOYD, MRIA Published in the Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol. VII, No. 6 (July 1914) and read more about about the Battle of Glenn Máma here.
Image below is from: Calendar of documents relating to Ireland: preserved in Her Majesty’s Public Record Office, London, Volume 1 Great Britain. Public Record Office, Dublin, 1875 – Archives
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