Niall Glundubh mac Áedo: Part II By M.A.O’Neill

The high degree of association between the progenitor of the O’Neill’s and the Vikings is well documented. Only thing it’s ignored and dismissed by many who wish to pursue their own agenda. It will be against the status quo for the Royal House of O’Neill to be of a Scandinavian origin and not Celtic one. For years many of the O’Neill and those who research the origins of the O’Neill rely on the Annals of Ulster, Annals of the Four Master and various other Irish works, yet they do not really look into other sources and when they do they dismiss them.

If the Anglo Saxon Chronicles are correct and Niall Glundubh mac Áedo was the brother of Sigtrygg “Squint Eyed” died in 927, he was the Norse King of Dublin who later reigned as King of York. (Other brothers were Ragnall d. 921, Olaf, Ivarr d. 904, and Gofraid d. 934.) How Niall Glundubh mac Áedo gained position within the Ui Neill clan is a subject to a real study.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicles A.D. 921

This year King Edward repaired the town of Gladmouth; and the same year King Sihtric slew Neil his brother.

Certain clues are available with the children of Niall Glundubh mac Áedo:

The most famous is Muirchertach ‘of the Leather Cloaks’ mac Neill, died on February 26, 943; slain in the battle of Ath-Fhirdiath.  He was killed by the Viking King of Dublin, Blácaire mac Gofrith. I’ve yet to read of any other Irish King to have taken a fleet, as far as, the Hebrides to give battle to the Vikings. 

The second son of Niall was Conaing mac Neill, who died circa 937.

1. The Annals of the Four Masters record that “Conaing son of Niall and the foreigners of Loch Eathach” won a battle “over the province of Ulidia” in 931.
2.  The Annals of Inisfallen record the death in 937 of “Conaing son of Niall.”
3. The Annals of Ulster record the death in 937 of "Conaing son of Niall, heir designate of Ireland”. 

(Conaing had a wife name unknown and they had one child named Fergal died circa 937 A.D.)

 (The Annals of Inisfallen record the death in 937 of "Ferga son of Conaing, king of Ailech”.)

Mael Muire died circa 966.

1. The Annals of Ulster record the death in 966 of "Mael Muire daughter of Niall son of Aed”.
Njalsdatter born circa 975 A.D. married a man named Gudrod Iverson.

Anyone that has read “The Laxdaela Saga” knows the story of Melkorka, the daughter of the Irish King Mýrkjartan. The story goes like this Melkorka was kidnapped at the age of 15 by Vikings, and she was bought at a slave market from a Rus merchant on Brännö by a man named Höskuldur unknown to him that she was the daughter of an Irish King.  Höskuldur took her to Iceland where gave birth to two boys one named Helgi, and another boy named Óláfr, and nicknamed “the Peacock” at the age of 12 , because of his fancy clothing and proud character. Later on in the saga Melkorka wanted to send her son Óláfr to Ireland to meet his grandfather King Mýrkjartan, and to get to know his family, but Höskuldur refused. Óláfr at the age of eighteen goes and pays his respect to King Harald Grey cloak and befriends his mother, Gunnhildr who was once the lover of Óláfr uncle named Hrut Herjolfsson. When Gunnhildr learns that Óláfr wants to travel to Ireland to seek his grandfather King Myrkjartan, she orders a ship to be made ready for Óláfr and gives him a crew of sixty men. When Óláfr reached Ireland he met his grandfather King Mýrkjartan and handed him a golden ring of his mother to prove that he was his grandchild and that his mother was still alive. Óláfr and his men spend the winter with the king Myrkjartan, fighting with him against raiders. Later King Mýrkjartan offers Óláfr the Peacock to inherit the crown, but he rejects the offer, and travels back to Norway and then to Iceland.

 

Who was this Irish King Mýrkjartan? No other than Muirchertach “of the leather Cloaks." According to the Laxdaela Saga Olaf “the Peacock” was offered the Kingdom of the Cenel Eoghain by Muirchertach “of the leather cloaks”, since he believed Olaf was better suited to run the kingdom than his sons. Who was Olaf the Peacock? In Old Norse he is known as Óláfr Pái or Óláfr Höskuldsson born circa 938 and died in 1006 Óláfr was a merchant and chieftain of early Iceland. Óláfr the Peacock is an interesting character who is mentioned in various sagas like Egil's Saga, Njal's Saga, and the Landnámabók Saga.

Óláfr “the Peacock” married Thorgerd Egilsdottir, the daughter of Egil Skallagrimsson. They had a number of children his daughters named Thurid, Thorbjorg, Thorgerd and Berghora. His favorite son Kjartan, who was named after King Myrkjartan and four other sons named Steinthor, Halldor, Helgi, and Hoskuld.

(Kjartan was killed by his cousin Bolli in a blood feud in 1003)

Óláfr “The Peacock” is one example of the Scandinavians being involved with the O’Neill’s especially the sons of Niall Glundubh mac Áedo the progenitor of the O’Neill’s, and not Niall of the Nine Hostages. 

NOTE:

Brännö is an island in the Southern Göteborg Archipelago what is now modern Sweden it’s recorded to have been a very important place for Vikings during their time to meet.

Óláfr “The Peacock” was named after his uncle Olaf Feilan also known as Olaf Little Wolf.

Olaf Feilan “Little Wolf” born circa 890 and died 940 A.D. He was the son of Thorstein the Red, the jarl of Caithness. Olaf Feilan’s grandmother was Aud the Deep-minded.

Aud the Deep-Minded: also known in Old Norse by the name Auðr djúpúðga Ketilsdóttir. Aud is a very important woman and figure in Icelandic history because she was one of the first settlers and claimed a great deal of land.