York, Lancaster and Ireland

[Erpingham]

How Waterford won its civic sword: the battle of Ballymacaw.

An interesting tale of international networking and warfare at the time of the Wars of the Roses, featuring urban militia, naval operations and the perils of drinking whiskey when you should be keeping watch.

[Anton]

I thoroughly enjoyed that, thank you.  We often forget about the galleys in this period.

[Erpingham]

We often forget about the galleys in this period.

Yes, there is probably an entire book on naval operations in the Irish Sea and the Scottish Isles in the medieval and renaissance periods to be written.

[Anton]

And what a book that would be, I'd like to think someone's already at it.

[Erpingham]

And what a book that would be, I'd like to think someone's already at it.

Me too.

[Jim Webster]

And what a book that would be, I'd like to think someone's already at it.

Me too.

What we often forget now is that the Irish sea was a crossroads. Certainly in the 9th century onward, for the Viking world, with the Kingdom of York and Kingdom of Dublin, the easiest way to get between them is via Stainmore (A66) down to Morecambe Bay and from there to Ireland. Galloway and the Scottish Isles are easily accessible to the North and the Isle of Man does sit in the centre of it all

[Erpingham]

What we often forget now is that the Irish sea was a crossroads. Certainly in the 9th century onward, for the Viking world, with the Kingdom of York and Kingdom of Dublin, the easiest way to get between them is via Stainmore (A66) down to Morecambe Bay and from there to Ireland. Galloway and the Scottish Isles are easily accessible to the North and the Isle of Man does sit in the centre of it all

Add to that routes between Ireland and Wales and the southern English connections, especially with Bristol.