Muirgel

Muirgel was an Irish woman who killed a Viking chieftain in 882 AD.^[1]

Muirgel was born to an important leader in Ulster, Maelechlainn. According to the Chronicum Scotorum, she slayed the son of Ausli with the help of Otir, son of Eirgni.^[2] The son of Ausli was an important chieftain of the long time enemy Vikings.^[3] Later historians recalled this act and similar ones as a display by woman of "loyalty of kith, kin and country.”^[1]

Though the majority of sources point to Muirgel's story as unfolding with the slaying of the foreign chieftain, a few sources point to a slightly different version of her life. It is reported that Muirgel may have married a Viking named Iarnkne (who may or may nor be the son of Ausli) in order to create an alliance between the two peoples.^[4] This version of her story is further expanded on in The Mystery of the Angels^[5] and Bloody Sunday: The Story of the 1920 Irish Rebellion,^[6]^{[self-published source]} both fiction novels by Joseph Murphy.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b Cassidy, James Francis (1922). The Women of the Gael. Boston, Massachusetts: The Stratford company. pp. 76–77. hdl:2027/loc.ark:/13960/t5n87xf2f.
^ MacFirbis, Duald (1866). Chronicum Scotorum: A chronicle of Irish affairs, from the earliest times to A. D. 1135; with a supplement, containing the events from 1141 to 1150; edited, with a translation. London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. p. 169. hdl:2027/wu.89088290614.
^ William M. Hennessy, B. MacCarthy, ed. (1887). Annala Uladh = Annals of Ulster : otherwise, Annala Senait, Annals of Senat : a chronicle of Irish affairs. Dublin: Printed for H.M. Stationery Off., by A. Thom in Dublin. p. 449.
^ ^a ^b MacManus, Seumas (1921). The story of the Irish race; a popular history of Ireland. New York: The Irish publishing co. p. 273. hdl:2027/nnc2.ark:/13960/t6tx3gq7x.
^ Murphy, Joseph (2004). The Mystery of the Angels. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1462823041.
^ Murphy, Joseph (2006). Bloody Sunday: The Story of the 1920 Irish Rebellion. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 146282305X.

[Cassidy_1922_76–77-1] Cassidy, James Francis (1922). The Women of the Gael. Boston, Massachusetts: The Stratford company. pp. 76–77. hdl:2027/loc.ark:/13960/t5n87xf2f.

[2] MacFirbis, Duald (1866). Chronicum Scotorum: A chronicle of Irish affairs, from the earliest times to A. D. 1135; with a supplement, containing the events from 1141 to 1150; edited, with a translation. London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. p. 169. hdl:2027/wu.89088290614.

[3] William M. Hennessy, B. MacCarthy, ed. (1887). Annala Uladh = Annals of Ulster : otherwise, Annala Senait, Annals of Senat : a chronicle of Irish affairs. Dublin: Printed for H.M. Stationery Off., by A. Thom in Dublin. p. 449.

[MacManus-4] MacManus, Seumas (1921). The story of the Irish race; a popular history of Ireland. New York: The Irish publishing co. p. 273. hdl:2027/nnc2.ark:/13960/t6tx3gq7x.

[5] Murphy, Joseph (2004). The Mystery of the Angels. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1462823041.

[6] Murphy, Joseph (2006). Bloody Sunday: The Story of the 1920 Irish Rebellion. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 146282305X.

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