The five-foot-long Sparth axe was the primary weapon used by the Gallowglass. Employed in axe-wall formation it stopped Norman cavalry cold.

Felim O'Connor, reigned as the king of Connacht, 1233–65.

Eight of his Gallowglass soldiers keep vigil at his tomb-effigy, Co #Roscommon.

'Gaelic society in Ireland and Scotland encouraged a particularly strong martial ethos.. the retaining of Gallowglass was nurtured by lords'

Knockdoe, site of the bloodiest battle in Irish medieval history. It means 'Hill of the Axes' due to the vast number of Gallowglas who died.

The Lough Henney Helmet c. 1420 (Co #Down). One of only two helmets recovered from the Late Middle Ages in Ireland.

Many Icelanders look very much like Irish people, as almost half of Icelanders originally came from Ireland/Scotland as bondsmen.

Examples:

Genetic studies of #Iceland show that a quarter of men and up to half of women among the founding pop. would have been of #Gaelic origin.

#Icelanders trace about 37% of their matrilineal and 75-80% of their patrilineal DNA ancestry to Scandinavia:

On #Iceland's bleak southern coast an ancient carving on a stone column reads: "Fionn mac Cumhaill was here."

Vestmannaeyjar - Westman Isles. Named after Irish (Vestmann) slaves that escaped the vikings in Iceland & fled to live on the isles.

Hellnahellir, the largest man-made cave in Iceland. Constructed by Irish monks who settled there before the vikings, circa 900 AD.

The Landnámabók describes how the first #vikings to land in Iceland met 'Papar' - a name given to Irish monks.

The first observations of sea ice came from 8th century Irish monks in Iceland. Scientists still make use of their notes today:

Cross sculptures made by Irish monks in their monastic caves on the Westman Islands, #Iceland - 9th century. Some 200 such caves exist.

Icelandic names of Irish origin: Njál (Niall) Brján (Brian), Kjartan (McCartan), Kormakr (Cormac), Kjaran (Ciaran).

Patreksfjörður, #Iceland, meaning 'Patrick's fjord' - Named after St. Patrick, the spiritual guide of Örlygur Hrappson, its first settler.

In the Iliad, Homer described Ireland as "a land of fog and gloom.. beyond it the Sea of Death, where Hell begins."

#Ireland #Homer

Ireland was well-connected to the cultures of the ancient world: Tin was imported from Britain, amber from the Baltic, wax from the Pyrenees.

Ancient Ireland's most important export was hide/leather, used by the Roman army. Thus the highest grade of freeman was a cattleman (boaire)

The Romans accessed all parts of Ireland via special trading sites known as Emporia. Roman coins, pottery, jewelry were found at #Newgrange.

A small copper figure of Lares, found in the Boyne, Co Meath.

The deity was believed to protect the inhabitants of the Roman household.

#Meath