Ragnall Mac Gilla Muire facts for kids
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Ragnall Mac Gilla Muire was an important leader in Waterford during the 1100s. He was one of several people captured by the English in 1170. This happened when Waterford was taken over by Richard de Clare, also known as Strongbow. Ragnall is mentioned in a legal case from the 1300s. This case tried to figure out if a man who was killed was an Ostman (a person of Norse-Irish descent) or an Irishman. This was important because Ostmen were protected by English law. Ragnall might also be the person who gave his name to Reginald's Tower in Waterford.
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Waterford Falls to the English (1170)
Waterford was captured by the English in 1170. It probably happened in May of that year. An English group, led by Raymond le Gros and Hervey de Montemercy, fought against the people of Waterford and their friends outside the town at a place called Baginbun.
In August, Richard de Clare (Strongbow) arrived. He joined the English forces at Baginbun. They then attacked Waterford and took control of it. A book from the 1100s, called Expugnatio Hibernica, says that many people in the town were killed. Ragnall and other important defenders were captured in a tower called "turre Raghenaldi". Two of these men, both named Sitric, were put to death. But Ragnall and Máel Sechnaill Ua Fáeláin were saved. This was because Diarmait Mac Murchada, an Irish king, stepped in to help them.
Ragnall is listed as one of the main leaders of Waterford in another old book, La Geste des Engleis en Yrlande. The Annals of Tigernach (from the 1300s) and the Annals of the Four Masters (from the 1600s) also talk about Waterford falling. They mention Ragnall, who they call an "officer of the fortress," and Máel Sechnaill being captured.
On October 17, 1171, Henry II, King of England arrived in Ireland. He probably landed at Crook, near Waterford. The next day, he and his army entered the town. Richard de Clare then officially gave Waterford to the King.
Ragnall and the Law
In 1311, Ragnall was mentioned in a legal investigation led by John Wogan, who was a top judge in Ireland. The case was about the killing of Eóin, son of Ímar Mac Gilla Muire. The court needed to decide if Eóin was an Ostman or an Irishman.
The person accused of the killing, Robert le Waleys, admitted he killed Eóin. But he argued it wasn't a serious crime because Eóin was an Irishman and not considered "free." The King's side, represented by John le Poer, argued that Eóin was an Ostman. This meant he was part of the Mac Gilla Muire family. John argued that Eóin should have been protected by English law in Ireland. This protection was given to the Mac Gilla Muire family and other Ostmen by a special document from King Henry II, which was later confirmed by Edward I, King of England.
The judge sent the case to a jury for more information. The jury said that Ragnall, who was part of the Mac Gilla Muire family, lived near the port of Waterford. His home was called "Renaudescastel". They also said Ragnall tried to stop King Henry from landing in Waterford. He supposedly did this by putting three chains across the harbor entrance. These chains stretched from Renaudescastel on one side to Dunbrody on the other.
The jurors claimed that after the King landed, Ragnall and some of his followers were captured and hanged by the English. However, a book from the 1200s called the Chronica by Roger de Hoveden tells a different story. It says Ragnall was one of the kings who gave up their power to Henry after he arrived in Waterford. Roger's book is the only one that mentions Ragnall giving up his power. But it's likely true, as there would be no reason to record it otherwise. Since Ragnall was an important leader in Waterford, his surrender could explain why King Henry gave special protection rights to the Ostmen.
Reginald's Tower: Who Was It Named After?
It's possible that Ragnall, or an earlier person with a similar name who used to rule Waterford, is the reason Reginald's Tower got its name. This tower is a stone building in Waterford, about 54 feet tall. The tower we see today might have been built in the 1200s. It might stand on the same spot where an older fort once was.
There's a good chance that Reginald's Tower is the same tower where Ragnall was captured. However, the jury's story about chains being laid from "Renaudescastel" to Dunbrody might mean the towers are not the same. If that story is true, it could mean the people of Waterford tried to block the English ships further down the river, at Passage, across from Dunbrody. But the Chronica by Roger de Hoveden clearly states that King Henry landed at Crook, which is not far from Waterford and Passage.
See also
- Muiopotmos, a poem from the 1500s by Edmund Spenser. The spider Aragnoll in this poem might have been partly inspired by stories about Ragnall.
