Strongbow: The Norman Invasion of Ireland

by Conor Kostick

The coming of the Normans to Ireland from 1169 is a pivotal moment in the country’s history. It is a period full of bloodthirsty battles, both between armies and individuals. With colourful personalities and sharp political twists and turns, Strongbow’s story is a fascinating one.

Combining the writing style of an award-winning novelist with expert scholarship, historian Conor Kostick has written a powerful and absorbing account of the stormy affairs of an extraordinary era.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2013

About the author

Conor Kostick was a designer for the world's first live action role-playing game, Treasure Trap. He is the author of many historical, political and cultural articles. Epic was his first novel and was awarded a place on the International Board on Books for Young People Honours list for 2006 and on the Booklist Best Fantasy Books for Youth list for 2007. Set in a fantasy MMORPG, Epic can be considered an early example of LitRPG. The sequel to Epic, titled Saga, was first published in Ireland in 2006. Conor received a Special Merit Award from the Reading Association of Ireland in 2009.

In 2018, Conor joined Level Up as commissioning editor to publish LitRPG books.

https://www.levelup.pub/what-is-litrpg

Reviews

[Geoff Boxell · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a long time I have been intending to read a book about the Norman invasion of Ireland as my knowledge was quite broad brush and I wanted more details. Well, I have finally done it. The author's coverage of the Norman invasion of England is skimpy, but I suppose that is ok as it is Ireland that is the subject of the book. The contents cover the reason the Normans were invited to Ireland, their actions in Ireland and the consequences.
As a non-Gaelic speaker I found the Irish names very confusing. I found their constantly changing politics just as confusing. The Irish concepts of honour were far different from the rest of Europe and oath breaking, betrayal, constantly shifting and changing alliances, blinding & killing of hostages a regular occurrence with the church not excluded from the mayhem as the appointment of family members was par for the course so raiding & destroying churches, abbeys etc was standard, even raping an Abbess from a rival royal family so she could no longer rule was on the cards.
It was a very interesting, if at times confusing read and has helped fill in a gap in my historical knowledge.
As an aside: I have often been in heated discussions with folk from Ireland who blame us English for Strongbow and his invaders. English? He was Norman and so were his knights whilst his foot soldiers were Welsh or Flemish, none were English. Anyway, the Irish were fools to invite the Normans in, whereas we English didn't - they just turned up on our doorstep uninvited.

[Jason Donoghue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book.

If only history books in school were this engaging.

[Drew Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had studied this area of history at school and was always confused by the many different personalities but the author does an excellent job of telling the story. In fact it was hard to put this book down at times.

[Jean Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewers Note: I was given a copy of the book for Christmas by my wonderful Son! Thanks Jesse!

Author Bio: Conor Kostick is an Irish Historian and Writer, he lives in Dublin. He's written books across genres including fantasy, science fiction and children's books in addition to nonfiction.

My Review: This book took me good long while to get to the end. I had to battle my way through hordes of unpronounceable Irish names, both person and place, which all ran together in my head. like an giant Celtic knot. With the help of St. Brigid, who lent me her patience, I slogged page by page, battle by battle, gross blinding of innocent boys, bodies broken and hurled off cliffs, beheadings by crazed females, double and triple crossing petty kings, and crossed the finish line, exhausted but exultant.

This book is not just the story of Strongbow, Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, an Anglo- Norman Lord, born c. 1130, but the story of how the Norman culture came to dominate large swaths of Europe. So it's really a twofer. I especially enjoyed the chapters on the spread of the warring Normans and how they fought their way across Europe and the Middle East. These proud descendants of the Vikings ruled the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1099-1187 and conquered all of Southern Italy, spreading their castles across the landscape.

This second part of this book is about the great Anglo-Norman knight, Strongbow. Down on his luck and out of favor with King Henry II, Richard de Clare is offered a piece of Ireland by the King of Leinster and ruler of the Ui Chennselaig, Diarmait Mac Murchada. See what I mean about those names! Diarmait has lost a major battle and fled Ireland. He lands in King Henry's court seeking support for his cause. Stongbow gambles on Ireland and takes up the challenge, he marries Diarmait's beautiful daughter Aife along the way.

Anyway, I don't want to give away the story, but the entire book is a bloody brawl. I felt like I'd been beaten by a Norman sword but survived. It's worth reading. I found it very enlightening. The author makes comments at the end on the lasting impact of the Normans on Ireland and Irish culture which I found fascinating.

Recommendations: I think anyone who enjoys medieval history, Irish history, books about battles should give this a go. It might take a while but it's worth pushing through to the end.

The author recommends two further readings: Gerald of Wales, The Conquest of Ireland and The Deeds of the Normans in Ireland by anonymous poet.

I give this book 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐





My Ratings:



1 Star: Not good at all, do not read!



2 Stars: Read only as a last resort, no other books available



3 Stars: Good, enjoyed it, will recommend with reservations



4 Stars: Really good, read this book!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just returned from Ireland and seeing Strongbow's grave in Dublin, I had to read more about him. This book is well-written, although I wanted to hear more about the man himself and Aife, his wife. This book is really more about the time of the Norman "invasion" (not really an invasion as such), and Strongbow doesn't show up until about 90 pages in (nearly half way in my edition). As a non-Irish speaker, I found the Irish chieftain names to be wearing, and would have appreciated the English variants, leaving the authentic Irish names to an Irish translation of the book. Having to constantly translate "Ruaidri Ua Conchobair" to "Rudy O'Connor" in my head was tiring, and eventually I found myself glossing over them not really caring who was doing what. As one reviewer said, the constant creating and breaking of alliances in the middle of the book could have been reduced a bit. However, I'm still giving the book 4 stars. It's an engaging read.

[Margaret Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed account of the coming of Normans to Ireland: led by Robert De Clare (Strongbow). This book was very interesting, revealing events that led up to Strongbow being invited by an Irish Lord (Diarmait Murchada) and the subsequent wars during and after the Normans invade. I learned a good deal of history with this book and enjoyed the stories included in all the historical details which help make the read interesting. Needless to say, with all the invasions and wars, I wouldn't want to live in Ireland during this period!

[Phil Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

History told by a master

When I was studying A level history, the books were staid, boring, written by experts in their given field who were not wordsmiths. Not so Strongbow. Conor Kostick has a way with words, which makes his historical books a joy to read. Novices might find the names of the Irish kings and chieftains a bit of a minefield, but I would recommend perseverance, it is a learning curve. Thoroughly recommended.

[Ann Hein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really was interested in the first part, the Normans in Normandy, but the middle part describing all the battles of the Irish kings as they switched their allegiance, killed hostages, etc. was exhausting. What a life, being a soldier, being rewarded for the heads you brought to your king... Ghastly times. Strongbow was an ancestor of mine, thus my interest in the book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining account. The Normans may as well have been Martians the Irish were so unprepared

[ben c · Rating 4 out of 5]

almost went very badly wrong for them initially

[SM]

Excellent narrative history which I find is a bit of a rarity in Ireland (at an affordable price as well). Given the numbers involved the character list provided as well as the maps is also very useful. The period and the invasion and it's battles are brought to life in this book in a way I haven't experienced since childhood