Muirgel
Muirgel was an Irish woman who helped her country get rid of a powerful enemy. She killed one of their chieftains in 882 AD.[1]
Muirgel was born to an important leader in
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 Iarnkne in order to create an alliance amongst 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
- ^ .
- .
- ^ 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.
- ^ .
- ISBN 1462823041.
- ISBN 146282305X.