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Chapter Four 129
allies. Built on the south side of the river Lifey, with just one bridge leading across the river from the chief city-gate and surrounded by a thick wall, from the top of which the inhabit- ants could look down on the river, Danish Dublin was a small city. So, it is told that when the Norsemen arrived, they ranged themselves in a line that stretched from the bridge down to the weir at Clontarf, on land which was then prosperous farmland.
The Dublin Norsemen were positioned next to the bridge, Maelmoro’s Leinster men were ranged on the high ground now occupied by Parnell and Mountjoy Squares, while the new arrivals stretched from there to Clontarf. On the day the two main Norse commanders were Sigurd, whom we mentioned earlier, and Brodir, ruler of the Isle of Man.
Because Brian was over seventy years of age at this time, and ailing, (the Annals say he was 88) he was persuaded by his generals to allow his eldest son Murrough lead the army in his place that day. He reluctantly agreed to this stratagem, but before the battle proper commenced, Brian mounted on a battle-charger, with a cruciix in one hand and his famed lewing sword in the other, rode out beneath the sun-beam standard of the Dalcassians, bear- ing its inscription, ‘victory or death,’ in front of his army and addressed the warriors; urging, exhorting and haranguing them with great force of eloquence, it is said, to remember the day on which they fought and the cause for which they strove.
Brian Boru at Clontarf