Page 144 - Demo

144 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
From Waterford, Strongbow and Dermot marched against Dublin, where in the interim the citizens had revolted against Dermot. The inhabitants appealed to the High-King for help, and Rory, having once again raised a large army stationed his forces west of the city with the intention of intercepting the attackers. But the savvy Normans had adept spies in their pay and the intelligence gathered by these skillful observers caused them to divide their force, and consequently, many came stealthily along the east coast and appeared unexpect- edly before the city walls. When the allied forces began approaching the city the inhabitants became greatly alarmed and sent their Archbishop, Laurence O’Toole, to arrange terms of surrender with the besiegers. Just to confuse matters further, the Archbishop’s sister was married to Dermot and was mother to Aoife, his daughter and Strongbow’s wife! In any case, while negotiations were being carried on between the Archbishop and Strongbow, Miles de Cogan and Raymond le Gros, with a number of seasoned troops, made a sudden assault, entered and took possession of the city. As the Norman standards were being raised on Dublin’s battlements, the helpless High-King disbanded his army and returned across the Shannon to Connacht, without it is said, ‘Striking one blow.’
The three chief cities of Leinster, and indeed of Ireland, Dublin, Waterford and Wex- ford were now in Norman hands and as the old accounts inform us, ‘Dermot could now boast that he had recovered his kingdom.’ But his triumph did not last long, because just six
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