Everything about The Norse-gaels totally explained
The
Norse-Gaels were a people who dominated much of the
Irish Sea region and western
Scotland for a large part of the
Middle Ages, whose aristocracy were mainly of
Scandinavian origin, but as a whole exhibited a great deal of
Gaelic and
Norse cultural
syncretism. They are generally known by the Gaelic name which they themselves used, of which "Norse-Gaels" is a translation. This term is subject to a large range of variations depending on chronological and geographical differences in the
Gaelic language, for example
Gall Gaidel,
Gall Gaidhel,
Gall Gaidheal,
Gall Gaedil,
Gall Gaedhil,
Gall Gaedhel,
Gall Goidel, etc, etc. The terminology was used both by native Irish and native Scots who wished to alienate them, and by the Norse-Gaels themselves who wished to stress their Scandinavian heritage and their links with
Norway and other parts of the Scandinavian world. The nativised presence of Norsemen in
Ireland also lent at least one self-reference, that of
Ostmen. Other modern translations used include
Scoto-Norse,
Hiberno-Norse and
Foreign Gaels.
The Norse-Gaels originated in Viking colonies of Ireland and Scotland who became subject to the process of
Gaelicization, whereby starting as early as the
ninth century, most intermarried with native
Gaels (except for the Norse who settled in northwest England) and adopted the
Gaelic language as well as many other Gaelic customs, such as dress. Many left their original worship of
Norse gods and converted to
Christianity, and this contributed to the Gaelicization. Gaelicized Scandinavians dominated the Irish Sea region until the
Norman era of the
twelfth century, founding long-lasting kingdoms, such as the Kingdoms of
Man,
Argyll,
Dublin,
York and
Galloway. The
Lords of the Isles, a Lordship which lasted until the
sixteenth century, as well as many other Gaelic rulers of Scotland and Ireland, traced their descent from Norse-Gaels. The Norse-Gaels settlement in England was concentrated in the
North West.
Iceland and the Faroes
It is recorded in the
Landnamabok that there were
papar or
culdees in
Iceland before the Norse, and this appears to tie in with comments of
Dicuil. However, whether or not this is true, the settlement of Iceland and the
Faroe islands by the Norse would have included many Norse-Gaels, as well as slaves, servants and wives. They were called "
Vestmen", and the name is retained in
Vestmanna in the Faroes, and the
Vestmannaeyjar off the Icelandic mainland, where it's said that Irish slaves escaped to. ("Vestman" may have referred to the lands and islands "west" of mainland
Scandinavia.)
A number of Icelandic personal names are of Gaelic origin, for example
Njáll Þorgeirsson of
Njáls saga had a forename of Gaelic origin - Niall.
Patreksfjörður, an Icelandic village also contains the name "Padraig".
According to some circumstantial evidence,
Grímur Kamban, seen as the founder of the Norse Faroes, may have been a Norse Gael.
» "
According to the Faereyinga Saga... the first settler in the Faroe Islands was a man named Grímur Kamban - Hann bygdi fyrstr Færeyar
, it may have been the land taking of Grímur and his followers that cauysed the anchorites to leave... the nickname Kamban is probably Gaelic and one interpretation is that the word refers to some physical handicap, another that it may point to his prowess as a sportsman. Probably he came as a young man to the Faroe Islands by way of Viking Ireland, and local tradition has it that he settled at Funningur in Eysturoy."
Modern names
Even today, many surnames connected particularly with Gaeldom are of Norse origin, especially in the Western Isles and Isle of Man.
Surnames
| Gaelic | Anglicised form | "Son of-" |
| MacAsgaill | MacAskill | Ásketill |
| | MacAmhlaigh | MacAulay, MacAuliffe | Óláfr |
| | MacCorcadail | MacCorquodale/Corquadale, Corkill, McCorkindale | Þorketill |
| MacIomhair | MacIver, MacIvor | Ívarr (Ingvar) |
| MacShitrig | MacKitrick, McKittrick | Sigtryggr |
| MacLeòid | MacLeod | Ljótr (lit. "the ugly one") |
Forenames
| Gaelic | Anglicised form | Norse equivalent |
| Amhlaibh (confused with the Gaelic name Amhlaidh/Amhalghaidh) | Aulay (Olaf) | Óláfr |
| | Goraidh | Gorrie (Godfrey, Godfred), Orree (Isle of Man) | Godfriðr |
| Iomhar | Ivor | Ívarr (Ingvar) |
| Raghnall | Ranald (Ronald, Randall) | Rögnvaldr |
| Somhairle | Sorley (sometimes Englished as "Samuel") | Sumarliði (Somerled) |
| Tormod | NA (Englished as "Norman") | Þormundr |
| Torcuil | Torquil | Torkill, Þorketill |
Further Information
Get more info on 'Norse-gaels'.
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