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 are large range of variations depending on chronological and geographical differences in the Gaelic language, i.e. Gall Gaidel, Gall Gaidhel, Gall Gaidheal, Gall Gaedil, Gall Gaedhil, Gall Gaedhel, Gall Goidel, etc, etc. 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 colonists of Ireland and Scotland who became subject to the process of Gaelicization, whereby starting as early as the ninth century, they adopted the Gaelic language, and many other Gaelic customs, such as dress. 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. Gaelicized Scandinavians dominated the Irish Sea region until the Norman era of the twelfth century, founding long-lasting kingdoms, such as the Kingdom 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. Norse-Gaels are recorded as the allies of Harold Godwinson's sons in their battles against the Normans, which occurred circa 1069-1070.

The Norse-Gaels settlement in England was concentrated in the North West. This migration of Norsemen from Ireland spread out to places like the Lake District, Arnside and Silverdale, Howgill Fells, Yorkshire Dales but it was not as heavy in Cheshire and may or may not have extended to the North Pennines. One feature of the Norse conversion to Gaelic life was the custom of stone constructed buildings as opposed to the practice of log-houses back where they came from. These settlers (like the native Cumbrians) favoured higher grounds of fells and moors for animal husbandry, whilst Anglo-Saxons and Danes preferred the lowlands for raising grains and other crops. In 1133, Norse-Gaels in the Debatable Lands populated the Diocese of Carlisle. In 1541, the Anglican Diocese of Chester^* was formed upon the area settled by Norse-Gaels, but appeared as English when the Domesday Book was recorded.

Iceland and the Faroes

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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 is said that Irish slaves escaped to.

Modern names

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Even today, many surnames connected particularly with Gaeldom are of Norse origin, especially in the Western Isles and Isle of Man.

Surnames

• Corquadale/Corkhill - Thorketil
• MacLachland
• MacLeod

Personal names

• Somhairle (Sorley) - Sumarlidi (Somerled)
• Torcuil (Torquil, Torkill)
• Tormod - Thormundr

See also

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• Earl of Orkney
• Kings of Dublin
• List of Kings of the Isle of Man and the Isles
• Diocese of Sodor and Man
• Galley
• Lord of the Isles
• Lords of Galloway
• Papar

Bibliography

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• McDonald, R.A., The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard in the Central Middle Ages, C.1000-1336' (Scottish Historical Review Monograph), (Edinburgh, 1996)
• Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí, Early Medieval Ireland, AD 400-AD 1200 (Longman History of Ireland Series), (Harlow, 1995)
• Oram, Richard, The Lordship of Galloway, (Edinburgh, 2000)
• Haywood, John, The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings, (New York, 1995)
• Scholes, Ron, Yorkshire Dales (Landmark Visitors Guide), (Malta, 2000)

Celts | Ethnic groups in Europe | Ethnic groups in Ireland | History of the Germanic peoples | History of Ireland | Medieval Scotland | Isle of Man | Viking Age Warriors