In the chronicles the seaborne warriors who took over Dublin are usually referred to as “Ostmen,” men from the east, or as “Danes,” although most of them were Norse.
As is very common throughout the world, in both the Norse and Irish cultures a person's surname was formed from the name of his father. For example, among the Vikings Ivar's son Olaf would be Olaf Ivarsson. Among the Irish, paternity was indicated by the prefix “mac,” so for example Murchad the son of Diarmuid would be Murchad mac Diarmata. Applying the Irish usage (as the Irish did) to Norse names leads to some interesting connections betwen modern surnames. In Irish, the Norse Olaf (or Olav) becomes Aulaffe, and Olafsson (Olsen) becomes Macaullife. Ivorsson (Iversen) = Macgyver; and so on.
Either form of a name may be encountered in histories, depending upon the perspective of the writer. As an aid to recognizing the names, the Norse form is given first, followed by the Irish in curly brackets.
Many of the dates are approximate.
| Óláfr {Aulaffe or Amlaph} |
853-871 | |
| Auisle | 863-867 | |
| Ívar I Olafsson {Ivar mac-Aulaffe} |
871-873 | |
| Eysteinn Olafsson {Ostin mac-Aulaffe} |
873-875 | Brother of Ivar I. Slain by Hálfdan. |
| Bárdr | 877-881 | Foster father of Eysteinn. |
| Sigfrid Ívarsson {Godfrid mac-Yvor |
883-888 | Murdered by his brother Sihtric. |
| Sigtryggr Ívarsson, Sihtric I {Sitrick mac-Yvor} |
888-896 | Briefly dethroned in 893 – 994 by a local jarl, Sigfred. Killed by own people. |
| Ivar II {Aulaffe mac-Yvor} |
896-902 | |
| 903 – 917 | Norse driven out of Dublin, no king. | |
| Sigtryggr II, Sihtric Cáech (Cáech = squinty) |
917-921 | Was also king of York, 921-927. |
| Gothfrith | 921-934 | Was also king of York, 927. |
| Olaf Guthfrithsson | 934-941 | Was also king of York, 939-941. |
| Blacaire | 941-945 | Died in battle with Congelach. |
| Godfrid mac-Sitrick | 945-950 | Killed in battle. |
| Olaf Sihtricsson {Aulaffe mac-Sitric} |
950-980 | Was also king of York, 941-944, 949-952. Said to have made a pilgrimage to Iona, where he died of grief over the death of his son Reginald in battle the previous year. |
| Járnkné Olafsson {Gluniaran mac-Aulaffe} |
980-989 | Murdered by a servant. |
| Sihtric Silkbeard {Sitric mac-Aulaffe |
989-1029 | Brother of Járnkné. In 994 he was banished by a revolt led by Hymar, who ruled in his stead, but returned within the year and banished Hymar. Sihtric is said to have died on a pilgrimage to Rome. |
| Olaf Sihtricsson II {Aulaffe mac-Sitric} |
1029-1035 | Slain in England while journeying to Rome. |
| Sihtric Olafsson {Sitric mac-Aulaffe} |
1035-1041 | |
| Echmarcach mac Ragnaill | 1036-1038 | Deposed. |
| Ivar Haraldsson | 1038-1046 | Deposed. |
| Echmarcach mac Ragnaill | 1046-1052 | Second reign. King of Man 1052-1064. |
| Murchad mac Diarmata | 1052-1070 | |
| Domnall mac Murchada or Diarmit mac Máel |
1070-1072 | |
| Gofraid | 1072-1074 | Deposed. |
| Muirchertach ua Briain | 1074-1086 | |
| Enna or Donnchad | 1086-1089 | |
| Godred Crovan | 1091-1094 | Expelled. king of Man 1079-1095. Harris says Crovan subdued Dublin in 1066, died in 1076, and was followed by Godfrid Meranagh. |
| Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain |
1094-1118 | Deposed. King of Man 1096-1098. |
| Reginald mac-Torcall | 1147 | |
| Godfrid mac-Olave | 1147- | King of Man. But some say Oiter or Octer. Octer slain by sons of Torcall. |
| Brodar mac-Torcall | 1149-1161 | |
| Asculph mac-Torcall | 1161-1171 |
Alfred P. Smyth.
Scandinavian York and Dublin. The History and Archaeology of Two
Related Viking Kingdoms. Two volumes.
Dublin: Templekieran Press, 1975.
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Last revised: 15 October 2001.