Aoife Strongbow Sculpture
The marriage that changed History
Did you know?
1
Aoife and Strongbow had a daughter - Isabel
She was one of the wealthiest heiresses in Wales and Ireland, she also spoke French, Irish and Latin.
The Normans are responsible for bringing rabbits to Ireland!
2
In Latin, rabbits are called cuniculus, this translates to a burrow. The Normans called rabbits conies which morphed to ‘coinín’ in Irish.
3
Henry II was the first King of England to come to Ireland
He landed first in Waterford in 1171, fearing Strongbow would create an independent kingdom in Ireland. This was the beginning of the Kingdom of England's rule over Ireland.
Aoife Strongbow Sculpture
Timeline
1166
Diarmaid mac Murchadha was deposed as King of Leinster and fled to England.
1169
Diarmaid returned with an army of English and Welsh soldiers, landing at Bannow Bay and capturing Wexford.
1170
Strongbow landed with his army in Ireland, allied to Diarmaid in return for his daughter, Aoife’s hand in the marriage. Strongbow took the city of Waterford via siege and afterwards Aoife and Strongbow were married.
1171
Henry II, King of England became the first English monarch to land in Ireland and confirmed Strongbow's rule over Leinster.
1176
Strongbow died and his daughter with Aoife, Isabel, inherited their lands across Ireland and Wales. Aoife survived her husband's death and her exact date of her death is unknown.
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