Annagassan (Irish: Áth na gCasán, meaning 'ford of the paths')[2] is a village in the townland of Ballynagassan, County Louth, Ireland. It sits where the River Glyde enters the Irish Sea.
Annagassan
Áth na gCasán | |
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Village | |
![]() Annagassan bridge | |
![]() ![]() Annagassan Location in Ireland | |
Coordinates: 53°53′N 6°21′W | |
Country | Ireland |
Province | Leinster |
County | County Louth |
Population (2016)[1] | 201 |
Annagassan was first mentioned as Linn Duachaill in AD 841 when the establishment of a Viking longphort was recorded.[3][4] This has subsequently been confirmed by archaeological work.[5][6]
In 827 the Annals of Ulster record that the Vikings attacked the Ciannachta people of Louth and north Meath. These early raids were sporadic coastal attacks by small seaborne forces; however, from the 830s, a new phase was characterised by larger fleets, which penetrated up navigable rivers and plundered extensive inland areas. There is a legend that one such Viking was stranded after a raid and settled there. The locals believe this Viking heritage is evidenced by the long-held residence of a seafaring man of "mythic proportions" and wild Scandinavian appearance and demeanour, known to the villagers as "The Bear".[citation needed]
Annagassan was once as important as the Viking settlement at Dubh Linn (The Black Pool).[6] The modern village is generally believed to be built on what archaeologists consider to be a man-made polder structure, constructed to provide shelter for the fjord. The original settlement was located further upstream; navigation was considerably easier on the River Glyde in the 9th century before the intervening build-up of sediment.
Bus Éireann route 168 provides two journeys to Dundalk Mondays to Fridays inclusive and a solitary return journey from Dundalk. The morning outward journey and the return journey serve Dromiskin.[7]
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