Gormflaith
Gormflaith is depicted in later literature as an evil and vindictive woman, who was responsible for the Battle of Clontarf. (Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh, p. 142; Brennu-Njáls saga 154. kafli)
Events
Date of Birth: probably about 950 - 955.
Mac Shamhráin states that Gormflaith was probably in her late seventies at her death.
Date of Death: 1030. The death is recorded in the Annals of Inisfallen (I1030.4) and the Annals of Tigernach (T1030.15). In the Chronicum Scotorum, it is under the year 1028.
Relationships
Father: Murchad mac Finn (died 972).
This relationship is given by Hudson (ODNB), by Mac Shamhráin, and by Baldwin (LaI). It is recorded in the Ban-Shenchus (Revue Celtique 47:314, 48:189, 48:227) and in the Annals of Tigernach (T1030.15).
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Óláf Sihtricson (died 981).
This relationship is given by Hudson (ODNB) and Baldwin (LaI). It is recorded in the Ban-Shenchus
(Revue Celtique 47:314, 48:189, 48:227) and in the Annals of Tigernach (T1030.15).
Spouse: Brian Bóruma (died 1014).
This relationship is given in the Ban-Shenchus (Revue Celtique 48:189, 48:227) and in the Annals of Tigernach (T1030.15).
(possible) Spouse: Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill (died 1022).
This relationship is given by Baldwin (LaI), by Thornton, and by Duffy (ODNB). There seems to be disagreement among scholars on whether the marriage was real.
Children (by Óláf Sihtricson):
Sihtric (died 1042). Married Sláine, daughter of Brian Bóruma.
Children (by Brian Bóruma):
References
Annals of Inisfallen (Seán Mac Airt ed.). (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2002/2008).
Annals of Tigernach (Donnchadh Ó Corráin, compiler). (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 1996).
The Annals of Ulster (Pádraig Bambury, Stephen Beechinor, compilers) (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2000).
Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 23 May 2014).
Chronicum Scotorum. (William M. Hennessy ed.) (London, Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1866).
Dobbs, Margaret C. (ed. and trans.) “The Ban-shenchus [3 pts]”, in Revue Celtique 47:283-339 (1930), 48:163-234 (1931), 49:437-489 (1932).
Duffy, Seán. “Brian Bóruma [Brian Boru] (c.941–1014)” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Hudson, Benjamin T. “Óláf Sihtricson (c.926–981)”, in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).
Hudson, Benjamin T. Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the North Atlantic. (Oxford University Press, 2005).
Mac Shamhráin, Ailbhe. “Gormflaith” in the Dictionary of Irish Biography (Cambridge University Press, 2009).
Thornton, David E. “The genealogy of Gruffudd ap Cynan” in Gruffudd ap Cynan (1996).
Todd, James Henthorn (ed.). Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh: The Wars of the Gaedhill with the Gaill. Rolls Series 48. (London, Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1867 ).