Dermot Mac Murrough, King of Leinster. He was a powerful and ambitious ruler who played a pivotal role in reshaping Ireland’s future. In 1166, he was driven into exile. By a coalition of rival Irish kings, including the High King, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair. Unwilling to accept defeat, Mac Murrough set his sights beyond Ireland. He crossed the Irish Sea to England, determined to reclaim his throne by any means necessary.
Strongbow
There, he sought support from King Henry II and eventually found an eager ally in Richard de Clare, a Norman warlord better known to history as Strongbow. In return for military aid, Mac Murrough promised Strongbow his daughter Aoife’s hand in marriage and a claim to lands in Ireland.
In 1170, their combined forces launched a dramatic and brutal campaign. It successfully recapturing Waterford and then Dublin, two of Ireland’s most strategically important cities.
Dermot Mac Murrough died the following year, in 1171. He was laid to rest in Ferns, County Wexford, a place forever tied to his legacy. Fittingly, his final resting place lies just a few steps from the completed artwork commemorating his dramatic return and the far-reaching consequences that followed.
Now and again a project comes along that creatively ticks all the boxes. A massive, massive thanks to Wexford County Council for an amazing commission and also the brilliant Waterford Walls crew for all their assistance and support.
Keep an eye on the website for more up-to-date projects here.
