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Chapter 6: The Defence of the Monastery - Monks Viewpoint

(Written by 4th Class Bunclody National School)

It was a beautiful spring evening as the sun went down on another peaceful day. We were rounding up the sheep from the nearby fields. As brother Cormac and Brother Kevin gathered the last of the sheep from the brow of the hill they noticed a long curved ship with armed men on board. The men left the ship and waded towards the land carrying vile looking axes, swords and shields.

Terrified, the monks ran back to the monastery as fast as their legs could carry them shouting "Vikings! Vikings!"

We all gathered inside the monastery and as we closed the heavy door we could see the flames of lit torches approaching. The Vikings were getting closer with every passing second.

Everyone gathered around the abbot. He reassured us all that God would protect and save us.

Suddenly we could hear loud thuds against the door. Cracks appeared in the wood and shortly afterwards it was knocked to the ground. The Vikings rushed in with burning torches and frightening weapons. We did not fight or attack these violent men. Some of us offered them valuables made of gold and silver such as crosses, chalices and croziers so that they would spare our lives. They took the gifts but the raiders wanted more. They continued to plunder and destroy our monastery. We knelt on the ground, held up our crosses and prayed to God.

They burned our cells to the ground and smashed everything they saw.

Eventually the Vikings found the larder and started to feast on our stores of food. They also filled their socks with as much as they could carry.

Some of the villagers were captured and taken away. After many hours of looting, they went back to their ship leaving the monastery in ruins.