The Lordship of Ireland: John de Courcy's Invasion of Ulster 1177

In 1177, a Norman knight named John de Courcy marched north from Dublin with a small force and seized the Gaelic kingdom of Ulster. How did a handful of knights topple centuries-old dynasties and build a castle that still stands today? This episode follows de Courcy's audacious invasion, his construction of Carrickfergus Castle, and the cultural collisions between Norman and Gaelic worlds. We explore the role of the Irish Church under Archbishop Echmarcach, the resistance of the Uí Néill and Mac Lochlainn clans, and the legacy of de Courcy's mythmaking — he styled himself as a prince, wrote his own chronicles, and even claimed descent from the legendary Cú Chulainn. We also touch on the decline of de Courcy's power at the hands of Hugh de Lacy, and what his story says about the messy, hybrid nature of medieval Ireland. #JohnDeCourcy #NormanInvasion #Ulster #CarrickfergusCastle #MedievalIreland #GaelicIreland #UíNéill #MacLochlainn #Echmarcach #DeLacy #CúChulainn #LordshipOfIreland #HenryII #Downpatrick #History #FexingoHistory #Ireland #MedievalHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo