Ivar of Waterford

Ivar of Waterford (Irish: Ímar, rí Puirt Láirgi; Old Norse: Ívarr [ˈiːˌwɑrː]; died 1000) was the Norse king of Waterford from at least 969 until his death in the year 1000, and also reigned as King of Dublin, possibly from 989 to 993,[1] and certainly again for less than a year between 994 and 995, returning after his expulsion from the city in 993 by Sigtrygg Silkbeard, who would expel him for good the next time.

However Clare Downham argues that his claim to Dublin and the names of his sons and grandsons suggest he did belong to the Uí Ímair dynasty.

[9] Next year he joined forces with the King of Leinster Domnall Claen in a major battle against Máel Sechnaill and Glúniairn, in which his side suffered a rout and many were slain, with his son Gilla Pátraic and others of distinction among the dead.

[14] A year or two later in 994 or 995 Ivar is noted for expelling Sigtrygg from the kingship,[15] but he would only reign for a short time as Silkbeard returned to force him out later in 995.

[19] According to Geoffrey Keating in his circa 1634 History of Ireland, which is based on the annals and other sources, Ivar at some point in his career joined forces with Domnall mac Fáelain, King of the Déisi Muman, to invade the province of Munster, and they plundered the greater part of it before being defeated by Brian Bóruma, who burned Waterford in retaliation.

Outside Ireland and returning to the early 980s, Alex Woolf suggests Ivar may have engaged in a number of raids in southwestern England which are reported in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

[27]According to Seán Duffy, Ivar and his family engaged in a nearly century-long debilitating feud with the descendants of Amlaíb Cuarán, eventually resulting in the loss of control of Norse Dublin to the Irish Uí Cheinnselaig and Uí Briain dynasties,[28] although this argument depends on whether or not Echmarcach mac Ragnaill was a descendant of Ivar.

[31] Depending on the interpretation of the surviving sources, Cacht ingen Ragnaill, Queen of Donnchad mac Briain and usually assumed to be a sister of Echmarcach, may or may not have been a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of Ivar.

Clare Downham (2004, p. 89) states 'A son of Ímar, king of Waterford, in the late tenth century bore the name Gillaphátraic (†983).