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MNN Global · January 1, 2026 · 1 min read

New findings question Vikings as first builders of Irish towns

What happened: Researchers led by Dr Dirk Brandherm found over 600 possible house platforms at Brusselstown Ring, suggesting earlier settlements than previously thought. This challenges the idea that Vikings were the first to build towns in Ireland.

Why it matters:

  • It could reshape understanding of early Irish urban history.
  • Historians and archaeologists studying Ireland's past may need to reconsider Viking influence.

MNN Take: The discovery indicates that organised settlements existed before Viking arrival, highlighting the complexity of Ireland's early habitation patterns.

Sources: BBC World