Editing Howth (section)

===11th to 16th centuries===
After [[Brian Ború]], the [[High King]] of Ireland, defeated the Norse in 1014, many Norse fled to Howth to regroup and remained a force until their final defeat in Fingal in the middle of the 11th century. Howth still remained under the control of Irish and localised Norse forces until the invasion of Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in 1169.

Without the support of either the Irish or Scandinavian powers, Howth was isolated and fell to the Normans in 1177. One of the victorious Normans, Armoricus (or Almeric) Tristram, was granted much of the land between the village and Sutton. According to the historian Samuel Lewis:

<blockquote>In 1177, Sir Amorey Tristram and Sir John de Courcy landed here at the head of a large military force, and totally defeated the Danish inhabitants in a sanguinary battle at the bridge of Evora, over a mountain stream which falls into the sea near the Baily lighthouse. This victory secured to Sir Amorey the lordship of Howth, of which his descendants have continued in possession to the present day, under the name of [[Saint Lawrence|St. Laurence]], which Almaric, third baron, assumed in fulfilment of a vow previously to his victory over the Danes near Clontarf, in a battle fought on the festival of that saint. The territory of Howth was confirmed to Almaric de St. Laurence by King John....<ref>Samuel Lewis, [https://archive.org/stream/b22012333_0002#page/10/mode/1up ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''], Volume 2, p. 10, S. Lewis & Co., London (1837)</ref></blockquote>

Tristam built his first castle overlooking the harbour and the St. Lawrence link remained until 2019 (see [[Earl of Howth]]). The original title of Baron of Howth was granted to Almeric St. Lawrence by [[Henry II of England]] in 1181, for one [[Knight's fee]].

Howth was a minor trading port from at least the 14th century, with both health and duty collection officials supervising from Dublin, although the harbour was not built until the early 19th century.

A popular tale concerns the clan leader and sometime pirate [[Grace O'Malley|Gráinne O'Malley]], who was rebuffed in 1576 while attempting a courtesy visit to [[Howth Castle]], home of the [[Earl of Howth]]. In retaliation, she abducted the Earl's grandson and heir, and as ransom, she exacted a promise that unanticipated guests would never be turned away again. She also made the Earl promise that the gates of Deer Park (the Earl's demesne) would never be closed to the public again, and the gates are still open to this day, and an extra place is set for unexpected guests during formal dinners in the dining room.