alternatehistory.com

There is some evidence - more myth - that Brendan the Voyager made landfall in Northern North America (prior to Leif Erikson). What if, following increased depredations from Vikings that a successful colony was begun? Questions:

  1. Would the Irish have enough of a technological edge to fight off the Indians?
  2. Would they need to? If the Irish became friendly with the natives, and held to allocated lands - perhaps the cycle of violence that happened later on may not have eventuated.
  3. Would the curragh, which was the height of Irish boating technology, been able to create stable trade/colonisation lanes between Ireland and N America?
  4. Was there enough impetus from Viking raids/colonisation to prompt Irish immigration? Or is that only in response to the vile Sassenach?
  5. What would a Columban Church/isolated Irish culture look like? The Derry novels look at what the celts might have looked like if they avoided Roman conquest - whatabout a true gaelic culture?
Top