Gaelic Incursion

We have seen that the whole of our region was British at the time of the Roman Occupation. We have also noted the incursions of the Anglo-Saxons from the east but there was also raiding, and later settlement by the Irish Gaels. Gaelic influence on Cumbria was considerable, but varied depending on geography. The heartland of the Clyde was subject to Gaels coming south and east from the kingdom of Alba. From the west, the Gaels were dominant in Galloway and Gaelic was the main language of western Galloway until relatively late.  It seems probable they crossed the straits from Ulster. Livingston suggests this happened suddenly over a brief period with the collapse of Northumbrian power due to attacks by the Norsemen. Livingston notes that Gaelic was the main language of the Douglas lordship up until 1455 and the language was spoken later as evidenced by Gaelic personal and place-names [48]. Gaelic personal names are found in the southern parts of Cumbria in place-names and in monastic documents from St Bees. A number of churches have dedications to the Irish St Bridget (though it has been argued that this is in part a remembrance of the pagan Celtic goddess Brigantia, who was Christianised).  Gaelic settlement in west Cumberland seems likely to have been from Man or Ireland.  Gaelic influence in Dumfriesshire is certain in Nithsdale but there are also Gaelic place-names further east even towards Langholm and then south into north west Cumberland.

The Britons living in Galloway may have first been Anglicised under the Northumbrians, then Gaelicised and then reverted back to Scots, itself deriving from Northumbrian Anglo-Saxon. However there remain in Galloway, Cumbric names of late form, indicating that the Cumbrians continued to exist there even under Gaelic rule.

Jensen-Fellows, when discussing the Norse names in Galloway says that Gaelic was established there before the Norse settlement  [44]. That is before 902 at the earliest. The Gaels were advancing east from the Rinns of Galloway into British speaking territory (and English speaking territory) before the Norsemen arrived. Jensen-Fellows then makes an argument that much of the Gaelic influence on place-names in Cumberland and Westmorland came from Galloway and possibly the Scottish islands [44]. This south-eastward migration is also what has been proposed for the expansion of Cumbric with incoming Britons from Strathclyde.

In the face of Gaelic power in Galloway, David I, Prince of Cumbria, settled Normans and Flemish settlers on their marches - including the Stewarts and Bruces [48].