Lewis's Topographical Dictionary - Waterford City

In 1171, after the taking of Wexford by Hervey de Montemarisco and his companions, RAYMOND Le Gros landed, in May, at Dundonolf or Dundrone, four miles from Waterford, with a force of 10 knights and 70 archers, sent as an advance guard by Earl Strongbow, who had spent the whole of the preceding winter in preparation for the invasion of Leinster, in support of the deposed sovereign Dermod McMurrough.  This party, for their immediate security, threw up an in-trenchment and a temporary fortification, which was soon attacked by an irregular force of 3000 men, con-sisting of the Danes of this place and the troops of the princes of Decies and Idrone. The English retreated from this formidable superiority of numbers into their fort, and the Irish pressing closely upon them were partly within the gates, when Raymond slew their leader; upon which, his associates, animated by his example, compelled the assailants to retire. Raymond ordered a numerous herd of cattle collected by the Eng-lish from the adjacent country, to be driven furiously against the retiring army, which was thus thrown into confusion; and seizing the advantage, he rushed with impetuosity upon the disordered troops, and gained a complete victory, committed dreadful slaughter, and returned to the fort with 70 captives, all principal inha-bitants of the city. These offered large sums for their ransom, and promised to surrender the city as the price of their liberty; but Raymond, listening to the advice of Hervey de Montemarisco, adopted the barbarous policy of putting them all to death.  Raymond and Hervey now waited here for the arrival of STRONGBOW, who, on the eve of the festival of St. Bartholomew, appeared in the harbour, and landed with 200 knights and 1200 infantry, all chosen men and well-appointed soldiers. Strongbow was immediately joined by Raymond and his party, and, on the following morning, marched in military array to attack the city, which had received considerable reinforcements from the neighbouring chieftains, and was prepared for a vigorous defence. The English were twice repulsed, and twice returned to the attack, when Raymond, perceiving a house of timber projecting from the eastern angle of the city walls, and supported on the outside by posts, prevailed on his men to make a third assault, and direct their whole force against this quarter. They began by hewing down the posts; and the house, falling, drew away with it such a portion of the walls as made a breach wide enough to admit the besiegers, who rushed in, and bore down all opposition; the city becoming a scene of indiscriminate carnage and rapine.  Reginald, King of the Danes, and Malachy O'Feolian, Prince of Decies, had been seized and were just on the point of being put to death, when the sudden arrival of Dermod McMurrough, King of Leinster, and his forces, with Fitzstephen and other English leaders, prevented fur-ther slaughter.  Dermod embraced his new associates, and introduced his daughter Eva to her affianced husband, Earl Strongbow: the marriage being immediately solemnized, the earl departed with his allies, and, leav-ing a sufficient garrison in Waterford, proceeded to lay siege to Dublin.