Irish slaves in Algeria?

[Athmane]

I remember seeing a documentary in the BBC about the history of European slaves in North Africa. I only vaguely remember the documentary, but something that stuck in my mind is a tiny Irish village that had apparently been ransacked by Algerian pirates (:D) and many of its inhabitants taken as slaves back to Algeria. There is even a pub named "Algiers" in that village to commemorate the memory of those who were shipped to Algeria never to be heard of ever after.

Has anybody seen the said documentary? If yes, what time frame are we exactly talking about?

[l.algeroise]

Actually Athmane, once, a long time ago my brother has told me about the presence of the Irish and Vikings in Algeria! I am not sure in which era it was even though he has told me. I guess I'll have to ask him again sometime soon or better yet do a search on Google..
Nice of you to bring up this very interesting subject :)

[l.algeroise]

Salam everyone,

What I found out about the vikings "viking age" is that they were known as looters, raiders and traders. But they were in North Africa during the Byzantine era; they apparently were "Mercenaries for the Byzantine Empire between the 9th and 11th century." You can get some information about that by reading Ibn Fadlan chronicles and Ibn Roslan and...etc.

[bizzylizzy]

On the 20th June 1631 Pirates came inland at Baltimore, Cork, Ireland and took captive over a hundred people, men, women and children from the cove and sailed to Algiers.

It appears from history that the the pirates would have captured more, as they went further inland if it was not for the quick thinking one of the men of the village. He, again according to history, took a gun and a drum, roused neighbors and they hid in the surrounding hills. Then he shot in to the night air as the sound the tattoo of a military drum rang through the night.

The pirates decided to leave with these people. According to some websites only two of those captured ever returned to Ireland.

A book called "The Stolen Village" documents the story, link to below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Village-Baltimore-Barbary-Pirates/dp/0862789559

I have not read it yet, but intend in the next week or so. As an Irish person it appears that this event never entered any history book I read at school or since. I am totally fascinated by it.

I have found this link that lists those captured and a bit more it.

http://www.odriscolls.me.uk/sack%20of%20baltimore.htm

I missed the BBC documentary but will keep an eye out for a repeat. It would be fascinating to trace back to those times and find out what happened to these people.

[kais]

Hi bizzylizzy,

Thanks a lot for this answer.
It's very informative. I will check out the site!
Have a good day and take care.

[bizzylizzy]

Hi Kais

Glad to be of some help. I am in Ireland in two weeks time and hope to visit Baltimore and find out a bit more about it all.

Enjoy the information.

BizzyLizzy

[FilleDuBled]

You are all right! When I first read this thread I couldn't believe it.
I did a search on google and I came up with some jewelry sites.
There is a website about celtic jewelry and here is the story of one of the items they sell: "Claddagh Ring" A love story:

Richard Joyce was born in the tiny fishing village of ''Claddagh'' county Galway on the west coast of Ireland. In the 1600s, he was a young fisherman and soon to wed. While on the seas fishing he was captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Algeria North Africa. He fashioned a ring in memory of his fiancée back in Ireland: the heart symbolized love; the pair of hands represented friendship; and the crown loyalty and fidelity. When he was released in years later, he presented the ring to his fiancée, who had waited for him, and the pair married.

At least the story has a happy ending:-)