date, possibly as early as the 11th century. Neither is the dating of the Annals definitive. Nonetheless, Ó Corráin (1998) argues of 873 that "this is no chronological impossibility: his sons first appeared in Ireland 25 years before, very likely in their twenties or younger, and we may infer from this that he may have been in his sixties when he died." He also states that "it is likely that the father of Amlaíb (Óláfr) and Ímar (Ívarr) is Gothfraidh (Guðrøðr) and that he is a historical person and dynastic ancestor." Predecessors The Fragmentary Annals note of a date c. 871–872 that "In this year, i.e. the tenth year of the reign of Áed Findliath, Imar son of Gothfraid son of Ragnall son of Gothfraid Conung son of Gofraid and the son of the man who left Ireland, i.e. Amlaib, plundered from west to east, and from south to north." This suggests an ancestry for Gofraid but according to Ó Corráin this reference to "his genealogical ascent is a construct without historical value" and attempts to link the Kings of Lochlann with historical figures in Norway have not proven to be satisfactory. Alfred Smyth identifies Amlaib as Olaf Geirstad-Alf of Vestfold, which would make Gofraid identical to Gudrød the Hunter, grandfather of Harald Fairhair. However Ó Corráin maintains that there is "no good historical or linguistic evidence to link Lothlend/Laithlind with Norway, and none to link the dynasty of Dublin to the shadowy history of the Ynglings of Vestfold." Descendants In addition to Amlaib Conung, Gofraid had at least two other children, Amlaib's brothers Ímar, the eponymous founder of the Uí Ímair, and Óisle. The Annals of Ulster also note that there was a king of "Laithlinne" whose heir, Thórir, brought an army to Ireland in 848 and who died there in battle. Although there is no specific suggestion that this king was Gofraid this is only the year before the Fragmentary Annals first record of Amlaib as the king's son. According to the Fragmentary Annals c. 867: There was an encounter between Óisle, son of the king of Norway, and Amlaib, his brother. The king had three sons: Amlaib, Imar, and Óisle. Óisle was the least of them in age, but he was the greatest in valor, for he outshone the Irish in casting javelins and in strength with spears. He outshone the Norwegians in strength with swords and