The Irish from the 12th century, with information deriving from earlier annals, mentions king Halfdan (d. 877) under the name "mac Ragnaill". The form Ragnall may refer to either Ragnvald or Ragnar and the entry is a strong indication that the name of Ivar's and Halfdan's father was really Ragnar or a similar name.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 263 & 279 The early 11th century Three Fragments contains a passage that gives a semi-legendary background to the capture of York by the Vikings in 866. The two younger sons of Halfdan, King of Lochlann, expelled the eldest son, Ragnall, who sailed to the Orkney islands with his three sons and settled there. Two of the sons later raided the English and Franks, proceeding to plunder in the Mediterranean. One of them learned from a vision that Ragnall had fought a battle where the third son had been slain and in which he himself had most likely perished. The two Viking sons then returned home with a lot of dark-skinned captives.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 62 It has been hypothesized that this is an Irish version of Ragnar Lodbrok's saga, the Mediterranean expedition being a historical event taking place in 859-61.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 64-5.
The Irish from the 12th century, with information deriving from earlier annals, mentions king Halfdan (d. 877) under the name "mac Ragnaill". The form Ragnall may refer to either Ragnvald or Ragnar and the entry is a strong indication that the name of Ivar's and Halfdan's father was really Ragnar or a similar name.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford Oxford University Press, pp. 263 & 279 The early 11th century Three Fragments contains a passage that gives a semi-legendary background to the capture of York by the Vikings in 866. The two younger sons of Halfdan, King of Lochlann, expelled the eldest son, Ragnall, who sailed to the Orkney islands with his three sons and settled there. Two of the: sons later raided the English and Franks, proceeding to plunder in the Mediterranean. One of them learned from a vision that Ragnall had fought a battle where the third son had been slain and in which he himself had most likely perished. The two Viking sons then returned home with a lot of dark-skinned captives.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 62 It has been hypothesized that this is an Irish version of Ragnar Lodbrok's saga, the Mediterranean expedition being a historical event taking place in 859-61.Smyth, Alfred P. (1977) Scandinavian kings in the British Isles 850–880. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 64-5.