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Annagassan ()"Annagassan" A Dictionary of British Place-Names. A. D. Mills. Oxford University Press, 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Solihull Libraries. 16 April 2008 is a village in the townland of Ballynagassan, County Louth, Ireland. It sits where the River Glyde enters the Irish Sea. It is approximately 13 km south of Dundalk and 18 km north of Drogheda. As of the 2022 census, Annagassan had a population of 189 people.
In 827, the Annals of Ulster record that the Vikings attacked the Ciannachta people of Louth and north Meath. These early raids were sporadic coastal attacks by small seaborne forces; however, from the 830s, a new phase was characterised by larger fleets, which penetrated up navigable rivers and plundered extensive inland areas.
Annagassan was once as important as the Viking settlement at Dublin (The Black Pool). The modern village is generally believed to be built on what some archaeologists consider to be a man-made polder structure, constructed to provide shelter for the fjord. The original settlement was located further upstream; navigation was considerably easier on the River Glyde in the 9th century before the intervening build-up of sediment.
Annagassan is a fishing village, and the harbour still houses a number of fishing vessels that set out during the summer months for crab claws and other seafood. The main beach stretches the length of the coastline, beginning at the mouth of the River Glyde and stretching onto Salterstown beach.
From 2008 to 2013, Annagassan celebrated its Viking heritage with an annual "Viking Festival". The festival included demonstrations of sword fighting, dress up competitions, music, food and entertainment. It ended with a parade to the harbour in which a large wooden longboat was carried, and then burned in a bonfire. While the festival ended in 2014, due to insurance issues, the annual Viking 10k run still takes place. This race celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022.
In sport, the local GAA club, Naomh Fionnbarra and St Anne's GFG, compete in Gaelic football competitions. The club fields children's, men's and women's teams and plays its home matches at John Markey Park in Annagassan.
The local school is St. Finian's of Dillonstown - sharing its name with the local church.
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