dublin was a walled city, but the citizens were terrified by the norman knights and men-at-arms, as well as by the stories that were being told of their fierceness and cruelty. lorcán o'toole's house was besieged by people imploring him to save them and to make a treaty with the anglo-normans. the archbishop went out to the foreigners' camp. while he appealed to them, two of the norman knights with their followers made a breach in the walls of the city and entered the streets. they burned houses and killed the unarmed people. the noise and tumult reached the camp and so lorcán heard of the massacre. he hurried back to dublin and succeeded in stopping the slaughter.