Today, 14th August 2007 at 13.39 local time, the crew of the Sea Stallion arrived in Dublin. Accompanied by the tunes of Irish Army No. 1 Band, the ship made fast at Custom House Quay in central Dublin.
Up to 100.000 people had gathered at the quay, which was decorated with flags and banners. The Roskilde Steel Band had warmed up the crowd since 12.30.
After the arrival of the Sea Stallion from Glendalough the skipper, Carsten Hvid stepped ashore, where he was received by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Paddy Bourke. The encounter was well underlined by a military salute for the Lord Mayor, the skipper, the Danish Minister for Culture and the Danish Ambassador to Ireland, Henrik Rée Iversen, followed by the Danish and Irish national anthems.
The Lord Mayer of Dublin, Cllr. Paddy Bourke welcomed in a short speach the ship and crew to Dublin, thanking for the friendly take over of the city.
Hereafter the Irish Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Noel Ahern, expressed his admiration for the ship and its gallant crew.
The Danish Minister for Culture, Brian Mikkelsen and the director of the Viking Ship Museum, Tinna Damgård-Sørensen, both thanked for the warm welcome and great hospitality of the hosting city of Dublin.
The last speach was held by the director of the Irish National Museum, Patrick F. Wallace, who reminded the audience of the great cultural encounter which had been experienced by the two nations in their mutual history.
After this ceremonial welcome there was a joyful reunion of the crew and their relatives on the quay. The first hugs in seven weeks were accompanied by tears as well as great smiles.
Later on the crew and their families were invited to a reception at the harbour.
During the following days, the crew and families are invited to a number of activities.
On Wednesday, 15th August there will be a visit to the large and beautiful park site of Glendalough south of the city, where presumably the timber for the original ship Skuldelev 2 had been felled in the late Viking Age. On the occasion of this visit trees will be planted by Irish and Danish ministers, the mayor of Roskilde and other officials.
On Wednesday evening the Lord Mayor of Dublin will give a reception for the crew in the City Hall.
On Friday, 17th August the National Museum of Ireland will open af big exhibition on the Vikings in Ireland in the Collins Barracks. The Sea Stallion is going to be a part of the exhibition. The crew will take part in the opening ceremony at 18.00.
On Saturday, 18 August most of the crew members are going to fly home to their usual surroundings after seven weeks of adventure and endurance.