Sunday July 1st the world’s largest reconstruction of a Viking ship stems out heading for the Irish shores. And at the same time as the climax of a Danish-Irish project of culture on the grandest of scales; a reconstruction of the Irish Viking ship returns to its port of origin after almost a thousand years.
And the fact that the project – dubbed ‘Full-blood at sea’ – is a Danish-Irish effort, you do not have to look long to find out: The Danish name of the Viking ship ‘Havhingsten fra Glendalough’ is a symbolical joining of Danish and Irish idioms. The Irish term was suggested, because Glendalough is a legendary area in the beautiful Wicklow-mountains and one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions.
And the first name? Well, it stems from the Nordic sagas, where striking and fearsome warships were lyrically referred to as ‘havhest’ and ‘bølgehingst’ – meaning ‘sea horse’ and ‘wave horse’.
While the effort in Denmark is mainly focused on getting ship and crew all ready for departure and managing the thousand nautical miles across open sea, the Irish prepare a proper welcome of the ship and organize the Sea Stallion’s stay over the winter at the National Museum of Ireland.
10-15,000 spectators
“The project has been received with open arms in Ireland. The scientific and communicative aspects of the project spawn professional enthusiasm, and on the other hand the thought of having a reconstructed Irish Viking longship return to its original harbour is emotionally significant. Everybody is eagerly anticipating the culmination of a close Danish-Irish corporation that since 2000 has materialized in exhibitions and shared communication- and teaching activities in Roskilde, Dublin, and Wrexford, in publications and musical events,” says Preben Rather Sørensen, head of secretariat at the Viking Ship Museum.
Soon he travels to Dublin for the third time to get the final details in order with the Irish partners. And there is probably plenty to do. The authorities expect 10-15,000 people crowding the pier in Dublin for the chance to greet the ship and crew.
Road blocks
“It is so many people that the authorities plan to close some of Dublin’s more trafficked roads by the harbour to make room for the masses”:
A few days after the arrival the ship will be transported to Collins Barracks at the National Museum, and here the biggest crane in Ireland will grab the Sea Stallion and lift it over the buildings to place it in the courtyard of the museum. Parked here the ship will be on exhibit until the preparations start for the voyage back to Roskilde in early summer of 2008.
But already before the sixty-five crewmembers man the oars onboard the Sea Stallion, the Irish are at it:
The National Museum in Dublin opens an exhibition on the project on June 28, shortly before the ship’s departure from Roskilde. The exhibition is produced in corporation with the Viking Ship Museum, and is mainly based on the electronic communication, composed at the Viking Ship Museum.
New and old warships travel along
When the Sea Stallion arrives at Dublin the Irish Defence Forces dispatch a marching band and a guard of honour and a sizable navy vessel will be joining the Sea Stallion on the last part of the journey into the harbour – for instance one of the Irish Naval Service’s seagoing patrol ships, the eighty metres long ‘LE Roisin’.
Furthermore activities for the public and a Viking fair are being arranged on the pier. And Dublin City Council plans to advertise the event by putting up banners downtown and at major entry points to the city in the period of August 10-18.
The arrival in Dublin on the 14th of August is still being planned. The Sea Stallion arrives at Dublin Docklands, and the arrival is honoured with a welcoming ceremony at Custom House Quay. The Danish Embassy in Dublin has accepted the role as the representative of the Viking Ship Museum in Ireland, and will see to a considerable portion of the successive communicating and coordination with all the different Irish associates.