Renowned archaeology expert to give public lecture on Vikings

AN EXPERT on Viking archaeology and how it can best be preserved and presented is to speak at Waterford Institute of Technology on February 8.

Dr Richard A Hall’s lecture - The Viking Age City of York and the Newly-discovered Camp at Ainsbrook - is set to be a huge hit, given the massive interest in the Viking site at Woodstown in Waterford.

Earlier this month, the Save Viking Waterford Action Group welcomed the decision to exhibit objects found in the 2003 and 2004 digs at Woodstown in Waterford’s Museum of Treasures later this year.

The group is also delighted that the Minister for the Environment’s Working Group is canvassing both professionals and local archaeological societies as to the best options for the future of Woodstown.

Group chairwoman Dr Catherine Swift said: “For the first time ever, it has been acknowledged that the Irish people should be involved in the discussion about the future development and exploitation of an Irish National Monument.

“When the Viking site at Woodstown was discovered, the people of Waterford insisted that they wanted the implications of the site to be investigated; they wanted to be informed about what was being found and they wanted to explore its potential as an asset to both heritage tourism and academic research in the south-east. They campaigned on those principles and now we can see the results of that enthusiasm.”

* Dr Hall’s lecture is part of WIT’s public lecture series and tickets for the talk will be available on the night.