Viking ship to invade Liffey once more

CENTURIES after its predecessors terrified the citizens of this island, a Viking longship will once again arrive in Dublin.

This time, however, it’s a reconstruction of the famed vessel, due to complete a voyage from Denmark to these shores on August 14.

Going by the name of the Sea Stallion from Glendalough, the reconstruction will go on show in the National Museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin. The original Sea Stallion was built in the capital in 1042 and is though to have taken part in sea battles between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans. That craft sank in the 11th century but its wreck was recovered from the Roskilde fjord in 1962.

A crew of 65 volunteers will travel the 1,900km (1,200 miles) to Dublin, using only oar and sail power.

At 30 metres in length and the largest of its kind in the world, the replica ship left Roskilde Harbour on July 1. Crewed by staff from Denmark’s maritime museums as well as international volunteers and one crew member from Ireland, Triona Nicholl, it is being followed by a team from the BBC’s Timewatch documentary series.

After heading down the Norwegian coast and out into the North Sea, bad weather forced the ship to take a tow to Orkney, before it travelled on to Scotland and then started the final leg west towards Dublin. After arriving at Custom House Quay, it will be brought to Collins Barracks for exhibition.

It took 300 oak trees and 7,000 iron nails to build the Sea Stallion of Glendalough

The project was initiated to find out more about sea conditions for Viking travellers. A return voyage from Ireland to Denmark is planned for 2008.