Vadrarfjordr pushes boat out to mark Viking past

Under the light of the same North Star that guided the Vikings on their expeditions of conquest and terror over a millennium ago, Waterford came out in force on Saturday night to mark the start of 1,100 years since the city’s foundation.

The quays of Ireland’s oldest city were thronged for a re-enactment of the Vikings’ arrival at a place they eventually called Vadrarfjordr — pronounce it out loud to hear how Waterford is the only city to hold onto its Viking name.

Before a spectacular firework display which lit up the clear night sky, the centrepiece of the Vadrarfjordr event was a display of three stylised Viking ships which were built at the workshops of Spraoi, the street theatre group which was the driving force behind Saturday’s celebration.