Viking ship stamp launched

A special 55c stamp celebrating the arrival of the Viking Warship in Dublin was issued today by An Post.

The stamp features the Sea Stallion from Glendalough, a reconstruction of the Skuldulev 2 Viking ship built by in Dublin in 1042.

Researched and illustrated by leading Irish philatelic artist, Vincent Killowry, the stamp is available from all the main post offices. A 3 euro stamp has also been produced.

The reconstructed vessel has been sailed 1,000 nautical miles from Denmark and is due to dock at Customs House Quay, Dublin, on Tuesday.

From Friday it will be on display as part of the National Museum’s permanent Viking exhibition Sea Stallion – Dublin’s Warship Comes Home at Collins Barracks.

The exhibition – which runs until next summer – gives an insight into daily life in Dublin from 800AD to 1150AD through artefacts from a variety of archaeological excavations, including Wood Quay.