UCC maritime history conference to include exploration one of the world’s most famous ship wrecks?

A leading underwater archaeologist will discuss one of the world’s most famous ship wrecks at UCC this Saturday.

Dr Fred Hocker, Director of Research at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, will lecture on the recovered Swedish warship, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was put on public display after its recovery fifty years ago.

Dr Hocker will be among a number of maritime scholars appearing at the Third Annual Irish Maritime History Conference on Friday and Saturday, 25-26 November.

Friday’s afternoon session will feature a talk on North Atlantic fisheries by Professor Poul Holm of Trinity College Dublin, one of the top scholars in the field. Dr Kieran Hickey of UCC will also discuss storm measurements at a time of global warming.

Saturday’s schedule includes presentations on the Aran Islanders and other coastal communities, a Spanish Armada shipwreck in West Cork, provisioning in Cork Harbour, Irish sailors in Spanish service, and a History Ireland ‘Hedge School’ exploring the maritime assistance given to Hugh O’Neill, Wolfe Tone, and Roger Casement.

Dr Hocker’s talk on the Vasa will be held at noon, Saturday. The conference is free and open to the public. Friday’s sessions will be held at the Geography Building Main Lecture Theatre and start at 3.30pm and Saturday’s at the Electrical Engineering Building, L-1 starting at 10am.

The full programme can be seen here.