CHRIST CHURCH BELLS TO WELCOME
THE VIKINGS BACK

The bells of Christ Church cathedral will welcome the Vikings back to Dublin in mid August when the Sea Stallion, a reconstruction of a Viking warship built in Dublin, arrives after a journey of over a month from Roskilde Fjord in Denmark.

The original Viking warship was built from wood harvested in Co Wicklow in the year 1042, a year that also saw the death of the Viking King of Dublin, Sitric. The first Christian Viking King of Dublin, Sitric had founded "the Church of the Most Holy Trinity" in the 1030's, which subsequently became Christ Church Cathedral. As the publicity for the endeavour notes: "When work began on the original ship in Dublin, the first Christian Viking King Sitric, had just founded Christ Church and as it sailed in Dublin's waters its crew would probably have heard the tolling of bells from the tower of Christ Church."

After a period of sailing in Irish waters and possibly being involved in battles for the kingship of England, the original ship sailed to Denmark and was scuttled in a fjord with four other Viking Ships 20km north of Roskilde in order to protect the town, which at that time was probably the capital of Denmark. For over 930 years it lay in the mud and waters at the mouth of the Fjord. Experts could tell from examining the timber that the original trees were Irish.

Now 965 years after the original was built, the reconstruction, the Sea Stallion, left Roskilde Fjord on 1 July 2007 for the 1000 nautical mile trip back to Dublin where the full majesty of Christ Church's collection of 16 bells will call them home. As the ship reaches the Dockside other Dublin church bells will join in. The story will come full circle when, on the day after their arrival, the crew of the Sea Stallion and Danish dignitaries will plant a copse of oak tress in Glendalough, Co Wicklow, where the trees for the original boat were harvested, as a living memorial.

The voyage of the Sea Stallion can be followed online at www.seastallion.dk

The Sea Stallion is expected to arrive at Custom House Quay, Dublin on the 14 August at 1pm. Celebrations begin at Noon.

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