Press Releases

back to main Press Release section

April 2005

29nd Apr 2005 - Action Group Fact Finding Mission to Roskilde a Huge Success
22nd Apr 2005 - Action Group Call on Minister to State his Intentions now
15th Apr 2005 - Explorer Author, Historian, Tim Severin to Speak at Save Viking Waterford Lecture
01st Apr 2005 - Action Group Shows Solidarity with Tara Campaign

29th April

Action Group Fact Finding Mission to Roskile a Huge Success

A delegation of Waterford citizens visited the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde in Denmark last weekend. Their aim was to learn more about the work done on the great Viking warship, Skuldelev 2, which is one of a number of Viking period ships found scuttled in Roskilde fjord. Skuldelev 2 is, however, an Irish built ship, made by shipwrights somewhere in the south-east of Ireland in the years after Brian Boru’s victory at the battle of Clontarf.

The SVWAG delegation arrived in Copenhagen on Friday afternoon and the following day was spent in Roskilde. Almost immediately after they arrived, they were fortunate enough to see a replica of Skuldelev 2 being rowed out for sea trials. The boat is the second biggest longship ever found, with up to 100 crew members. Such large numbers mean real logistical problems in putting together a qualified crew capable of sailing the replica and volunteers have come from all over Denmark come together for the exercise. It is hoped that once the crew has gelled together and has sufficient experience in sailing the ship, that the replica of Skuldelev 2 will be sailed to York in England and possibly to Ireland if funds can be raised.

Building replicas is a large part of the Roskilde Ship Museum’s work. Five ships of different types: large and small warships, merchant vessels and small fishing boats were found scuttled in the fjord. These were in a fragmentary state but years of work have gone into conserving the pieces of wood and putting together the jigsaw to reconstruct the original layout. These ships are displayed in their entirety in the museum with the lines of the ships represented by metal bars where the wood has not survived.

Outside, in a series of small specialist workshops, the work is experimental; attempting to build replicas of the ships using Viking tools and techniques; learning to work the wood with adzes along the grain so that the resultant planks are as thin and light as possible. One important aspect of the experiments is to identify the material used for the sails which have not survived. The sails SVWAG saw being used on the bay were woven from wool and smeared with various oily substances to make them waterproof, producing a heavy cloth of deep yellow.

The SVWAG chairman, Dr. Catherine Swift, commented: "One of the really inspiring things about today is not just the work done by the Museum staff but also the way in which the local population is involved. Its people from Roskilde and beyond who sail these ships on their weekends; who weave the cloth to make the sails, who cut down the trees and shape the wood. It’s a partnership between themselves and the museum and that’s what makes the experience so magical."

"We don’t know yet whether we have Viking ships at Woodstown; more work is required by underwater archaeologists but we do know that hemp, presumably for ropes, was found in the pollen analyses from the surrounding bog. We also know that large numbers of ships nails were found on the site, apparently scattered fairly widely and that may mean ship-building was taking place at Woodstown. Seeing what’s been done at Roskilde is a real inspiration for us in Waterford.

22nd April

Action Group CALL ON MINISTER TO STATE HIS INTENTIONS NOW

The Save Viking Waterford Action Group has called on the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche to publicly announce his definitive decision on Woodstown and the N25. On the 21st February last, Minister Roche declared that, following NRA representations, he was ‘minded’ to re-route the N25 bypass around the Viking site of Woodstown. The Minster led the public and media to believe that his decision would be formalised and confirmed within weeks. However, no further clarification has been published on the subject and the government’s intentions with regard to the new bridge, the Waterford City bypass and the Viking site are still as opaque as ever.

SVWAG chair, Dr Catherine Swift commented: "Its now two months since Minister Roche came down to Waterford and told us he was ‘minded’ to move the road. When he said that, everybody thought that, at long last, we finally had a decision but this government seems to be completely incapable of acting decisively about anything – just look at the recent re-emergence of the Bertie Bowl. Last May, the then Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, said that, following the discovery of the Viking site at Woodstown, he was going to order an excavation of the site in the next two weeks. All during the summer while the Cabinet waited for the reshuffle, nothing happened. Then we got a new Minister in September who said he was awaiting reports. They arrived on his desk in October, Still nothing happened. Finally we have an announcement in February that the present man is thinking about reversing Martin Cullen’s proposal.

What has happened in the two months since? Nothing.""We are now forced to ask: ‘What does ‘minded to move the N25’ mean?’ Was it a ministerial decision? Was it a spin-doctor’s fudge? Is work currently going ahead on planning a new route? The Minister and the NRA told us that it was on the basis of the representations of the road-building lobby that the Minister made his comments. Furthermore, according to the Head of Corporate Affairs of the NRA, Michael Egan, moving to a new route is not going to cause any delays in the projected timescale. The Chairman of the NRA, Michael Tobin confirmed that, in representations to the Transport Committee in the Dáil. So, if the NRA is happy and a new route is not going to cause delays, why can’t we have a clear announcement? What is going on?

"Just as with the road, there is no clarity about proposals on what to do with the Viking site itself. If the site is so important that it demands the re-routing of the original road, what is going to happen to it? Is money going to be provided for its excavation? Is it going to be abandoned? Are the people of Waterford going to be made to wait even longer for the N25 while gaining nothing at all in terms of cultural benefit and potential tourist-revenue from the discovery of this site?"

"SVWAG is calling on Dick Roche to stop messing about; make a clear announcement about a clear decision and allow the people of Waterford to make plans for their future. Nothing is being gained by his procrastination and obfuscation."

15th April 2005

EXPLORER, AUTHOR, HISTORIAN, TIM SEVERIN to Speak at Save Viking Waterford Lecture

Explorer, author, filmmaker, historian – Tim Severin is to be the guest speaker at the latest Save Viking Waterford Action Group public lecture. He will be speaking on "Voyages: From Irish Currachs to Viking Longships". The lecture will take place in the Granville Hotel, The Quay, Waterford at 8.00pm on Thursday 21st April and is open to all members of the public.

In this meeting, Tim Severin will talk about the voyages of the Vikings, which is the subject of his latest book. "Viking: Sworn Brother No. 2". Packed with wonderfully re-imagined Viking sagas and adventures, and fascinating and unique characters, Viking - Odinn's Child gives historical novel writing a new dimension Tim Severin has spent more time under sail in replica boats from all ages than any other sailor has. In a leather and wood boat he executed the possible sixth century voyage of St. Brendan from Ireland to New Foundland. Inspired by the seven voyages of Sinbad, he sailed 6,000 miles from Muscat to China in a 10th century Arab Merchant ship. After taking three years to build a replica Bronze Age galley he set sail again to chase the legend of Jason and his Argonauts' search for the Golden Fleece and to follow Ulysses homeward bound voyage from Troy to Ithaca. In 1993, Tim set sail again, this time in a bamboo raft to travel the 6,500 miles from China to North America.

He has written books about all these adventures, which have won him the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, The Book of the Sea Award, a Christopher Prize and the literary medal of the Academie de la Marine. He has been a regular contributor to the National Geographic Magazine.

His travels have been the subject of award winning documentary films and a major BBC documentary series. They have been screened on Discovery Channel, Sky Television, and National Geographic TV. At film festivals they have won prizes for Best Cameraman, Best Film of the Sea and Best Adventure Film.

Tim Severin holds the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. In 1996 he was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, by Trinity College, Dublin. One of the world’s most popular authors, his books have been translated into nearly 30 languages and have sold millions of copies.

The chair of the Save Viking Waterford Action Group, Dr Catherine Swift: "We are delighted to welcome Tim Severin as our latest guest speaker. He is an author and explorer of genuine world renown. Everyone in Ireland will know about his Brendan Voyage but he has participated in over 15 expeditions to every corner of the globe. Tim’s latest book is an epic about Viking voyages giving him a unique insight into our Viking heritage and the magnificent Viking site we have on our doorstep at Woodstown."

01 April 2005

Action Group SHOWS SOLIDARITY WITH TARA CAMPAIGN

The Save Viking Waterford Action Group is to show its solidarity with the campaign to save the Tara/Skryne Valley by giving people in the south-east the opportunity to sign the Tara petition. Activists from the SVWAG will ask the public to support the Tara campaign as well as the campaign to see the Woodstown Viking site excavated, when they are petitioning in Waterford City centre every Saturday between 3pm and 4.30pm.

On Thursday 31st March, Dick Roche as Minister for the Environment announced that he was planning to issue licences for archaeological excavations along the proposed route of the M3 through the Tara/Skryne valley. This was despite receiving an 18-page letter raising concerns about such excavations from Dr Patrick Wallace of the National Museum. On Friday, April 1st Dick Roche announced in Cork that he was sending Dr Wallace’s letter to his own department asking them to prepare a response. "When that process is complete, I will make my decision."

SVWAG chair, Dr Catherine Swift commented: "This is an illogical mess and if the Minister doesn’t know that, everybody who’s interested in Ireland’s heritage does. This government brought in changes to the National Monuments Act last year, and when they were debating it in the Dáil, the then Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen made it clear that the Director of the National Museum would be consulted in instances such as the present one".

"Now the Director, a man whose experience and expertise in archaeological excavation and publication is well known to all of Ireland, has expressed his views and what’s happened? The relevant minister declares he’s going to send it to his own archaeologists, to a section headed by a civil servant who has no track record in either excavation or publication, to prepare a response’. Given that the head of the archaeological section of the Department of the Environment has already made public that he's prepared to endorse the government's proposed route for the M3 through the Tara valley, the response is predictable".

"When the Minister announced his intention to re-route the road at Woodstown, it was on the advice of the National Roads Authority. NRA chief executive, Michael Egan declared they were worried about the cost of excavation and the possibility of legal cases being brought. There’s every indication that the costs of excavation are going to be enormous at Tara and there’ll be huge legal delays. But for some reason, the M3 is not going to be rerouted. Minister Roche’s excuse for pushing the M3 through Tara is that the route has been through the planning process – so too had the Waterford bypass but that doesn’t seem to cause a problem".

"The contradiction between these two instances is glaring and baffling. It is little wonder that the government garners little or no respect from those who are concerned about our heritage when it seems fundamental principles change from week to week. The SVWAG supportsthose who call for the M3 to be diverted away from the ancient hill of Tara and we ask others in the south-east to do the same".

For further information on the Save Viking Waterford Action Group, please contact 086-0679708 or save@vikingwaterford.com. Updates are available on the website www.vikingwaterford.com