The 'Sea Stallion of Glendalough' Is Launched In Roskilde, Denmark

Dick Roche TD, the new Minister for European Affairs launched the 'Sea Stallion of Glendalough' along with Mayor of Roskilde, the Danish Minister for Culture Brian Mikkelsen on Sunday at Roskilde, Denmark.

For four years, the boat builders of the Viking Ship Museum in Denmark have worked on a reconstruction of the long ship Skuldelev 2.

The ship represents the Viking Age's large sea-going war ships, as described in skaldic epics and saga texts.

At the launch the Minister stated that this project was of personal interest to him given the name association of the longship 'Glendalough' which is named after the monastic site in his own constituency. 

The Minister congratulated the Danish Government on embarking on this project. 

"I believe that the investment of public and private funds will secure the objective of the project organisers to regain the knowledge of a lost era," he said.

"This journey from Roskilde to Dublin and back again will be a journey that will enhance the knowledge and experiences that have been lost and forgotten over centuries.

"The voyage will yearn valuable information and knowledge about society a millennium ago of which these warships were a part off."

"I am very pleased that today the Irish Community in Denmark are contributing to society here and playing a very important social and economic role," he continued. "Irish cultural groups, sporting organisations and both formal and informal networks across a range of areas are influencing the Danish culture today.  I hope that through projects like this that relationships between Ireland and Denmark will be further strengthened."

The Sea Stallion of Glendalough embarks on its voyage of 1,000 nautical miles to arrive at Custom House Quay in Dublin on the 14th August before it is placed in an exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks until June 2008.