Viking longship returns after 1,100 years to Lucan
By Brendan Grehan
THIS SEPTEMBER, the Lucan Festival returns to the historic village on the Liffey with a viking longship at the Lucan weir as one of the highlights.
Now in its 11th year, the festival looks like a good way of starting the autumn.
There will be a walk in the grounds of Lucan House
A spokesman for the Festival Committee told The Echo: “In this year’s festival we are trying to do something different and bring a little bit of history to the festival.”
On Wednesday, September 4, local historian and publisher, Mícheál Ó Doibhilín, will give an illustrated talk on The Invincibles and The Phoenix Park Murders.
Micheál will talk about the consequences of the event and the ongoing campaign for justice for the five Invincibles hanged as a result.
The talk will be at 8pm in the Presbyterian Church and admission is free.
On Thursday September 5, Joe Byrne will lead a historical walk of the village. The walk, which will last for approximately two hours, is free and will start at 10.30am at the bus stop opposite the Circle K Garage.
At 8pm Joe will have a talk and slide show on the history of Lucan in the Presbyterian Church.
On Friday, September 6 at 10.30am in The Presbyterian Church, there will be an interactive forum between fourth year primary school students and senior citizens.
At noon, a 40-foot Viking longship will be placed on the weir.
The spokesman told The Echo: “It is nearly 1,100 years since a longship sailed through Lucan and the Vikings settled in Leixlip. We have been in touch with RTÉ’s Nationwide to cover the longship being lowered into the river. It will make its way from the Italian ambas-sador’s residence back up the Weir from 9.15pm.”
The fireworks on the Liffey weir will start at 9pm.
On Saturday, September 7, there will be a walk in the historic grounds of Lucan House (by kind permission of the Italian Ambassador). Visitors will see a Viking village, the oldest cemetery in Lucan and various other attractions. Admission is €5 at the gate from 1pm. Children under 12 are free.
There will be a Model Railway and Photography Exhibition in St Andrew’s Parish Centre from 2pm to 5pm and admission is also free.
Finally there is an Art Exhibition in Lucan Presbyterian Church and admission is free.
On Sunday, September 8, the village will be closed to through traffic from 10am to 7pm.
It is the day for the Family Fun Day in the village with a Garda Open Day, food stalls, community stalls, street entertainers, bouncy castles and Vikings at the weir.
There will also be two stages with live music.
The model railway and photography exhibitions will continue in St Andrew’s Parish Centre as will the Art Exhibition in Lucan Presbyterian Church.
