Dublin Dossier

Pat Keenan reports on happenings in and around the capital

Return of the Vikings

In 1962 Danish archaeologists happened upon the wrecks of five Viking ships together at the bottom of the Roskilde Fjord in Denmark, 30 km west of Copenhagen. They had been deliberately scuttled as part of the maritime defence of Roskilde. But one of the ships was different. Dendrochronological tests showed this particular ship was built around 1042 and that the timber used was not local. Eventually the materials used were traced to Ireland, around the Dublin area. This 30 metre warship capable of carrying a crew of 80 warriors was in fact built in Dublin using wood from Glendalough in Co.Wicklow. Named Skuldelev 2, it was the second largest Viking warship ever found and can be seen today at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde.

Work began in 2000 on the biggest reconstruction of a Viking warship using only Viking methods and tools. Three hundred oak trees, 7,000 iron nails, 118 square metre flaxen sail and four years later the 25 ton warship was completed. At the launch Queen Margrethe II of Denmark christened the ship Havhingsten fra Glendaloug (Sea Stallion of Glendalough)

They decided that the best test of her seaworthiness, manoeuvrability and speed would be to send her on a round voyage in the waters plied by the original ship - a trip to Dublin. At 4pm on Sunday July 1, 2007 the Sea Stallion departed from the Viking Ship Museum at Roskilde and set sail for Dublin, up the east coast of Denmark, across to the Orkney Islands and down the west coast of Scotland into the Irish Sea. On August 14 she sailed into Dublin Bay and up the River Liffey and docked at Customs House Quay. Dubliners lined the quays in welcome and so began several days of Viking themed festivities.

The ship was then moved to the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks, where it remained on display until June 2008 when it again returned to the sea for the journey back to Roskilde. This time sailing south along the Welsh coast past the tip of Cornwall into the English Channel, the Straits of Dover, up the east coast of England and Scotland and back to Denmark.

Today The Sea Stallion from Glendalough the Viking Ship Museum's reconstruction of the Skuldelev 2 is on display in the harbour beside The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde. The remains of the original Skuldelev 2 are in the museum. www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/

Correction Mea culpa, in the last issue I'm afraid I got two of Dublin's closed markets mixed up. Sadly the Iveagh Market in the heart of the Liberties remains closed and the campaign to have it reopened continues. Although listed as a protected building it is sadly slipping toward dereliction. A High Court case involving Dublin City Council and a private developer is supposed to be recalled - hopefully soon. Better news across the river where the closed Fruit and Vegetable Market on Mary's Lane is looking more hopeful. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

The brewery around the corner

We are all feeling the pinch, uncertain times at home and abroad and prices all round are hiking upwards. Depending on your point of view, the glass is either half full or half empty. Ah well, we'll still enjoy the odd glass or two of beer, optimistically full to the brim. If ever there was a time when that beer should taste good and refreshing, this is it.

They say the closer the brewery the fresher the taste and as luck would have it Dubliners have a famous world renowned brewery smack in the centre of the city. The worldwide swing toward micro brewery craft beers is changing that again and even in Dublin many want their beer closer still...the brewery round the corner. The micro brewery market share in Ireland is as yet only about 2%, in the USA that market share is now 30%.

My 'round the corner' micro brewery is Hope in Kilbarrack, for me just one DART stop away at Howth Junction station and short 5 minute walk from there to Unit 1 Howth Junction Business Park on Kilbarrack Way. What could be fresher than that. Typically about 50% of micro brewery craft beers are consumed locally and Hope follows this pattern and further, in there case most of that 50% will be North Dublin consumers. The remainder will reach further afield in offlicences and supermarket sales around the nation and some are exported, in Europe mostly to France Germany and The Netherlands.

Hope Beer made its debut in 2015 inspired by four friends with a passion for beer. Usually micro brewery startups are by trendy and hippy pony tailed youths. Senior Times readers should note that Hope bucked that trend. This was a 'silver start-up.' All four founders had long finished their studies, had received their MBAs and had already accumulated years of successful working experience and they were all in their fifties.

I found no stats for start-ups in Ireland but it's interesting to note Bank of England research which found 70% of silver start-ups make it past the 5 year mark. By comparison, less than 30% of younger start-ups get to reach the 5 year mark. The four founders of Hope were: Dublin born Wim de Jongh who grew up in Holland, studied at Trinity College Dublin where he met his wife to be, languages student Jeanne Mahony; Des McSwiggan spent much of his career in the financial sector but before that as a student honed his pint pulling skills in Portmarnock bars; Richie Hamilton has the distinction of being the first person to brew Hope beer in Craft Works at a time when Hope brewery was still being built.

Now seven years on and through some very difficult years, of Covid followed by some very inflationary times, Hope's state-of-the-art micro brewery continues producing award-winning premium craft beers. During Covid when pubs were closed they switched production methods to facilitate home bound consumers, and now facing spiralling costs, they are completely covering the roof of the Kilbarrack brewhouse with solar panels.

Hope produces a core range of five distinct beer styles available all year round but recently added a special seasonal beer for the summer months. Each beer has its own name, each distinct with its own anecdotes and taste adapted to be the perfect accompaniment to food. Hope is a verified member of Bord Bia’s Origin Green Sustainability Programme. Each beer has its own distinct name, story and taste experience.

In Ireland, growing social isolation amongst vulnerable groups mean more people are likely to need our help. You never know when you might need an organization like the Irish Red Cross and the Irish Red Cross will always be there.

Hear from Edwin, an Irish Red Cross supporter who decided to leave us a legacy gift.

“I have always been lucky. I earned enough money to live a comfortable life. I travelled, both for work and for leisure. Generally, I went to places that reinforced my sense of my self- worth. I felt I deserved my good fortune. But, as time went by, I could no longer fool myself.

It is obvious that we live in an unequal world. What I take for granted: education, work opportunities, a place to live, time for enjoyment, even the shirt on my back, are unimaginable luxuries to those for whom fate has decreed that they be born in a very different world. In the 21st century, with the advance of technology, it should be possible to share resources across the planet. Maybe that will happen in time. Future generations, wiser than mine, may grasp the nettle and cut through the political barriers. Until then, it may seem impossible for any individual to make a difference to the inequity around us.

Fortunately, however, some people are already tackling the problem. The Irish Red Cross, with its associate organizations, has, for many years, been present in areas of conflict, disease and natural catastrophe, lending comfort, medical assistance and funds to whoever needs it most. I seem always to have been aware of the Red Cross, with its distinctive logo. If I can help their efforts, I am proud to do so.

My own contribution is probably miniscule, compared to the overall need, but I do believe that every effort should be made. Above all, I trust the Red Cross to use my contribution effectively and efficiently.

I made a will some years ago, not long after my marriage, and renewed it more recently. After leaving a certain amount to family members, I have included bequests to various charities like the Irish Red Cross. It makes sense to me that one of my final acts will be to assist with the work that, sadly, will need to continue for some time.”

Please consider leaving a gift in your Will to the Irish Red Cross so that they remain prepared to respond in times of terrible conflict and disaster.

Call or email Mackenzie to learn more about leaving a gift in your Will

Give her a call on 01 642 4645 or email her at mellwood@redcross.ie.

Always exploring new ideas Hope also brew some limited-edition beers. Last year Shelbourne Football Club got their own canned beer - with a ‘subtly hop-kick’. All Hope beers are brewed, bottled, canned and kegged at Howth Junction on Dublin’s Northside. They typically use 90% Irish ingredients, The water is all from the Fingal County Council area, hops are 90% Irish grown, the small amount of imported are hops that cannot be grown successfully here. All packaging materials are recyclable.

You can book a brewery tour on their website www.hopebeer.ie/ The tour takes about 25 minutes and includes a beer tasting of their core craft beers. It costs €18 per person, requires a minimum of 6 and maximum of 15.

World Coddle Day?

When the Spanish Tourism Board in Dublin kindly invited us to celebrate their annual World Paella Day on September 20, a day coinciding with the rice harvest when the people of Valencia traditionally gather to communally enjoy massive helpings of paella, now a world renowned jewel of Valencian cuisine.

Dublin Coddle Day. However, when is the last time you ever saw a Dubliner eat coddle?

I can only remember eating it once and that was served at a reception to launch a book about Dublin, never before or since, maybe coddle was even before my time.

Dublin City Council has a piece on their website that Dublin Coddle was considered to be the food of the working class poor. It adds that both Jonathan Swift and Sean O'Casey enjoyed coddle, although both of them may have at times experienced hard times it's a bit of a stretch to fit them into working class poor. Then maybe we could have a World Dublin 'One and One' Day, remember when a 'fish and chips' was a 'ray and chips.' Maybe a World Irish Stew Day or a World Crubeen Day. Umm... maybe not.

Jonathan Swift and Sean O'Casey enjoyed coddle