Friday 28 March 2014

Battle of Clontarf Heritage Trail opens in Clontarf

The Battle of Clontarf Heritage Trail was officially launched yesterday by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan TD. The Heritage Trail will form a key part of the 2014 Commemoration at Easter and will also continue to be an attraction for Clontarf in the future. 

The trail comprises of six information panels on the Clontarf Promenade approximately every 0.5km between the Alfie Byrne Road and the Wooden Bridge.

The six boards will outline the story of the Vikings, Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf in word (Irish and English), map and illustration.

The Heritage Trail, which is the culmination of over a year’s work for the Clontarf Historical Society and the Raheny Heritage Society, will create a focal point for the “Battle of Clontarf” that didn't previously exist in Clontarf. The Heritage Trail marks the site of this seminal battle in European history and also forms part of a National Brian Boru Trail between Killaloe, Cashel, Clontarf and Armagh.

Launching the Trail, Minister Deenihan said: “These panels, which are magnificent in their own right, outlining as they do, the story of the Vikings, Brian Ború and of course the Battle of Clontarf, also now form part of the National Brian Ború Trail. It is exciting that this Heritage Trail will create a focal point that currently doesn’t exist, for the ‘Battle of Clontarf’ in Clontarf.  I have to praise everyone involved in this programme of events as it has been assembled by community and voluntary organisations working alongside the local authorities.” 

Daily (2:30pm) guided tours of the Heritage Trail will take place during the two weeks of Easter from the 13th – 27th April 2014. Details on Clontarf.ie.