Writers

Cover of book containing entries from the finalists
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As this will be my 500th blog post on this blog I am glad to have something positive to report.

The other evening (15/12/2014) I attended the final event in the Battle of Clontarf Millennium Celebrations. This was a book launch and the presentation of prizes in the millennium's creative writing competition for local primary schools.

Every finalist, and there were lots of them in the different class categories, got exactly the same prize. A copy of the book and a selection box. But what a book. The entries from the finalists themselves had been brought together in a book entitled "We Are Writers", published by the Clontarf Historical Society and the Raheny Heritage Society. So the creativity here extended beyond that of the competitors alone.

In addition the overall category winners also received vouchers for Easons - up to €600 worth of vouchers were presented.

Barbara Tarrant & Collette Gill

MC for the evening was the ubiquitous organiser of everything, Collette Gill, Chairperson of the Clontarf 2014 Committee. You can see her here with her clipboard as she invites one of the judges, Barbara Tarrant, to address the audience of parents and children packed into the Indigo Lounge of the Clontarf Castle Hotel.

Daragh Moran & Barbara Tarrant

Before going any further, I have to declare an interest here. The photo shows Barbara presenting his book to Daragh Moran, who happens to be a first cousin twice removed. The removal bit just means he's way younger than I am. Given that I was concentrating on trying to photograph every winner in this fast moving pageant, I hadn't noticed Daragh until I saw his mother there at the end of the evening (and yes, she's only once removed).

Daragh's entry consisted of a brief account of the battle, in (almost) rhyming couplets.

Kay Lonergan & Robyn Gill

The youngest judge is Robyn Gill, a transition year student, who has already had two short stories published in the Irish Times. She is seen here accepting a presentation from Kay Lonergan, Chairperson of the Clontarf Historical Society.

Of the entries published in the book just over 40% are from girls. Not a huge imbalance and it may not have any particular significance. I suppose these bloody battles may be more appealing to boys, though one of the entries was actually from a female warrior. Indeed, if you look at the 2014 re-enactment of the battle, you'll see there was no shortage of female warriors taking part.

Morgan O'Reilly

The third of the four judges, Morgan O'Reilly, said he was very encouraged by the sense of community permeating the range of celebrations and was particularly happy with the standard of entries in this competition.

The range of styles, inventiveness and imagination in the entries was spectacular.

There was a lot of time travel, much magic, family correspondence, live tv reporting, and, as Collette remarked, even the rewriting of history - the licence of youth, no doubt. There was a variety of styles from prose (purple and otherwise) to poetry (including acrostics).

You have to remember that the children's ages were from 7 to 12 years, and you wouldn't always know from the entries alone which end of the spectrum you were dealing with. Some of the younger entries were really excellent.

Douglas Appleyard (on right)

The fourth judge, Louise Melinn, could not be present due to exams, so Douglas Appleyard, Chairperson of the Raheny Heritage Society, stood in and presented the final batch of books.

And as we're on the subject of competition, this photographer (me) had serious competition all evening from parents taking advantage of the miracles of modern technology to immortalise the achievements of their children .

I'll leave you with an enhanced glimpse of the picture on the cover of the book. This was the work of Aoife Tynan, from St. Brigid's Girls National School, Killester, who won first place in the third and fourth class category in the Battle of Clontarf Art Competition, held earlier in the year in this same venue.

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If you are interested in some of the other events during the year's celebrations you can see a report on the 1014 Retrospective event, along with links to those individual events which I managed to attend, here.

1014 Retrospective

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The event took place at Clasac, on Alfie Byrne Road in Clontarf. Its purpose was to celebrate, take stock of, and close the programme of events which took place during 2014 and commemorated the millennium of the Battle of Clontarf.

There were some artifacts on display and a range of books and booklets were on sale.

A series of panels recalled the various events that were staged during the year, and they were many, and the panels also featured the series of postage stamps issued by the Isle of Man (Viking sympathisers!) for the occasion. These were beautifully produced and put our own efforts to shame.

I don't think this was Brian Boru's guardian angel but it is coming up to Christmas and she was at the top of the tree in the foyer. So a Happy Christmas to one and all while we're at it.

Collette Gill

And then down to the business of the evening which was introduced by Collette Gill, without whom none of what happened this year would have happened at all. Not only was she the major driving force, pulling it all together, but she did a mountain of work at the coalface itself (if that's not too much of a mixed metaphor).

The idea for this night was to have a number of people, who had been involved in organising some of the events of the year, give a brief account of what they had done and how it had gone.

This turned into a litany of unbelievable successes during the year, which included:

• a once in a lifetime re-enactment of the Battle of Clontarf
• a permanent heritage trail along the prom
• a series of excellent lectures
• acquisition and exhibition of a priceless painting of the Battle

Kay Lonergan, Clontarf Historical Society

Clontarf Historical Society, along with Raheny Heritage Society, were central to many of the year's events. In particular they organised a series of high quality lectures around the themes of the Vikings, Brian Boru and the Battle of Clontarf. Many of these presented the results of new research and, at one of them, Pete St. John's new composition, "March for Brian Boru", was launched.

Deirdre Tobin, Clontarf Residents' Association

Residents of the area not only pitched into the organisation of events but supported them in large numbers. The year contributed enormously to cultivating a spirit of community across the area.

Niall Geaney, Clontarf Business Association

The involvement of the Business Association and its members in the year's activities has contributed to a greater sense of cooperation and community in the area.

Ronan Morris, Web Together

Clontarf now has a permanent presence on a very nice website as a result of cooperation undertaken during the year.

Elaine Mulvenny, Dublin City Council

Dublin City Council has been very much to the fore in the years events. A particular success was the Battle of Clontarf in St. Anne's Park which the Council made available and managed. [The Battle itself was organised by the Fingal Living History Society and was ten years in the making.] The Council was also involved in the setting up of the Heritage Trail on the Promenade.

Presentation to Elaine

Douglas Appleyard, Raheny Heritage Society

Raheny Heritage Society, as mentioned above, worked with the Clontarf History Society on the lecture series. This was a busy year for Douglas who is deeply involved in the Bram Stoker Festival and is also attempting to complete the longstanding study of the Howth Road.

Anne Louise Mulhall, Millennium Art Group

Anne Louise reminded us of the excellent Millennium Art Exhibition in Clontarf Castle, and while we're at it, I would mention also the more general exhibition in St. Anthony's Hall which included a set of very interesting old maps as well as an ubiquitous Viking who threatened me with beheading, were it not for the presence of his young daughter.

Frankie Byrne, Principal, Belgrove Senior Boys' School

A number of classes in the boys school participated in a variety of competitions held during the year. It is refreshing to see young people getting involved in community/local history activities. I'm a past pupil of Belgrove Junior NS myself having spent my first year of schooling on the premises.

Pat Hollingsworth, Clontarf Scout Leader

Apart from a number of scouting activities, the movement has struck a special badge for the year and there is already huge demand for copies of this including from collectors abroad.

Anne McCarty, Principal, Belgrove Senior Girls' School

The girls were not behind in their participation in a number of events.

Ian Sargeant, Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club

As Bruder and his allies came by sea, it was appropriate for the Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club to stage a number of events during the year. These involved cooperation with other seagoing organisations including those from outside the immediate area.

Fr. Pat McManus, Clontarf Parish Churches

An ecumenical Ciminio type walk was organised, including the marking of cards and provision of a final certificate.

Donna Cooney, Clontarf Tennis Club

The Tennis Club organised a tennis marathon to go from 10:14 (am) on the day to 20:14 in the evening. Participation exceeded all expectations and the marathon continued way beyond its intended completion time.

Minister Richard Bruton

The Minister had opened the commemoration in January and it was fitting that he turned up to close it, arriving just in time.

Collette winds it up

Collette, without whom none of this would have happened, retook the stage to wind up the retrospective, and rightly got a standing ovation from those present.

She went on to introduce the musicians who were to play us out for the rest of the night.

Paul Dolan and friends ...

... including the ghostly tin whistle player

Despite some great spirited music, I didn't see anyone take the floor. Well there were lots of tables and chairs in the way and no small quantity of mulled wine had been consumed by then.

Group photo, including local politicians.

Among the politicians attending (all in the back row) were: Councillor, and former Lord Mayor, Naoise Ó Muirí, FG, (second from left); Senator Averil Power, FF, (centre); Minister Richard Bruton, FG, (third from right); and Minister of State Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Lab, (extreme right). I saw Councillor Seán Haughey, FF, present earlier in the night.

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Below are links to posts on some of the 1014 related events I attended during the year.

Talk: Pat Wallace - February 2014
Talk: Cathy Swift - March 2014
Talk: Colm Lennon - April 2014

Exhibition - 30 March 2014

Eve of Battle - 18 April 2014
Round the Field - 19 April 2014
The Battle - 20 April 2014

Rose Festival - 21 July 2014

Creative Writing Competition - 15 December 2014

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1014 The Battle

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You had to choose sides at the Battle of Clontarf in St. Annes Park, Raheny. The crowds were jampacked and you could not flit from place to place watching the battle from different angles.

As I was hoping to take loads of photos, the sun dictated that I remain on the Viking (Brodir and Sigurd) side of the field. So this battle report is coming to you from behind Viking lines.

While the Vikings, and the Irish, freely interacted with the crowd, posing for family photos and entertaining the children, as they wandered individually round the outer area, that all changed in the run up to the battle itself.

They were now back in camp, psyching up for the fray, and nobody, who was not one of them, was allowed within an ass's roar of them. And rightly so.

Meanwhile the storyteller had appeared on the field and, with the help of a quality Tannoy, was attempting to fill the spectators in on the complexities behind the battle they were about to witness.

For example, King Sitric of Dublin, who had recruited the Vikings Brodir and Sigurd from the Isle of Man and from Orkney to oppose Brian Boru, is the son of Brian's former wife Gormlaith and her former Viking husband Amlaíb Cuarán, and he is married to Brian's daughter Sláine. Sitric has promised his mother's hand in marriage, simultaneously but unbenowns to each other, to both Brodir and Sigurd in return for their services.

Brian Boru had come from being a minor king of the Dal Cais to the High Kingship via a mesmerising array of shifting alliances and a trail of slaughter across the country.

All the leaders on both sides where Christians, with the exception of Brodir who had tried Christianity and found it wanting. He is now credited with being an accomplished practioner of heathen magic.

You didn't learn any of that in school, at least in my day, and the poor storyteller has to pack it all into his short introduction.

Vikings leave camp

Now the Vikings emerge from their camp en route to the battlefield.

As fearsome a crowd of warriors as you are ever likely to encounter.

And not all of them men, but we'll come back to that later.

The horn adds a threatening frisson to the air. It is heard all over the battlefield and beyond.

And our two Vikings from earlier have forgotten the little girl in the white dress and are focussing exclusively on the slaughter to come.


Vikings enter the Battlefield

The Vikings have now reached the field of battle and are waiting for the call.

And they're off, with the usual whoops and shouts, and the general encouragement of the spectators.

Running apace, and spreading out, right down to the far end of the field. You will note that the organisers are prepared for any eventuality.

But hang on a minute. Where is the opposition. So far there is no sign of the Irish and the Vikings are starting to lose momentum and getting restless.

While they are waiting, a little sparring to loosen up and stay nimble. Keep an eye on this enthusiastic young lady, a force to be reckoned with later on.

Finally, Brian's army appears and you can feel the tension mounting.

And what a colourful lot they are, this Irish army, with its own quota of Vikings on board.

Brodir's brother, Ospakr, had gone over to Brian Boru's side and lined up in battle alongside Brian's army.

Charge into combat

Finally the order comes to charge and they're off.

With the young lady and her sparring partner coming up in the rear.

And it's straight into the fray. Don't forget that there are Vikings fighting on both sides and that some of the Irish have adopted Viking technology. The risks of death from "friendly fire" are just enormous.

Brian Boru's standard is carried aloft and his army appears to be breaking though the Viking lines at this point.

And this heavily mailed warrior is determined to make sure it stays that way.

The scene here is confused. In fact I don't know how anyone knew who they were supposed to be fighting given the mixtures on the field. We have a wounded man on the left.

And the young lady's wounded sparring partner is finally led from the field.

Individual Combat

Make no mistake about it. The combat up close was fierce.

Women Warriors

There were a lot of women warriors on the field in 2014, whatever about 1014. This is one of Brian's women warriors showing her mettle.

Move over Granuaile, or Queen Maeve, or whoever.

This lady was not so lucky despite a well placed boot. Probably too late or balls of iron.

Brodir

And so we come to Brodir. Brodir is a strange character. The Irish version is that he fled the field of battle, came across Brian Boru in his tent, put a hatchet in his head, fled and was captured by Brian's people and subjected to the usual disembowelling routine. We have to remember that this version comes from the Cogadh and is Brian's descendants' version of the story.

Up to a point, the re-enactment went along with this. Brodir fled the field, his standard was torn down and trampled, and there was a hush on the field as the storyteller gave us the news of Brian's killing.

Nevertheless, Brian's standard stays aloft and in the Irish version his army wins out in the end.

However, there is another version, where Brodir comes back onto the field and single handedly hacks God knows how many of his opponents to death.

Leaving the field

Finally, exhausted survivors leave the field of battle. And exhausted they must have been. The combat, while avoiding human injury, was really fierce. You could hear the broadswords hitting the shields and one axe actually went through a shield and when the axeman pulled back the axe the shield was attached.

It really was a magnificent event and the re-enactors, from virtually all over the world, put everything they had into each of the four performances (two each on the Saturday and Sunday). In addition, they were great in their off the battlefield contact with spectators, posing for family photos and playing up to the children. It was all a truly millennium worthy performance.

And full marks also have to go to the Fingal Living History Society for five years hard graft to bring this about, and to Dublin City Council who, among other things, made this magnificent venue available.

To this day we don't know who actually won the Battle of Clontarf, nor do we know exactly where it was fought. But no matter. It was a truly great weekend.

Páirc an Áir

This is the battlefield minutes after the last combatant had left it. What a tidy lot of combatants they were. No wonder they never found any bones.


Link to other 1014 related posts.