June Lecture: Did Brian Boru Save Ireland from a Viking Conquest?

We are thrilled to announce that our June lecture will be on someone very close to all of our hearts here in Killaloe and Ballina – Brian Boru! This is our first lecture on the man himself, and we hope we will see you in June.

Our speaker on the night is the eminent Professor Howard B. Clarke. Professor Clarke, MRIA, is a former lecturer with the School of History in University College Dublin. He is now the honourable editor of the journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries Ireland, a director of the Medieval Trust in Dublin, and continues to publish extensively on the world of medieval Ireland. He is also well known as the author of the Irish Historic Towns Atlas by the Royal Irish Academy on the Viking town.

One of the persistent myths about Brian Boru is that he saved Ireland from a Viking conquest. This illustrated talk focuses on the nature of kingship in Ireland a thousand years ago, and on the course and consequences of the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. This Irish Times interview on the topic with Professor Clarke will give a flavour of the evening’s topic.

Professor Clarke’s book Dublin and the Viking World will be available to purchase on the night, so bring a few bob for that!

We will see you on the evening of Wednesday 27th June at 7.30pm (new later starting time!) in the back room of our venue at Wood and Bell café. Wood and Bell continue to provide our Society with this venue for free, and we thank them for this sponsorship. Please go in and have your lunch there if you want to thank them! Professor Clarke is travelling for this lecture, and we thank Kincora House guesthouse on Main St, Killaloe, for sponsoring his accommodation. Without the support of these generous local businesses, we would not be able to bring speakers such as this to our twin towns.

Entry to our June lecture is FREE as usual, and everyone of all ages and levels of interest is welcome. Help us promote this event by clicking ‘Going’ on the Facebook event here, or sharing this blogpost, or even by putting up a poster for us – you can print out one from this link. See you at the lecture – don’t forget the later starting time of 7.30pm!