Waterford Opens Viking Village

Waterford’s society for living history and medieval combat “Deise Medieval” returns to Winterval this year with their traditional early Viking settlement open to visitors at St. Martin’s Gate on Spring Garden Alley.

Opening every Sunday of the Winterval Festival from noon to 5 pm until December 17th, Deise Medieval will recreate a tented village peopled by experienced re-enactors. All the participants dress, live and work in an authentic recreation of Viking life. In a family-friendly atmosphere, visitors can see the daily life and crafts practised by our ancestors, including spinning, weaving, leather working, metalwork and black smiting, coin striking and woodwork. 

Their period tents are full of homely furniture and household goods, authentic cooking is done over the open fire, and all the re-enactors are friendly and very experienced in demonstrating their crafts and answering questions. Visitors may be able to try some crafts for themselves and can certainly learn to play Hnefatafl, a popular Viking board game.

Waterford Cultural Quarter Place on O’Connell Street will be used for the festival. The new community and cultural space will be host to Lego workshops and entertainment events for children throughout the Winterval Festival, and alongside it on Hanover Street, a range of crafts from the Waterford Cultural Quarter will be available for sale at the Winterval Market. There will be a variety of crafts and treats from woollen products to wood carvings, paintings to driftwood creations and jewellery all produced by a range of diverse cultures including African, Polish, German, Ukraine and Bulgarian, all made by creators from the Waterford Cultural Quarter Craft Market.