Tales of Medieval Dublin - June - December 2011

For the second year Dublin City Council and the Friends of Medieval Dublin announce a series of free lunchtime talks, entitled Tales of Medieval Dublin, which explores characters from Medieval Dublin. Talks will be held monthly from June to December in the Wood Quay Venue.

Click here to download poster in PDF format [PDF 3.4MB]
 
The Viking’s Tale in June will showcase new research on a group of artefacts found in a gravel pit at Islandbridge in 1866 that is casting new light on one of the earliest Viking inhabitants of Dublin.

In July, the Mother’s Tale presents the story of Gormlaith, who allegedly married in succession three times, to a Norse king and to two Irish high-kings. Does she deserve her reputation as a Jezebel?

The Peasant’s Tale in August will explore what it would have been like to be a peasant in the medieval period and about some of the problems these farmers had to overcome in order to survive in the eleventh century.

In September the Archdeacon’s Tale will tell the story of Nicholas de Clere who was both archdeacon of Dublin and treasurer of Ireland in the late thirteenth century. Find out why his spiritual and secular careers ended in imprisonment and disgrace.

The Mason’s Tale in October will explore John More who was a mason at Dublin Castle in 1372 and instrumental in the repair of the great bridge of Dublin in 1385/6.

In November the Notary’s Tale will tell the story of James Yonge, a man involved in legal administration and literary commissions. He is a fascinating fifteenth century Dubliner who produces one of the most interesting Hiberno-Middle English works of this century.

Finally in December, the Man of Law’s Tale involves James Stanihurst who served as both Recorder of Dublin and parliamentary Speaker. Hear the story of this scholarly lawyer who assisted in Queen Mary's Catholic restoration and Queen Elizabeth's Protestant Reformation.