The first Slane Castle Viking Festival will be held on May 21^st and 22^nd and promises to be a fantastic weekend for all the family.

“It is going to be the largest historical re-enactment festival in Ireland in 2022, and so far we have 100 actors who will be taking part in the battles, and we expect around 200 more,” explains organiser Diane Muenchmeyer, a German native who settled in Collon 20 years ago.

“There will  be a tented village in front of the castle, where there will be traditional crafts, weaving, woodwork, hunting tool and lots to explain their way of life.”

“There will be a contest between bards reading out skaldic poetry, an ancient Norse poetry, or singing, and people will be able to vote for their favourite,” adds Diana. “The battle re-enactments will be quite impressive as well”.

“Viking re-enactors, all in traditional costume, crafts people and traders with authentic hand made goods from all over Ireland and Europe will camp at Slane Castle and will tell the Viking story of the Boyne Valley to visitors,” explains Diana, who has founded the festival with Spaniard Deso Cano, and local man Paul Kavanagh, who worked with the Annaggasan Viking Festival years ago.

“Full size replica longships will be on display and sailors from the Vikings TV Series will tell you about their adventures”.

Among the many attractions during the weekend will be a really well known German band Corvus Corax who will headline the concert on Saturday 21st.

Supported by international Viking bands Nytt Land, Seidrblot and local band Ravensdale, this concert will a Viking spectacle par excellence.

The Viking families and children, warriors and camp followers will be camped in an authentic tented village in the grounds below the Castle.

“Another highlight of the weekend will be a Viking feast held in the entrance hall of Slane Castle, tickets for which can be bought in conjunction with concert tickets,” she says. “There are a very limited number of tickets for that, and people can eat traditional Viking food, served by Vikings.”

The concert tickets are €45 and if you are joining in the feast, the combined price is €90.

An adult ticket is €12 for entrance into the festival, and €6 for a child, with a family ticket of two adults and up to four children costing €25 for a day ticket.

The growing popularity of Boyne Valley Viking Experience has influenced its move to the Slane Castle Demesne where many more visitors and Viking re-enactors from all over Europe can be accommodated.

It’s a joint venture between Boyne Valley Events & Lakes Vikings Events who have been developing, organising and delivering early medieval and Viking era festivals and events across Ireland for over 20 years.

Tickets are now available to book at Slane Castle Viking Festival | Boyne Valley Viking Experience (boynevalleyevents.com…).