Viking Boat Race - Press Room

Vikings invade Killyleagh!

Newtownards Chronicle, Thursday 2nd June 2005

Hundreds turned out in Killyleagh last weekend to cheer on the return of the once-feared marauding Viking invaders.

The bearded berserkers descended on the County Down village for the second annual Viking Festival of family run from May 27 to May 29.

The showpiece of the three-day extravaganza was the longboat race, in which more than 20 teams took part in a bit to be crowned the speediest around Strangford Lough.

A team of local PSNI community policing officers took on the Garda Siochana's rowing team in a cross-border first for the district, although the professional strokes of the guards proved too much for the efforts of our own beat coppers.

Down District councillor and Killyleagh man Eddie Rea praised the work of the Killyleagh Social Partnership Committee who worked tirelessly to get the show up and running. He said: "The weekend was a winner from start to finish even though the weather on Saturday put a bit of a dampener on proceedings.

"I met many of the visitors from Norway, England, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland and they were full of praise for the events and the organisational skills of the committee."

He added: "Well done to the victorious Junior Killyleagh Youth Team who led the competitors parade with their recently acquired cup. Well done too to the three excellent bands at the concert in Hans Sloane Square. It was for many of our visitors a most memorable experience."

His Ulster Unionist colleague Gerry Douglas brought his tools to the craft fair and raised more than £350 for charity. "I hired a stall for the Crafters' Fair to sell my lathe-turned wooden gifts in aid of Cancer Research Northern Ireland. With such an excellent turnout of visitors I raised £351.00.

"The support by the volunteers and residents from all communities including many of the new home owners must be cultivated and nurtured to keep the village in the front of community development in the District."