MEMBER INFO April 2024
Last week, 25 delegates from several of our members participated in person in the AGM and members meeting in Catoira and for the AGM, six additional delegates participated in the AGM on Teams.
The program in Catoira started with a reception on 10 April at the Harpazul hotel in Catoira where Xoán Xosé Castaño, the Mayor of Catoira welcomed the delegates and offered a buffet dinner.
The program on 11 April started with a short Board meeting, followed by the AGM and a members meeting, all in the Town Hall of Catoira.
Then followed a seminar focusing on the Viking heritage of Galicia with four lectures:
Diego Piay Augusto: Prehistoric, Roman and Medieval Heritage in Torres do Oeste – the archaeology of Catoira.
Manual Gago Mariño: The narratives on Vikings in Galicia from Middle Ages to the present day.
Ildefonco de la Campa Montenegro: The Santiago de Compostela Pilgrim Routes – Management of cultural itineraries: from the tangible to the intangible.
Mélania Payán Pérez: The Camino de Santiago and the Spirital Route Mar de Santiago – how to turn a spiritual path into an economic opportunity.
In between there was a break with a delicious lunch at the restaurant O Rancho.
Then there was a visit to the Torres de Oeste, still standing towers of a castle built to guard the river mouth leading to Catoira. A new visitor centre called CACTO and showing the history of Catoira is in the same area and was also visited.
In the evening there was wine tasting and dinner in the restaurant A Nave de Vidán in Santiago.
Friday 12 April saw site visits to Pontecesures, Caoira and Vilanova.
Only a few delegates stayed on for the site visits to Ourense 13 April and to Santiago de Compostela on 14 April.
Members meeting in the Isle of Man 15-18 October 2024
We have already mailed out the preliminary program for the members meeting in the Isle of Man, and this is just a reminder to indicate your intention to participate to Edmund Southworth as soon as possible: Please contact edmund@destinationviking.com or Allison.fox@mnh.im to let them know if you intend to come!
Draft Programme subject to confirmation
Tuesday 15th October 2024
Arrival day
Informal evening meet up in Douglas
Wednesday 16th October 2024
9.30 – 4:00pm Seminar
Session 1: Setting the scene
Destination Viking Association and the Viking Cultural Route (Edmund Southworth, Former Director MNH and Chair DVA)
The Vikings in Man and their legacy (Allison Fox, MNH)
The Archaeology of the Isle of Man, (Andrew Johnson, MNH)
Session 2: Tourism on the Isle of Man
The changing history of tourism on the island
The future of tourism. (Deborah Heather, CEO Visit Isle of Man)
Cruise ships in the Irish Sea (Sionadh Duggan, Cruise IOM)
Lunch
Tour of Viking Gallery at Manx Museum
Recent Viking finds from the Island with their curator
Manx Crosses Scanning project
Opportunity to see Manx Museum including the new TT and motorsport gallery
17:00 Reception at Manx Museum (Hosted by Trustees of MNH)
Thursday 17th October
09:30 Tour of Tynwald, the current Manx Parliament
10.30 a.m. Depart for Tynwald Hill, St. John’s, site of the original Viking assembly site
12:00 House of Manannan, Peel. A purpose-built display of themes from Manx History which serves as the Visitor Centre for Peel Castle.
Lunch
14.00 Peel Castle. One of the earliest Viking settlements on the Island which was reused as a medieval and later castle and fortification.
15:00 House of Mannanan, Peel
17:00 Return to Douglas or stay in Peel for evening meal (tbc)
Friday 18th October: Optional Study Tour
Timings subject to weather!
10.00 Train to Castletown on the original 150 year old steam railway.
Tour of Castle Rushen. Founded c.1180 by the Norse Kings of Man and the Isles, Castle Rushen is one of the best-preserved medieval Castles in Europe. It’s complex architecture and varied uses make it a major challenge to interpret and make accessible.
Lunch
St. Michaels Isle, Langness and Ronaldsway, an early medieval settlement with Tudor and later fortifications. Set in a dramatic landscape the area is home to significant Viking events.
Balladoole. A Bronze and Iron Age settlement site with Christian and Viking remains including a small boat burial.
Castletown is the original capital of the Island and whilst small, offers a range of places to eat and drink. Frequent buses return to Douglas till late.
- This tour will be in the south of the island and therefore access to the airport is straightforward if people need to travel.
