On Saturday 20.August, the Norwegian Tall Ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl arrived in Dublin.The visit was part of National Heritage Week, which takes place in Ireland this week. In traditional style, the crew were singing a ‘sea shanty’ while sailing into the canal. The thought is that ‘a singing ship is a happy ship’, and this can certainly be confirmed by the visitors.
Saturday was an interesting and eventful day at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, as it included an official reception as well as an open ship. The official reception was organised by the Embassy in collaboration with Statsraad Lehmkuhl, and several cultural organisations and official representatives attented the event. This was followed by an ‘open ship’, where visitors could stop by for a tour of Statsraad Lehmkuhl. The open ship was a major success, with many families deciding to spend their Saturday afternoon exploring the award winning Tall Ship.
The official reception started with Captain Jens Joachim Hjorth giving a brief speech about the history of the ship. Built in 1914, it is the oldest of the world’s square-rigger ships, and it has a long and fascinating history. This was followed by an interesting speech by Haakon Steinar Vatle, which is Director of the foundation. Vatle stated that the foundation was established in 1978, and that it is of importance for the foundation to make sure Statsraad Lehmkuhl remains in good condition, and that it is available to the public. The last part of the reception involved a tour of the ship, where the participants got a glimpse into the crew’s daily life, as well as a full view of the Tall Ship’s beautiful architecture.
Statsraad Lehmkuhl is based in the Norwegian coastal city of Bergen, and is known as the pride of the city. The Tall Ship departed from Dublin on Sunday, and is now heading back to Bergen after a long journey. Therefore, it was especially welcoming that the Mayor of Bergen, Marte Mjøs Persen, had flown in for the occasion to attend the event. Mayor Mjøs Persen joined the Tall Ship on its journey back to Bergen.