Professor Andrew McDonald and Students from Brock University Canada Visit the ‘Kingdom of Man’ News : Friends of Manx National Heritage

Published on: May 13, 2024, 4:20 p.m.

Professor Andrew McDonald and Students from Brock University Canada Visit the ‘Kingdom of Man’

Students from Brock University in Canada, will visit the Isle of Man this week as part of a 10 day study trip on the Viking and Medieval Kingdom in the heart of the Irish Sea.

Under the guidance of Professor Andrew McDonald, the students will travel to the island to meet local experts who will share their knowledge of the Kingdom of Man and the Isles.

Professor Andrew McDonald is a regular visitor to the Island and a popular speaker on the Kingdom of Man and the Isles. Whilst on the Island, he will deliver an illustrated public talk “Women in the Medieval Kingdom of Man and the Isles”. Professor McDonald will draw attention to the few females who appear in contemporary sources for the kingdom, particularly the Chronicles whilst providing important new insights into the dynamic interactions of gender, power and historical writing.

Anthea Young, Education Services Officer for Manx National Heritage said:

“We are delighted to be welcoming Professor McDonald and his students to the Isle of Man. The visit will begin at the Manx Museum where they will tour the galleries, meet curators and enjoy behind the scenes access to the museum collections, before journeying through the Manx countryside to visit the Island’s heritage sites from the Viking and Medieval eras, including castles, cathedrals, churches, monasteries and fortifications. They will discover our magnificent Celtic and Viking Age sculptures and learn how to decode their runes and iconography, before visiting Tynwald Hill.

It is set to be an amazing trip for the students, who will also enjoy the Island’s scenic beauty and more recent heritage, including the Douglas Promenade, Manx Electric Railway and Steam Railways, Laxey Wheel and Snaefell”.

The students arrive on the island on Monday 19 May and Professor McDonald’s talk will take place on Thursday 23 May at the Manx Museum in Douglas from 6pm until 7.30pm (doors open at 5.30pm). Tickets cost £10, available from manxnationalheritage.im/shop.