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And with a nod to her eggheads panel show QI this is quite interesting Viking Sandi’s Irish literary odyssey.

Channel 4 is letting Sandi expand her love of Irish lit to show off on future QIs.

The Danish comedian is only, of course, following in the footsteps of a rich seem of Viking traveller.

To this greenest of green lands.

You may have seen the little mermaid, and she really is totey, around Ireland this past week.

As part of a two-part travel Tourism Ireland series Sandi Toksvig’s Irish Odyssey which airs later this year.

And a blooming good tour

What an exhibit: Sandi with Tourism Ireland’s Aidan Power and Emma Gorman. Picture: Shane O’Neill.

Sandi’s literary journey will take her from the Mourne Mountains beloved by C.S. Lewis.

To Seamus Heaney Home Place in Bellaghy.

The Abbey Theatre, Museum of Literature Ireland, Sweney’s Pharmacy and the James Joyce Centre in Dublin.

As well as to WB Yeats’ grave at Drumcliffe, the Patrick Kavanagh Centre and the Maria Edgeworth Centre.

Along the way, she will meet with contemporary writers, poets and performers.

To explore how Ireland’s rich storytelling traditions continue to thrive and evolve today.

The Viking trail

And if Sandi inspires you to explore more of Ireland’s Viking museum.

Then Dublinia takes you back in time to a time when Dubliners walked around with horned helmets.

For three centuries when they brought their first longboat to shore and named the place Dyflin, or Black Pool which in Irish is Dubh Linn.

Dublinia offers Living History guides teaching you how to use Viking weapons.

The history of the barber surgeon, medieval medicine and herbs, and even showing you how to play Hnefatafl (Viking chess).

There are also daily tours of either the Viking or Medieval exhibitions at 2pm everyday, bar July.

And walking tours of Viking and Medieval Dublin at 11am Monday to Saturday.

Starting from their landmark building located in Dublin’s historic heart through the Viking and Medieval past of the 1,000-year-old city.

And there’s a bar

Now naturally when you get Vikings and Celts together there’s a very good chance you’ll get a watering hole too.

And our friends at Visit Dublin recommend The Brazen Head on Lower Bridge Street, Usher’s Quay as we do.

It is said to date back to 1198 when the horny-helmeted were in town.

While as with most things old the National Museum of Ireland on Kildare Street is the place to go to go back in time.

Its exhibition features swords, jewellery, toys, board games and wooden bows, all from the Wood Quay excavation in the 70s.

Countries, Culture, Ireland

The story of Ireland

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It’s the story of Ireland, their story, written by those who were there and left it here for us in books, plays, films and the land.

With Paul Lynch and Paul Murray upholding the tradition of Irish storytelling with Booker prize nods, Fáilte Ireland have mapped out the nation’s literary landmarks.

And it is by visiting those places beloved and referenced in the literary giants’ works that we get inside their minds and see their souls.

Some that no matter how much inspection still take some untangling, but it’s still fun to try.

The Joyce of Dublin

James Joyce remains the most universally-acclaimed Irish writer and proudest promoter of Dublin of any of them.

Joyce sets the first chapter of Ulysses around the old Martello tower of Sandycove, half an hour from the city, where Joyce once lived.

Joyceans can climb the winding stairs of the James Joyce Tower and Museum and read letters, photographs, rare editions and personal possessions.

Before, of course, you head into Dublin and relive Leopold Bloom’s day.

And then check out the original manuscript of Ulysses and much more such as Samuel Beckett artefacts at the Museum of Literature Ireland.

Super Yeats

Poet WB Yeats, shares with Joyce and Beckett the accolade of a Nobel Prize for Literature and he has left his mark.

From Sandymount in leafy South Dublin to his beloved west coast.

The building named for him in Sligo where you can take in a permanent gallery.’

And the ‘Stand where he stood’ tours which combine poetry, drama, history and the landscape of Sligo.

The Tree of Life

Now our antecedent authors were so aware of their own genius that they literally carved their names into the country’s furniture.

At the Autograph Tree and Coole Park Visitor Centre & Gardens, Gort Co. Galway.

And so the greats of the Irish Literary Revival at the start of the last century, Shaw, Synge, John, Hyde, Russell, Yeats, O’Casey and Lady Gregory.

Ulster says yes

Seamus Heaney too reached the pinnacle of the literary world as a Nobel Prize winner and the best place to feel his spirit is in his beloved Ulster.

Donegal is the same landscape that inspired Seamus Heaney.

And a stay in The Song House, previously The Poet’s House Teach na nAmhrán, will likely release the poetry in you.

Heaney’s fellow Ulsterman Patrick Kavanagh is hailed the island over and his statue on a bench by the Grand Canal in Dublin is a personal favourite spot.

But for Kavanagh fans there is more, much more than Raglan Road which you can discover.

Up those country roads at the Patrick Kavanagh Centre, Co. Monaghan.

The Kavanagh Trail follows Paddy’s footsteps down winding lanes and through his beloved back fields.

While a guided tour is available, booked in advance.

Peig it

Of course, for all the charms of Nobel Prize winners and the masters of the Irish Revival the one author every Irish schoolboy and schoolgirl knows is Peig Sayers.

Peig’s story of her life is a staple of the Irish school curricular and shorthand for everyone who has been through the system (take a bow my two) when they meet anywhere in the world.

Writers Wall in Dingle Town, Co. Kerry, pays tribute to authors from the Chorcha Dhuibhne Gaeltacht and Blasket Islands.

It features quotes from the famous Irish language writers of that region

While you can also take a detour to Listowel, ‘the Literary Capital of Ireland’ to visit Kerry Writers’ Museum.

So wherever you go in the island you can see the story of Ireland in its landmarks… and that’s what they wanted.

Countries, Ireland

DubLynott City

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You know when something new feels comfortingly old like Thin Lizzy’s frontman’s statue in DubLynott City.

Phil Lynott‘s statue outside Bruxelles bar on Harry Street has as much pride of place in the Fair City.

As Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell or Jim Larkin.

But it has only stood, or in Phil’s case slouched, off artsy hub Grafton Street since this week seventeen years ago.

Little did I know that the following year I would embark on a 13-year adventure in the land of my mother and chronicle it with a host of visitors.

At Phil’s statue outside Bruxelles… and grab a Guinness in his memory.

The pint of Guinness

The Irish rock pioneer famously telling Billy Connolly that that was his drink because it was black and white and Irish.

The truth was that Jack Daniel’s was more his drink.

And his mother Philomena who fell for a Brazilian sailor told the bold Billy, his pal, that she goes to his graveyard.

And tells him off for being a naughty boy.

Phil is still adored in his hometown where he is twice blessed…

He first got a statue and second a complimentary nickname for that plinth… the Ace with the Bass.

Not all of those who have been given their own platform have been as fortunate.

And so a rundown of those larger-than-life figures with their alternative monikers.

The girl is so pretty

The Tart with the Cart: Or the Dolly with the Trolley as she’s also known.

Of course as sweet as she’s made out Molly Malone plied the oldest profession in the world.

She should probably frequent Leeson Street then but was at the foot of Grafton Street until she was moved on.

No, not by the Gardai but to lay the Luas tram track.

And can now be found outside the Tourism Information Office on Suffolk Street.

The joys of James

The Prick with the Stick: The grounded Dubs are famously unimpressed by achievements.

And it doesn’t matter if you have written the most innovative and inventive book of your age you still get the treatment.

Mind you, you suspect that Joyce would have seen the funny side of having his statue on North Earl street compared thus.

Wilde one

The Queer with the Leer: And maybe one that doesn’t stand up to today’s Woke World.

But again we reckon Oscar Wilde would laugh.

Oscar reclines in his green velvet jacket on a rock in Merrion Square across from his childhood home.

Simply done, there is a glass panel of his famous sayings.

And yes, Oscar, you’ll be pleased, we are all still talking about you.

Paddy takes a seat

The crank on the bank: And, yes, it could have been worse so maybe Patrick Kavanagh won’t be spinning in his grave.

Of course while we associate Patrick Kavanagh with Raglan Road and also Grafton Street, he hails from the Midlands.

And if you’re inspired to find out more about the poet then Monaghan on the border is where to go and you’ll be sold on him too.

Kelly’s aye-aye

???? ???? ????: And here’s one for all you Bandanini and Bandanettes out there to help me to honour Luke Kelly.

With the best I can do the Pisshead in the Bighead.

In typical Irish style the legendary Dubliners singer has not one but two statues to him because of a mix-up.

But if anybody is to have such status we say the frontman for the most famous trad band of them all should be that man.

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Quite interesting Viking Sandi’s Irish literary odyssey