The Largs Historical Society have arranged for this year’s Hakon Hakonsson Lecture to be given by Prof Donna Heddle MA (Hons), PhD, FHEA, Director of the Centre for Nordic Studies, Orkney and Shetland College, UHI on “From the fury of the Norsemen, good lord, deliver us?”.

In terms of academic achievement, her undergraduate programme in Scottish Cultural Studies won a Times Higher Education Supplement award in 2005.

With a particular passion for locative research – looking at communities from within and how they interact – her research interests also include: Scottish and Northern Isles cultural history; small island studies; language and literature and Old Norse. She is also the author of a number of publications in these areas and is currently leading several national and international research and cultural tourism projects involving the North Atlantic rim.

The lecture will explore the perceived and real effects Norse people had in Scotland.

Professor Heddle said: “The question mark in the title of my lecture is very important as I will be talking about the perceived and actual legacy the Norse left here.

“Perceptions of the Norse as plundering, violent, alien savages who appeared out of the mist in their longships, ravaged the land and left to attack elsewhere are prevalent. However, the Norse were in fact settlers and traders who left their imprint on our legal system, boat building techniques, appearance (e.g. red hair), literature and placenames/ language - both Scots and Gaelic. I will be looking at history, language, literature, genetics and much more.

“The Norse are woven right through the tapestry (or tartan) of Scottish history and culture and it is time this was recognised!” The lecture will be held on Thursday 3 September at 8pm in the Valhalladrome Viking Experience Theatre, Barrfields, Largs. Admission by donation.