Weekend Warriors: An enjoyable Window Into Reenactment

It's a hobby I immensely enjoy, and one that I am fortunate to have shared with countless enthusiastic, outgoing and passionate people who work extremely hard to recreate life in the Dark Ages for the benefit and enjoyment of others.
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As I'm writing this, there's a very small chance that I may be on the telly.

Not as an actor, and thankfully not on the news but, funnily enough, as a Viking.

You see I, like thousands of others from all walks of life, like to spend my summers in wild and (often) wet fields all over this green and pleasant land recreating a world that disappeared almost a thousand years ago.

It's a hobby I immensely enjoy, and one that I am fortunate to have shared with countless enthusiastic, outgoing and passionate people who work extremely hard to recreate life in the Dark Ages for the benefit and enjoyment of others. Whether it's clothing, food or the art of war there is always someone on hand with a wealth of knowledge on the subject and an eagerness to share this with the world.

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We're not as scary as we look

Now, back to my potential TV appearance.

Last summer I, along with countless of my peers, descended upon Dublin to celebrate the 1000 year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf. Alongside us voracious Vikings and irrepressible Irishmen was a TV crew from UK channel Yesterday, filming the third episode of their new series Weekend Warriors.

Their arrival, I think it's fair to say, was met with some trepidation. You see while being somewhat extroverted may seem a necessity to swinging an axe around as part of a public display, most reenactors are well aware how 'odd' our hobby can seem to the outside world and we're even more aware just how easy it is for a careful producer to make fools of his subjects.

Thankfully, our fears proved unfounded. The crew of Weekend Warriors were a great bunch and, now having watched the first two episodes of the series, a very honest lot as well. They present reenactors for what they are, minor eccentricities and all, without resorting to the lazy mocking that is so common in such shows.

Despite what some commentators may think, I found the show a highly enjoyable experience. Offering both a window into areas of history I do not know much about and into the reenactors and groups who now, like me, spend their free time eagerly bringing them to life.

Each episode has a sort of split focus, the main view set upon a single reenactment event and the people who run it while also providing detail about the historical event the groups are recreating. This allows the show to function as both reality TV and educational documentary and I'm pleased to say this is a balancing act it manages superbly. While I am of course the target audience for such content, I could imagine anyone with even a passing interest in History having just as much fun.

To summarise: If you want an honest look into what Re-Enactment is all about you certainly can't go far wrong with Weekend Warriors. Even if the hobby holds no appeal to you, it's still an enjoyable look at some of the great battles of our past.

Weekend Warriors is on Wednesday Nights at 9pm on "Yesterday". The Battle of Clontarf was shown January 21st 2015.