Dalby, Sverige!

While technically I had visited Dalby, Sverige in July 2007 - I visited during a hideous period of my life that we tend to refer to as "that first summer". It was a time when I thought I would return home to Australia as unemployment, endless rain and homesickness were taking their toll on me.... lets just say I wasn't appreciative of anything in Sweden let alone a rainy day in Dalby!



Soo.. (Thanks to Wikipedia)

Dalby is a village in Lund Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, about 10 km east-south-east of Lund, and about 20 km east-north-east of Malmö. Population 5000+.

It has the oldest stone church in Scandinavia (Heligkorskyrka or the Holy Cross Church).


Dalby (as was all of Skåne) was originally part of Denmark, until 1658 when Sweden wrestled it from the Danes. (The population of Skåne was not receptive to Swedish rule, a fact that helped the Danes win the Scanian War [1675–79] against the Swedes. Victory, however, did not result in a return of the province; France vetoed the move - Therefore Skåne remains part of Sweden!)

An article appearing in The Dalby Herald (AUST) on Nov 27, 1931 claims that it is most likely that Dalby, Qld got its name from Dalby, Isle of Man (and not in fact Dalby, Sverige as I had suspected!). At the time Dalby, Qld recieved it's name there was a high proportion of "Manx" (Manx Gaelic, is a Goidelic language spoken on the Isle of Man) residing around the Myall Creek area.

The name Dalby is derived from two Norse words - Dal and By (meaning Dale Town).
Dalby, Isle of Man was was christened so by Norse Conquerors (Vikings). So while there appears to be no direct links between Dalby, Qld and Dalby, Sverige, it is safe to assume The Vikings of Danmark and Sweden indeed had an input with the naming of Dalby, Danmark/Sverige and Dalby, Isle of Man - which led to the naming of Dalby, Queensland, Australia!

Phew - that's a whole lot of Dalby!