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Coastal Development in Ireland
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a “very concerning” claim by Coastwatch that a local authority is chlorinating local streams which flow into a popular southeast beach. Coastwatch spokeswoman Karin Dubsky says that children are at risk, along…
The Giant’s Causeway near Portrush in Northern Ireland
Four coastal locations around the island of Ireland are in the running to be named Ireland’s best place to holiday this year, with the winner to be announced this August Bank Holiday weekend. Carlingford in Co Louth on the shores of…
Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue
Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue has today (Monday 25 July) announced approval for a scheme which will provide €20 million in funding for capital investments to accelerate the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the scheme…
Salmon farming in Millstone Bay, Co Donegal
The fast-changing and evolving landscape of Ireland’s post-Brexit blue economy mean the skills needed for these types of jobs in coastal communities are also changing and evolving. Individuals already working in the blue economy who want to develop their career…
Smooth Point Quay at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre
Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue today (Monday 18 July) announced the award of a €10.5 million (ex VAT) capital works contract to complete a 120m quay development and associated works for Smooth Point at Killybegs Fishery Harbour Centre in Co Donegal.…
Map showing the location of the Corrib Gas Field and pipeline
Vermilion Exploration & Production Ireland Limited will carry out a campaign of inspection of the Corrib Gas Field near-shore pipeline and umbilical. Weather permitting, these works are due to commence on Thursday 7 July and will last for approximately 10…
Courtmacsherry Harbour Boat Club is welcoming visitors this summer until August as harbour dredging has been deferred
Long-awaited dredging in Courtmacsherry Harbour is being deferred.  As Afloat reported earlier this month, the dredging at the popular West Cork boating harbour had restrictions put in place for visiting boats in June for a planned three to four weeks…
The popular West Cork boating harbour of Courtmacsherry where dredging is underway
Long-awaited dredging at the popular West Cork boating harbour of Courtmacsherry is underway but restrictions are now in place for visiting boats for three to four weeks as the harbour's pontoon is unavailable and the slipway blocked off. Local fishermen are…
Beach cleaning with the Clean Coasts initiative
An Taisce’s Clean Coasts and National Spring Clean initiatives have joined up to encourage people all over Ireland to take part in a nationwide beach clean to mark World Oceans Day on Wednesday 8 June. And they’re offering coastal communities,…
Waters and Communities Special Award banner
The Waters and Communities Special Award is now open for 2022, with entries being accepted until Friday 10 June. A regular feature in the SuperValu TidyTowns competition since 2017, the award will see prizes given to communities for projects and initiatives…
Kinsale Yacht club Marina in West Cork with a moored visiting superyacht at the facility
One of the country’s leading marinas will become unusable for keelboats unless urgent action is taken to address increasing silting in the harbour area writes David Forsythe in West Cork Kinsale-based Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy told the recent meeting of…
The Explorers team look forward to joining teachers on the seashore for this year’s CPD training
Teacher training courses this summer are now available to book as part of the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme. The five-day continuing professional development (CPD) courses will take place from 4-8 July in Galway, Dublin, Waterford, Kerry and West Cork.…
The Marine Institute's Explorers team around the country are planning a Kraken Family Day on the beach for European Maritime Day on the 21st May
The Marine Institute's Explorers Education Programme is delighted to announce that they will be hosting five 'Kraken beach events' for families on seashores around the country, celebrating as part of European Maritime Day, on Saturday 21st May at 12pm. The…
Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien, Paul Fallon, Irish Water and Jim Cullen, Galway County Council pictured during the minister’s visit to the  wastewater project under construction at An Spidéal, Co Galway.
Water quality in Galway Bay may be improved when a new wastewater treatment plant is completed in An Spidéal next year, Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien has predicted. The project will eliminate the discharge of more than…
Dublin Bay in all its eccentric high tide glory. Yet with the greater city area actually sinking at about 3 millimetres a year relative to much of the rest of Ireland, we could be in for some interesting times on the tidal front
If you’re a coastal Dub doing a Marie Kondo on the shoe cupboard, and you’re thinking of heaving out the Cuban heels and the platform soles, just hang on a minute. Despite their exotic fashion origins, that fancy footwear might…
Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien
Water quality may benefit from a new 50 million euro funding scheme to provide treatment in small communities without access to public wastewater infrastructure. Some 547 villages and settlements may be eligible for the scheme which aims to reduce risks…

Coastal Notes Coastal Notes covers a broad spectrum of stories, events and developments in which some can be quirky and local in nature, while other stories are of national importance and are on-going, but whatever they are about, they need to be told.

Stories can be diverse and they can be influential, albeit some are more subtle than others in nature, while other events can be immediately felt. No more so felt, is firstly to those living along the coastal rim and rural isolated communities. Here the impact poses is increased to those directly linked with the sea, where daily lives are made from earning an income ashore and within coastal waters.

The topics in Coastal Notes can also be about the rare finding of sea-life creatures, a historic shipwreck lost to the passage of time and which has yet many a secret to tell. A trawler's net caught hauling more than fish but cannon balls dating to the Napoleonic era.

Also focusing the attention of Coastal Notes, are the maritime museums which are of national importance to maintaining access and knowledge of historical exhibits for future generations.

Equally to keep an eye on the present day, with activities of existing and planned projects in the pipeline from the wind and wave renewables sector and those of the energy exploration industry.

In addition Coastal Notes has many more angles to cover, be it the weekend boat leisure user taking a sedate cruise off a long straight beach on the coast beach and making a friend with a feathered companion along the way.

In complete contrast is to those who harvest the sea, using small boats based in harbours where infrastructure and safety poses an issue, before they set off to ply their trade at the foot of our highest sea cliffs along the rugged wild western seaboard.

It's all there, as Coastal Notes tells the stories that are arguably as varied to the environment from which they came from and indeed which shape people's interaction with the surrounding environment that is the natural world and our relationship with the sea.