Tom MacSweeney
Tom MacSweeney writes a column for Afloat.ie. He is former RTE Marine Correspondent/Presenter of Seascapes and now has a monthly Podcast on the Community Radio Network and Podcast services
Cove Sailing Club's Annual Ballinacurra Cup Dinghy Race to Commemorate Rich Seafaring History in Cork Harbour
14th June 2024 Cove Sailing Club
The Ballinacurra Cup is among the oldest "All-In" dinghy racing handicap trophies. The Irish Naval Service presented it to Cove Sailing Club in 1947. In past times Ballinacurra, in the North/East corner of Cork Harbour was a major port for…
Rare 143-Year-Old Wooden Boat 'Barnabas' Embarks on Historic Voyage to Crosshaven Traditional Sail Festival
7th June 2024 Tom MacSweeney
A 143-year-old, unique wooden boat, the only one of its kind in the world, is heading for the Crosshaven Traditional Sail festival. Maintaining traditional boats is demanding, and when it’s the only one of its kind in the world, the…
There has been strong support for evening cruiser racing at the Royal Cork Yacht Club since it began last month. The number of yachts taking part is considerably higher than last season. “It has been a fantastic show,” Rear Admiral…
Jacob Ziemkiewicz Launches 'Bibi' for Mini Globe Race Sea Trials in Cork Harbour
30th May 2024 Solo Sailing
Jacob Ziemkiewicz from Poland, who says he was “born to sail,” and whose plan to build his own boat of plywood construction to compete in the Mini Globe Race we reported on Afloat.ie last June, has launched and is sea-trialling…
Overseas service teams have contacted the Royal Cork Yacht Club in search of suitable charter boats to compete in the Beaufort Cup at Volvo Cork Week. “As only 50% of a team is required to represent the relevant service, this provides…
Waterford Harbour Sailing Club To Host Dunmore East RNLI Open Water Swim
22nd May 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
The Dunmore East RNLI Open Water Swim Charity Event will be held from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club on Sunday, June 2, with a predicted 350 sea swimmers expected for three swims of varying length - 1,600m, 800m, and 500m. “This…
Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival Celebrates Rich Maritime Heritage and Tradition in West Cork This Weekend
22nd May 2024 Historic Boats
The Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival in West Cork will be held this weekend, starting on Friday and continuing until Sunday. “This area has a long history of engagement with trans-Atlantic sailing ships, with Eastern-bound ships picking up a Pilot off…
More Women Needed in the Marine Sector Says International Maritime Organisation
17th May 2024 Ports & Shipping
The International Maritime Organisation, the United Nations agency for the sea, has called for more involvement by women in the world’s maritime operations, marking today’s International Day for Women in the Maritime sphere. Its Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, says that, currently,…
Monkstown Bay Sailing Club ‘Dash for Cash’ Dinghy Race Has €300 First Prize
16th May 2024 Monkstown Bay Sailing Club
Monkstown Bay Sailing Club will hold their annual ‘Dash for Cash’ race on Saturday afternoon with First Gun at 2 p.m. It is a dinghy pursuit race with €300 cash first prize, €100 for second place, and €100 for the…
Co-operation and Respect Essential as Government Consultation Process Underway for Proposed Maritime Areas and Offshore Wind Farms
16th May 2024 Marine Planning
A series of Public Open Days, accompanied by meetings and panel discussions are underway in the Government’s consultation process about the four proposed Maritime Areas off the South Coast, within which fixed offshore wind farms may be located in the…
"The largest number of boats racing on a Summer Series Friday night in over 10 years, a remarkable achievement,” says Royal Cork Yacht Club Rear Admiral Keelboats, Rob Foster, after the second week of the club’s May League. Between the…
After a break since the impact of Covid, the Cork Harbour Combined Cruiser League is to be held again. It will start on Friday, June 5, and be jointly organised by the Royal Cork YC and Cove SC. It is…
For the first time in five years the Rankin dinghy ‘Worlds’ will be held again this season. The Rankins are a revered Cork Harbour class that was revived, beginning in 2016, by dedicated enthusiasts in Cobh and is now thriving…
Fishing opportunities have been reduced by major storms, according to one of the leading Irish fish producer organisations. “Eleven major storms since January first,” says Aodh O Donnell, Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation. This has left many…
“The families of those who died in the Whiddy Island Disaster, are steadfast in their pursuit of justice and are not going away,” the Irish solicitor who represents the French/Irish Association of Relatives and Friends of the Betelgeuse has told…
Ireland is on course to become the first country in the world to complete seabed mapping. The mapping of the seabed off the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher on the Clare coast will be one of the keynote topics…
The Spirit of Kinsale, which has operated cruises in Kinsale Harbour for over 20 years, is being sold. Owner and operator Jerome Lordan has decided to retire. A former fisherman with experience in Ireland and overseas, he left that industry…
The organisation, which has launched two hundred small sailing boats to cross the Atlantic Ocean, fostering interest in the sea and developing cultural links amongst nations, intends to develop the project further following a particularly positive response from a coastal…
Irish MEP Calls for "Use It, or Lose It" Principle for EU Fishing Regulations
4th April 2024 Fishing
Following the announcement by EU Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius that he has ordered a “full evaluation” of the Common Fisheries Policy and reports that 43,000 tonnes of fish were uncaught by Member States, other than Ireland, European fishing regulations under…
Sailing is in a very healthy state the President of Irish Sailing told the organisation’s annual general meeting in the Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour. “We’re growing the membership and participation on the water in Ireland…