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Tom MacSweeney

Tom MacSweeney

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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

It can be tough sailing in the Ballinacurra Cup Dinghy, one of the oldest
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…
The 143-year-old, unique wooden boat Barnabas flying Celtic flags on her way to Crosshaven in Cork Harbour for June's annual Traditional Sail festival
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…
Royal Cork Yacht Club's May Coastal Race winner in IRC was Ronan and John Downing’s Miss Whiplash
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…
Joy and delight for Jacob Ziemkiewicz (standing) from Poland as Bibi floats after launching his Mini yacht in Cork Harbour for testing in advance of the Mini Globe Race
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…
Johnny Treanor''s J112 Valentina from the National Yacht Club is a past J-Cup champion that will compete at Volvo Cork Week 2024 in July
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…
350 swimmers are expected for three swims of varying length at the Dunmore East RNLI Open Water Swim Charity Event on June 2nd at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
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…
Having served with distinction in the fishing industry, this 39 ft ketch 'The Richard' changed hands several times in the 1960s and 1980s. During that time, she cruised extensively in southern Europe and on the North Atlantic coast of Africa before heading trans-Atlantic to cruise the Caribbean. Now, largely forgotten and overshadowed by the stories of more illustrious locally built boats, this Cinderella of our maritime heritage deserves to have her story told, Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival organisers say
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…
Women make up less than 2% of seafarers worldwide, an International Maritime Organisation has heard
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,…
The 2024 Monkstown Bay Sailing Club will hold their annual ‘Dash for Cash’ race on Saturday afternoon
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…
“Ireland’s offshore wind programme is progressing to plan, meeting each of its three-phased objectives and timelines,” the Dept for Environment and Climate says. Now a Government Consultation process is underway for proposed Maritime Areas and Offshore Wind Farms
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…
Fiona Young’s North Star has reigned supreme in Spinnakers IRC Thursday night Royal Cork Yacht Club racing
"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…
The revived Cork Harbour Cruiser Racing League, open to Whitesail and Spinnaker racing, will run for four Fridays in June
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…
Restorative work on the Rankin dinghy R£ ahead of the 'Worlds' at Royal Cork this June
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…
Storms stop fishing boats catching quotas
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…
Irish lawyer Michael Kingston
“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…
The Burren in County Clare
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' cruise vessel operating in Kinsale Harbour
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 USA project team meet Barryroe pupils to describe their work that sets small sailing boats out across the Atlantic Ocean
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…
An Irish fishing trawler operating off Cork Harbour. The Irish fishing industry should have bigger catch quotas, according to MEP Billy Kelliher
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…
President of Irish Sailing, John Twomey
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…
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