Lorna Siggins
Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award
Galway-Lorient Sailors Will Honour French Lifeboat Crew Who Died in Storm Miguel
11th July 2019 Cruising
Three French lifeboat crew who died in a recent sea rescue will be remembered by a fleet of west of Ireland sailing craft setting sail from Galway for the Breton port of Lorient later this week writes Lorna Siggins. Bearing…
Iron Age Log Boat Replica Due for Launch on Lough Corrib Doesn't Have to Float
6th July 2019 Historic Boats
When a replica of an Iron Age log boat is launched for the first time in Lough Corrib today, there may not be too much disappointment if it doesn’t actually float writes Lorna Siggins. Archaeologists suspect that such “dug out”…
Government Package on Military Pay & Allowances Will Not Ease Naval Service Crew Shortage Which Has Tied Up Two Ships
4th July 2019 Navy
Two of the State’s nine Naval Service fishery patrol vessels will remain tied up indefinitely, in spite of the 10.1 million euro annual package of military salary and allowance increases approved by Government yesterday writes Lorna Siggins. The Government package…
Fishing Industry Warns Marine Minister Over New Penalty Points Legislation Without Recourse to Appeal
5th July 2019 Fishing
Fishing industry organisations have warned Minister for Marine Michael Creed that they will “take him on anywhere and everywhere” if he reintroduces a system of penalty points for commercial fishing breaches without recourse to an appeal writes Lorna Siggins. Mr Creed…
Seafarers know there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. A Galway 2020 European capital of culture project is hoping to tap into some of that knowledge, as part of an international design contest for weatherproof wear.…
Musician Liam O Maonlai Pays Tribute to the Restoration of the Naomh Gobnait & Late Poet & Crewmember Danny Sheehy
21st June 2019 Historic Boats
Musician Liam Ó Maonlaí says he believes the late Kerry poet Danny Sheehy would have “relished” the Irish-Galician project to restore the naomhóg in which he had his last sea trip before he died two years ago. Ó Maonlaí, who…
Naomhóg Which Took Late Kerry Poet Danny Sheehy & Crew to Spain Restored in Galicia
17th June 2019 Historic Boats
When west Kerry poet, farmer and sailor Danny Sheehy lost his life during the last stages of a “camino by sea” off the Spanish coast two years ago, his fellow oarsmen were so heartbroken they could barely think about the…
When a Vimy Vickers bi-plane made a crash landing in Connemara a century ago, it not only marked the first transatlantic flight – but also the first such airmail delivery writes Lorna Siggins Aviator John Alcock, who flew with Arthur Whitten…
Two Irish international maritime law experts have said that Scotland is within its legal rights to place a 12-mile territorial limit around Rockall writes Lorna Siggins. Statements made by Government ministers over the past week have been “incorrect”, as Rockall is…
A swim ban has been lifted at Galway city’s beaches, following the latest results of bathing water quality tests writes Lorna Siggins Galway City Council has removed “do not swim” notices at Silver Strand and Salthill beaches on the advice of the…
Adventurer Jamie Young has traversed the Atlantic solo not once but twice, as he couldn’t afford any other way home writes Lorna Siggins The Co Antrim-born founder of Killary Adventure Centre has also taken a kite buggy to Antarctica, a kayak…
Irish shark experts have called on newly elected MEPs to outlaw the growing shark fin fishery in European waters, following a fine imposed on a Spanish fishing vessel detained off the Irish coast. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has…
Galway City Council is investigating whether a testing fault has resulted in high levels of bacteria being reported at several of its beaches. As Afloat reported earlier today, a swimming ban has been imposed at Silver Strand, Salthill and Blackrock,…
High levels of bacteria detected in inner Galway Bay have resulted in swimming restrictions being imposed on four Galway city beaches writes Lorna Siggins. The popular beaches at Silver Strand and Salthill and Blackrock diving board are all affected by…
The rapid swimming migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna may be targeted by a limited number of Irish recreational craft under a pilot scientific research programme run by several State agencies writes Lorna Siggins. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the Marine Institute are…
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on Cruise Berth Withdrawal
23rd May 2019 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has said that “significant commercial, technical and environmental risk” had influenced its decision to withdraw a planning application for a 30 million euro cruise liner berth in Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay writes Lorna Siggins In a…
Tourism interests have said Dún Laoghaire will still be a cruise ship destination, in spite of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s decision to withdraw controversial plans for a 30 million euro cruise berth in the south Dublin harbour writes Lorna Siggins…
Over 270 coastal projects have been awarded grants totalling four million euro in EU and State funds just five days before the European Parliament elections. The grants to 274 projects across seven coastal regions were announced yesterday by Minister for Agriculture,…
European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has initiated an investigation into the lack of transparency around EU ministerial decisions on annual fish quotas. “The famous all-night meetings of ministers in Brussels are completely behind closed doors, and yet make important decisions for…
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Michael Creed has denied that a roll-out of several million euro for coastal projects has been delayed to tie in with his party’s European election campaign. Dozens of projects qualifying for grants totalling up…
