Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Haughey

#TallShips - If you're still stumped for the perfect Christmas gift for a maritime-minded loved one, how about a trip aboard Celtic Mist?

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group's (IWDG) Celtic Mist Certificate entitles holders to a trip on board the cetacean research vessel, which was launched just months ago after extensive renovation work from its new home berth in the Shannon Estuary at Kilrush, Co Clare.

And if you're lucky, you might have a real whale of a time - like the video above showing some stunning underwater footage from the boat's maiden voyage in its new life.

As part of the fundraising campaign to refit Celtic Mist as a research vessel, the IWDG produced a very attractive A4 certificate acknowledging the support of the purchaser towards the refitting work and entitling them to a voyage on board the vessel.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Celtic Mist - the yacht formerly sailed by late Taoiseach Charles Haughey - was gifted by the Haughey family to the IWDG to assist in its marine wildlife conservation work.

A €60,000 refit of the sailing ketch - and former Tall Ships Races competitor - was completed in August this year, which saw extensive work on the interior of the vessel to transform crew accommodation and make space for scientific instruments necessary for the IWDG's research mission.

Published in Tall Ships
The yacht once owned by the late former Taoiseach Charles Haughey will be only Irish entrant in the Tall Ships Races at Waterford later this month.
The Irish Times reports that Celtic Mist will take part in the first leg of the race to Greenock in Scotland before it is fitted out for its new life as a research vessel for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
The IWDG's Simon Berrow confirmed that it has accepted the Haughey family's donation of the yacht as a gift to support its study and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoise in Irish waters.
He said the group first had to explore the feasibility of running such a large vessel before it could accept the "very generous offer".
The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

The yacht once owned by the late former Taoiseach Charles Haughey will be only Irish entrant in the Tall Ships Races at Waterford later this month.

The Irish Times reports that Celtic Mist will take part in the first leg of the race to Greenock in Scotland before it is fitted out for its new life as a research vessel for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

The IWDG's Simon Berrow confirmed that it has accepted the Haughey family's offer of the yacht as a gift to support its study and conservation of whales, dolphins and porpoise in Irish waters.

He said the group first had to explore the feasibility of running such a large vessel before it could accept the "very generous offer".

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Published in Tall Ships
Celtic Mist, the trawler yacht belonging to the late Charles Haughey, is up for sale through UK yacht brokerage AAA Marine in Cowes.

The 52 footer that has a cruising speed of 6 knots has been put up for sale by the family of the former Taoiseach with an asking price of €175,000.The boat is lying on the Isle of Wight.

The full details and photos from the broker are HERE.

The sale has created considerable media interest. Examples HERE and HERE.

Published in Boat Sales

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!