The Island of Rathlin in the Sea of Moyle off Ballycastle is now open to resident and visiting boat owners and overnighting is allowed. The ferry is also operating. This popular destination is six miles long, one mile wide, "L"…

When three Connemara islanders drowned on their way home in a currach from watching the All-Ireland football final on television in Clifden in 1974, their loss had such a devastating impact that most of the residents of Turbot evacuated four…

Japanese researchers have found that whale sharks have protective “armour” around their eyeballs in the form of tiny teeth. Japan's Okinawa Churashima Research Centre scientists studied the eyes of both living and dead whale sharks, which can grow to 18-metres…

Gales over the weekend have cushioned the impact of full re-opening of offshore islands to visitors as COVID-19-related restrictions are eased. However, there has been a steady increase in traffic to the Aran islands, served currently by one ferry from…

A Sowerby’s beaked whale — of a marine wildlife species rarely sighted in Irish waters — has died after getting into distress in Wicklow Harbour, as The Irish Times reports. According to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), the…

The Marine Institute has announced a call for proposals for a Senior Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Ocean Ecosystems and Climate for a duration of five years. This fellowship is designed to provide the link between current climate change research, on international…

A golf links which hosted the the Irish Open in 2018 is one of a number of amenities on the Inishowen Peninsula that faces threat from coastal erosion. As RTÉ News reports, local communities fear that it may only take…

A Dingle-based marine wildlife sanctuary and aquarium which has recently reopened fears having to close for good without State funding to help cover its bills, as the Irish Examiner reports. Dingle Oceanworld says it is down more than €200,000 in…

The public has been warned against against recreational gathering of shellfish such as mussels, clams, cockles or oysters over increased levels of illness-causing toxins. Routine shellfish monitoring by the Marine Institute along South West and West coasts detected increased levels…

Public consultation on developing a network of offshore wind farms to meet Ireland’s climate targets has been extended by three weeks. An original deadline of July 1st for the public’s views on how offshore wind energy should be modelled has…

Little Skellig– the inaccessible sister crag to Skellig Michael - was long thought to have been inhabited only by gannets, fulmars and other seabirds. However, as The Sunday Times reports today, archaeologist Michael Gibbons and a group of climbers have…

Outgoing Gaeltacht minister Sean Kyne has expressed disappointment at the Government decision to approve early re-opening of offshore islands to visitors from Monday (June 29). The Attorney General had advised the Cabinet that there could be legal consequences if it…

RTÉ News is reporting that a body has been found in the search for a missing man on the Dingle Peninsula. As previously noted on Afloat.ie, was last seen early on Saturday, 20 June, and locals believed he may have…

It’s been confirmed that tourist travel to offshore islands will be permitted from next Monday under the next phase of lifting coronavirus restrictions, which was announced last night (Thursday 25 June). RTÉ News reports that the move was recommended by…

Two scientific deep-sea moorings deployed at the Goban Spur off the southwestern continental shelf last year will be recovered and redeployed next week. German research vessel Meteor (Callsign DBBH) will be involved in the redeployment on behalf of the University…

The Marine Institute is recruiting for a number of temporary roles relating to marine spatial planning and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). These eight positions include three team leader roles, in environmental data reporting and co-ordination, data services co-ordination,…