#dublinport – The recently elected Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Christy Burke, has received the Admiral's Hat from Dublin Port Company Chairperson, Lucy McCaffrey, at a ceremony to mark the commencement of his role as the Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port.
His first official engagement as Admiral was to perform the "Casting of the Spear" ceremony, a Dublin Port tradition dating back over half a millennium.
The "Casting of the Spear" first took place in 1488, when Thomas Mayler – the then Lord Mayor of Dublin – set out on his horse to ride the city's boundaries. Historical records show that he rode out onto the strand as far as a man could and from there he cast a spear into the sea. At that time, casting the spear demonstrated the extent of the city boundaries eastwards.
The ceremony was re-enacted as part of the launch of the South Docks Festival. The Lord Mayor travelled out into Dublin Bay on board MV St Bridget and upon reaching the North Bank Lighthouse, launched a spear deep into Dublin Bay, and once again marked the position of the city boundaries eastwards.
Lucy McCaffrey, Chairperson, Dublin Port Company said: "I extend a very warm welcome to the Lord Mayor of Dublin, and wish him well in his new role as Admiral of Dublin Port. His first official engagement of casting the spear revives one of Dublin Port's oldest traditions dating back to medieval times, and serves as an important reminder of Dublin's rich maritime heritage. Today's celebrations also marks the beginning of a new tradition, as Dublin Port Company and St. Andrew's Resource Centre combine the Casting of the Spear ceremony with the launch of the South Docks Festival for the first time. Congratulations to everyone involved on a fantastic festival programme, which promises a week of great activity and entertainment for all the family."
The 27th South Docks Festival is a celebration of Dublin's Pearse Street and Grand Canal communities and runs until Friday, 25th July 2014. This year's festival programme include a host of events for all ages, ranging from Viking Splash and Open Top Bus Tours, to Art Workshops, Bollywood Dance Lessons and Talent Shows. A Teddy Bears Picnic, Seniors Afternoon Tea, International Race Night and Football Tournament will all feature, culminating in the South Docks Parade at 12.30pm on Friday, 25th July from St. Andrews Resource Centre to Pearse Square via the City Quay.
During the week, over 140 volunteers will deliver the festival's range of events, which have been organised by a committee of volunteers and funded by local businesses and fundraising activities.