Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

As news of a new Mersey ferry to be built in 60 years was announced recently, a former such historic ferry is to receive a £2.5m project to transform the MV Royal Daffodil into a major destination set for completion…

The tough realities of Irish island life are depicted in a new memoir of the Connemara island of Inis Treabhair. The last years of an Irish-speaking community are recorded by Micheál Ó Conghaile in his book, An Island Christmas. The…

An assessment of Ernest Shackleton's lost ship, the wreck of the Endurance in the Antarctic, recommends it is best preserved if left where it is. The shipwreck is 3,000 metres below sea level and in a "very stable" condition, the…

Maritime enthusiasts from Arklow have implored Wicklow County Council to help them in their race against the clock to save parts of an historic auxiliary sailing cargo-ship, the last of its type to serve on the Irish Sea. The local…

Tributes have been paid to Badóirí an Cladaigh for illuminating their fleet of Galway Hookers this Christmas time in Galway. The traditional boat fleet takes pride in lighting their rigs in the city's basin for special occasions.   As regular Afloat readers know,…

In a week’s time, Sailing on Saturday will resume normal service with a preview on December 23rd of the up-coming Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race on December 26th, both generally and from an Irish angle, for we…

Winners of the National Historic Ships UK 2023 Photography Competition, Marsh Volunteer Awards, and Excellence in Maritime Conservation Award were revealed on Wednesday 22 November, during an Awards Ceremony filmed at The Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith Docks, Edinburgh and…

Sailing enthusiasts around Lough Erne in County Fermanagh have a proud record of restoring old boats as well as building new craft in traditional designs. Some years ago, the late Fred Ternan set up a small organisation called Lough Erne…

The Cruising Group can often emerge as the backbone of any sailing club, particularly in the winter. Back in the day when the new Howth Yacht Club premises opened in March 1987, fresh concepts were needed to ensure that the…

When God made time, he made a lot of it. You need a proper regard for that sense of under-stated reverence and patience when considering the very complete restoration in Crosshaven of Anthony and Sally O'Leary's unique yet universally appealing…

A talk on the maritime development of Bray Town in the 19th century will be held by Vincent Delany, a renowned maritime historian, at the Royal Hotel in Bray on November 16th, 2023 at 8:00 pm.  During the talk, Vincent…

Master boat-builder Steve Morris of Kilrush has been busy with new projects these days, what with the re-birth of the Dublin Bay 21s for Hal Sisk and Fionan de Barra of Dun Laoghaire, and the building of a St Ayles…

By October, the last of the remarkably varied international fleet of boats that had attended the Irish Cruising Club’s Conor O’Brien & Saoirse Centenary Rally in Madeira had returned to their often very distant home ports. Thus it was felt…

Two Ballyholme Bay yachts, which would make a great match-racing pair, need a new home (or homes). They are 22 ft plank-built sloops which were built on the Clyde in approximately 1939 for members of Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast…

A Medieval Galician poem is being re-imagined as a homage to the late Kerry sailor, poet and boatbuilder Dómhnall Mac an tSíthigh. Mac an tSíthigh, also known as Danny Sheehy, died after a naomhóg in which he was one of…

Noel Campbell, Assistant Keeper at the National Museum of Country Life in Turlough Park, Castlebar, is leading the development of a boat gallery to preserve the history and culture of Irish traditional vessels. Turlough Park is about eight miles from…