MacDara Conroy
MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business
Scottish Killer Whales Delight Marine Experts With Appearance Off Kerry Coast
23rd July 2022 Marine Wildlife
A pair of killer whales from a unique group have been sighted off the Kerry coast, as Radio Kerry reports. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has identified the two male orcas seen off Bray Head on Valentia Island…
Sea Kayaker Is Solo Paddling Entire Cork Coastline in Aid of Cancer Support Charity
17th July 2022 Kayaking
Earlier this week, experienced sea kayaker Jon Hynes set out on a journey with a difference — paddling the entire Cork coastline solo in aid of a charity very close to his heart. Three years ago Jon’s wife Alayne was…
Are Marine Protections and Offshore Wind in Conflict? Public Meeting in Killiney Next Week Will Discuss the Issues
11th July 2022 Marine Planning
‘Winds of Change at Sea’ is the title of an open public discussion on the future of our seas in Killiney next week. Hosted by Fair Seas alongside Killiney Bay Community Council and Dalkey Community Council, the event will hear…
Brexit Driving Change at Dublin Port as New Inland Facility Develops to Host Container Storage and Other Non-Core Services
7th July 2022 Dublin Port
Brexit has been a significant driver of change for Dublin Port as an increase in direct trade with the continent has accelerated the need for offsite capacity. Dublin Port Company’s head of property Cormac Kennedy spoke to Independent.ie about this…
Royal Irish Academy Celebrates Heroics of Irish Antarctic Adventurer Tom Crean
30th June 2022 News Update
The latest Library Blog post from the Royal Irish Academy celebrates the heroics and legacy of Irish polar explorer Tom Crean. Collecting a number of revealing images — including a drawing of Crean’s Co Kerry home from the RIA’s own…
France Halts Military Exercises Near Irish Waters, Minister Confirms to Dáil
23rd June 2022 News Update
Planned French military exercises near Irish waters have been halted, the Foreign Affairs Minister has confirmed. But as TheJournal.ie reports, Simon Coveney stopped short of declaring the drills cancelled outright or merely postponed, telling the Dáil today (Thursday 23 June)…
A slurry spill in a Co Tyrone river has “wiped out” thousands of salmonids in a major fish kill, as BelfastLive reports. The incident was discovered at the weekend on the River Torrent, which leads to the Coalisland Canal, with…
Marine Group Calls for Halt to French Military Exercises Near Irish Waters
22nd June 2022 Marine Wildlife
French military exercises near Irish waters which began yesterday (Tuesday 21 June) could have a significant impact on marine wildlife, says a marine group that’s called for a halt to the manoeuvres. The exercises, which are taking place over a…
Oceanographer Suggests Cause for Strange Tides in West Cork That Baffled Experts
21st June 2022 Weather
Experts have been puzzled by reports of strange tidal activity on the South Coast at the weekend, as TheJournal.ie reports. On Saturday afternoon (18 June), Union Hall in West Cork saw levels in its harbours drop by as much as…
Irish vessels and crew have been warned over safety risks associated with a French military exercise off the South West Coast next week. Marine Notice No 38 of 2022 from the Department of Transport gives details of the planned rocket-firing…
Organisers Cancel Scotland’s Boat Show 2022, Citing Increased Costs and Shortage of Boats for Sale
16th June 2022 Scottish Waters
Scotland’s Boat Show has been cancelled for 2022, with organisers citing mounting costs and a shortage of boats for sale, as Marine Industry News reports. The event had been set to take place this October at Kip Marina, Inverclyde —…
Arklow Bank Wind Park Gets Planners’ Go-Ahead for Phase 2 Infrastructure
31st May 2022 Power From the Sea
Planning permission has been granted for the onshore infrastructure required for the second phase of the Arklow Bank Wind Park, according to the Business Post (subscription required). SSE Renewables’ proposed €2.5 billion offshore wind project is earmarked for a site…
Planning Permission Granted for Celtic Interconnector Subsea Power Cable’s Landfall in Youghal
24th May 2022 Power From the Sea
Planning permission has been granted for the East Cork landfall segment of the €1bn Celtic Interconnector power link between Ireland and France, according to RTÉ News. The 500km subsea cable, a joint project of EirGrid and France’s Réseau de Transport d’Electricité,…
A multi-agency search resumed at the weekend for a cave diver missing in Co Clare since the beginning of the month. The missing man is believed to have gone exploring sea caves at the Bridges of Ross on the Loop…
Nearly five years after work began, the first new boat lock on the Lagan Canal in more than 250 years is set to open tomorrow, Tuesday 17 May. The new £4+ million Lock Number 1 at Stranmillis is part of…
Morale among the Irish Coast Guard’s volunteers is at an all-time now, an Oireachtas committee has been told. RTÉ News reports on yesterday’s hearing of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, which was addressed by former coastguard volunteers who…
The world’s largest fish may be under threat due to collisions with ships in the oceans, a new study has claimed. As reported by RTÉ News, researchers in the Global Shark Movement Project set out to identify reasons for a…
Local authorities are investigating after two dogs died following contact with the water at Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, as BelfastLive reports. In the separate incidents on Thursday (5 May), a five-month old golden retriever and a 15-month-old cocker spaniel…
RTÉ News reports that a man in his 50s has died after getting into difficulty while swimming near Skibbereen yesterday (Sunday 1 May). It’s believed the man may have suffered a heart attack while the water in Lough Hyne around…
World’s First Delivered Infiniti 52 Foiling Monohull Lost in High-Speed Collision in North Atlantic
2nd May 2022 Offshore
The first delivered Ininiti 52 has been lost in the North Atlantic just months after its debut in the RORC Transatlantic Race. According to Scuttlebutt Sailing News, Tulikettu suffered significant damage in a high-speed collision with an unknown object offshore…