Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

What weighs almost five kilos and ranges in subjects from archaeology to zoology, with Atlantic tsunamis, Viking raids and the Irish coast’s role in cinema in between? The first Coastal Atlas of Ireland is ambitious and multidisciplinary. Between its 893…

Ireland is in a far strong negotiating position over the America's Cup than it may realise, and should set clear conditions if it is going to host the event, according to international sail racing project manager Marcus Hutchinson. It is…

Harold Cottam was a 21-year old radio operator who was on duty on the night of April 14th, 1912 on board passenger ship RMS Carpathia when he received a Morse code message he would never forget. Nor would the world,…

The new Maritime Area Planning Bill is not solely designed “to help the offshore renewable sector get what it needs”, Coastwatch co-ordinator Karin Dubsky has warned. The legislation, which marks a first for the State in marine planning, is “for…

Sea and sky, as in the marine and astronomy, were twin themes of this year’s “Young Hearts”, a field programme involving transition year students working with senior citizens in Galway. Tutors Dr Noirin Burke of Galway Atlantaquaria, artist Vicky Smith…

When Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett became head of our Defence Forces in September 2015, he was the first Navy officer to take the post. The Mayo man, who learned to sail at Rosmoney and around Clew Bay’s islands, has served several…

“Get your bearings — always think water safety”. That’s what Dublin Port harbourmaster Capt Michael McKenna is urging sailors, anglers, kayakers, windsurfers, kitesurfers, paddleboarders, swimmers and jetski users to remember on the lower reaches of the Liffey and out into Dublin…

Porpoises, dolphins, fin whales, puffins and guillemots near the Cliffs of Moher...master of the new Aran island ferry Shane McCole promises much marine life on the new direct run between Galway city and Inis Mór. The 40-metre vessel Saoirse na…

“Like a real live James Bond movie.. another absolutely insane adventure” is how the ocean and cold water swimmer Nuala Moore describes it. She’s talking about the relay which she and Donegal swimmer Anne Marie Ward participated in to swim…

“I never thought Cork would ever finish,” says Nuala Moore of that wonderful part of this coastline which she navigated in 2006. Moore was then one of six swimmers who undertook a round Ireland relay swim of 1,330 km in…

There are no words to describe the impact on relatives and friends of having someone lost at sea, but Elleesa Rushby’s own family experience is informing research she is undertaking on its toll. It is known as ambiguous loss, and…

Optimism is not a sentiment one associates with the Irish fishing industry at the moment – but Kerry based Dr Kevin Flannery does feel there are some reasons to be cheerful. Flannery, a rare fish expert, former fisheries officer, chair…

When the Arctic walrus nicknamed “Wally” arrived in Kerry’s Valentia and then swam over to Wales, award-winning filmmaker Doug Allan was away working on a feature film in Nepal. However, Allan has heard of such visits before – albeit unusual…

Tuning in to the rhythms of the reef, singing happy birthday to belugas, how polar bears will smell you before they see you, why sharks get a bad press and how it’s more common for surfers than divers to get…

“A near-collision with a drilling ship, two capsizes, lots of peanut butter and Nutella consumed” was how Jasmine Harrison (21) of North Yorkshire described her successful Atlantic crossing earlier this year. Harrison set a new world record for the youngest…

The Aberdeen of the Irish Atlantic rim – that’s the potential future for Shannon Foynes, the State’s second port after Dublin. It faces an exciting future, with ESB’s Moneypoint site in County Clare to be transformed into a green energy…