Crosshaven Trad Sail returns for another year this weekend from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 June with a packed programme of festival events around the historic boat regatta. Registration (€25) is open for participating skippers, with early arrivals potentially having…
When photos circulated of the mangled remains of the 1907-built Howth 17 Rosemary in the wreckage of her storage shed on Howth’s East Pier after Storm Emma in March 2018, many unacquainted with the spirit of this 1897-founded class thought…
Currachs are important to preserving the maritime history and culture of an island nation a seminar about these iconic boats was told in Cork Harbour today reports Tom MacSweeney. The seminar on the antiquity and sustainability of currachs was part…
Baltimore’s the Place for the Best in Traditional Wooden Boats & the Great Folk Who Sail Them
30th May 2019 Historic Boats
West Cork is as much a state of mind as it is a place writes W M Nixon. And when you’re in its bright and cheerfully breezy sailor’s capital of Baltimore, the annual Maytime Festival of Wooden Boats is something…
Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival Welcomes Restored Ilen Home to Her Birthplace After Historic Dublin Visit
25th May 2019 W M Nixon
Three million euro - every bit of €3 million writes W M Nixon. That’s what the late Theo Rye, internationally-recognised expert on the restoring and re-building of classic and traditional craft, reckoned that breathing new life into Ireland’s historic 56ft…
Lough Erne Cots Complete St Ninnidh Voyage from Knockninny to Inishmacsaint
20th May 2019 Historic Boats
On Saturday 18 May 2019, rowers and supporters gathered at Knockninny Quay in preparation for the start of the voyage writes Ken Wilson of Lough Erne Heritage The V Rev. Fr Gerard Alwill P.P. Derrylin gave us a blessing and…
In 1926, the newly-built 56ft trading ketch Ilen was for six months part of the fleet of the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Built in Baltimore in West Cork under the inspiration of pioneering global circumnavigator Conor O’Brien of Limerick to…
Vintage Barges Bring ‘Floating Fringe Festival’ To Mountshannon For June Bank Holiday Weekend
17th May 2019 Maritime Festivals
Vintage barges and fantastic events are promised in the line-up as the Mountshannon Arts Festival returns this June Bank Holiday, Thursday 30 May to Monday 3 June. Inspired by this year’s theme, ‘Roots and Wings’, the festival features all facets…
Sailing Charity Calls for Council Support As Tall Ship Arrives in Newry's Albert Basin
15th May 2019 Historic Boats
#historicboats - Chairman of Silvery Lights Sailing, Gerry Brennan, has called on the Newry, Mourne & Down District Council to support the need for city's maritime heritage to be recognised. According to the Newry Reporter, the charity’s mission is to…
The Limerick Ketch Ilen arrived back at Dublin yesterday after a 21-year absence. She departed Dunmore East on Friday, where she had been joined by a group from Aiséirí, a dynamic residential treatment centre for adults affected by addiction. This…
Historic Ketch Ilen Heading for Official Launch in Dun Laoghaire to Create Pride in Preserving Maritime History
9th May 2019 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
The Ilen will be setting course for Dublin this weekend for a high profile launch at Dun Laoghaire on Friday of next week. She arrived at Kinsale this Wednesday night after what was described as a “bouncy bouncy run from…
The historic ketch Ilen of Limerick put to sea again from her home port on April 20th at the beginning of a complex 2019 sailing programme which will see the restored ship voyage in July towards southwest Greenland. Check out the video below to see…
#historicboats - A World War One warship HMS Caroline has been shortlisted for the 2019 Art Fund Museum of the Year award. The Belfast-based vessel reports BBC News will compete against four other UK museums for the prestigious prize, worth…
Galway Gleoiteog 'Lovely Anne' Restored for Sail Training by Bádoirí an Cladaig
22nd April 2019 Historic Boats
King of the Claddagh Michael Lynskey (88) and his community took to the Galway waterside at the weekend to welcome home a historic workboat which plied the Atlantic during two world wars writes Lorna Siggins The 8m-long gleoiteog named Lovely Anne has…
Limerick’s Ketch Ilen to Be Put in Focus With “Salmons Wake” Voyage to Greenland
19th April 2019 W M Nixon
The historic ketch Ilen of Limerick puts to sea again from her home port this weekend at the beginning of a complex 2019 sailing programme which will see the restored ship voyage in July towards southwest Greenland writes W M…
The unavoidably-postponed show in March by owner-skipper (and restorer) Darryl Hughes, of the classic 1937 43ft Tyrrell of Arklow ketch Maybird’s remarkable achievement in becoming (in 2018) the first gaff-rigged (and oldest) boat to complete the Round Ireland Race, has…