#CulturalNight – The National Maritime Museum will be open to the public free of charge this Friday 19 September (between 5-6:30 pm) as part of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's first participation of the nation's annual Cultural Night.

During the same evening starting at 7.00pm there will be another free event (also in the museum) of a lecture on 'The Nature of the Irish Sea Coast' presented by environmental consultant Richard Nairn.

The lecture forms the opening of the symposium The Irish Sea History, Cultural & Environmnet (as previously reported) which continues on the following Saturday, though an admission of €10 is charged at the door for the day-long event.

The Irish Sea Symposium is sponsored by the UCD Earth Institute, UCD Humanities Institute and the Atlantic Archipelagos Research Consortium.

Following the symposium, there will be an optional €30 dinner (also payable at registration) held in the National Yacht Club, which involves a short walk to the venue along the harbour waterfront. In doing walkers will pass DLRCC's new albeit controvesial central library and cultural centre, dlr LexIcon which too will be open to the public for Cultural Night.

Information updates and to register for the symposium email [email protected] or visit Irish Sea Symposium website here.

For other DLRCC organised Cultural Night free activities and events (click HERE) will be held throughout the borough.

#DublinBay- Two commercial operators using Dun Laoghaire Harbour have opened and closed services a day apart, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported, Stena Line's HSS fast-craft that operates the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead seasonal-only service ceased sailings today. Stena Explorer will however resume sailings for a short period over the Christmas and New Year periods.

Last Sunday, Dublin Bay Cruises revived the direct Dun Laoghaire-Howth Harbour cruise which Afloat reported last year when the operator first launched their inaugural season.

Back by popular demand the 90 minute excursion trip across Dublin Bay sees the 120 passenger St. Bridget serve this scenic route.

In total there are five cruise options that DBC have to offer in Dublin Bay involving calls in Dun Laoghaire, Howth and Dublin Port where St. Bridget berths along the city quays.

At weekends the operator runs an evening cruise departing Dun Laoghaire into Dublin Bay which includes a transit of Dalkey Sound leading into Killiney Bay.

All cruises will cease operating on 30 September. For information visit: www.dublinbaycruises.com or contact: (01) 9011757

#PublicLectures – The Irish Sea: History, Culture & Environment is the title for a two-day (19-20 Sept) symposium as previously reported is to be hosted by the Maritime Institute in their premises of the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire.

At this stage we can update by adding a website for the symposium (click HERE), giving further details, list of guest speakers and topics covering the sciences, humanities and maritime heritage. They ask the question "What does the Irish Sea contribute to the lives of the people who inhabit its shores?"

In addition to the NMMI hosting the event, organisers include the Earth Institute and Humanities Institute both from University College Dublin and the Atlantic Archipelagos Research Consortium.

A free public lecture in the Maritime Museum on 'The Nature of the Irish Sea Coast' will be held on Friday (19 Sept) at 7 pm by environmental consultant Richard Nairn.

In advance of that lecture the museum will also be open to the public free of charge from 5 pm until 6:30 pm as part of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's Cultural Night celebrations.

Entry on Saturday (20 Sept) will cost €10 for the day, payable on registration at the museum. There will also be an optional €30 dinner for participants in the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire on Saturday night payable at registration.

To register attendence of  the symposium,click again for their website HERE

For further information including that about the NMMI visit: www.mariner.ie

#IrishSeaHistory – Irish Sea History, Culture & Environment is the title for this two-day symposium held on 19-20 September.

The event is to be hosted by the Maritime Institute in their premises at the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire.

The public symposium will bring together speakers from the sciences, humanities and maritime heritage to ask the question "What does the Irish Sea contribute to the lives of the people who inhabit its shores?"

In addition to the host, organisers include the Earth Institute and Humanities Institute both from University College Dublin and the Atlantic Archipelagos Research Consortium.

For further details contact by email to: [email protected]

#SummerOfHeritage – The annual Summer of Heritage organised by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council continues its events programme until 7th September.

So there's still time to visit places of interest, among them those with direct links to matters maritime.

Click the following links below to previous postings to reveal further information to the following venues where all have FREE guided tours / walking tours on offer.

Seapoint Martello Tower, Dublin Bay

Seafront Memorials Tours, Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Martello Tower (No.7) & Fortification, Killiney

Noting all tours do not require pre-booking, yet it is advisable to turn up early!... as spaces are limited.

For further details of guided tours, download programme HERE and for locations, dates and times visit: www.dlrevents.ie or call (01) 204 7011

#HeritageWeekLectures – The Maritime Institute of Ireland is to run a lecture series during Heritage Week under the title of 'The War to End All Wars' held on 31 August in the Eblana Club, Dun Laoghaire.

The lectures are between 12 am and 8 pm and the venue is located on Elana Avenue off Marine Road. Lectures will be accompanied by discussions, debates, music and song.

Registration begins at 11.30, so make sure you book early as places are limited.

Programme details of the eight lectures (can be downloaded in PDF format) from the MII's website: www.mariner.ie

In addition to further details about their National Maritime Museum of Ireland which is located nearby to the Eblana Club.

#PeterPearsonPhotos - Peter Pearson, historian, conservationist and artist has a photo exhibition currently running throughout the summer (until 31 August) in National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The photo exhibition held daily (11am-5pm) is held on the gallery floor of the restored former Mariner's Church on Haigh Terrace, close to the Royal Marine Hotel.

Signed books of the artist are also available from the museum's gift and book shop. For further information, contact the museum or the artist: 053 912 8935 and 087 637 1646

Click the link to the National Maritime Museum website, noting the photograph of the artist and an example of his work depicting the Sealink / British Rail car-ferry St. Columba berthed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Carlisle Pier. Note the quayside cranes (for the older 'mail'-boats), which suggests this painting was taken in her early career on the Irish Sea.

In recent years the Carlisle Pier ferry terminal was demolished. The site still features the ferry linkspan's operators booth that operated the vehicle ramp and lift-bridge for yacht access to and from the Royal St. George Yacht Club. In the painting the bridge is in a raised position obscuring the booth. These days cruise ships call instead, the most recent visitor was the cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf.

The Danish built St. Columba was custom built for the Holyhead route and entered service in 1977. She remained on the Irish-Welsh link as the last conventional car ferry until replaced by the revolutionary Finish built catamaran HSS Stena Explorer introduced in 1996. The fast-ferry operates albeit only on a seasonal basis and from St. Michael's Wharf adjoining the marina.

#KillineyMartello- The annual Summer of Heritage events programme organised by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo) continues throughout the season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The programme which runs until Sunday 7 September, includes some new and exciting venues for this season for you to see, visit and learn from a series of guided walking tours and all for free!

Among the new heritage site events is the restored Killiney Martello Tower (No.7) and Fortification on Tara Hill in Killiney, which is sited within a walled compound on Killiney Hill Road.

Its elevated position meant that it acted both as a supporting position and as an observation post with commanding coastal views sweeping across Killiney Bay between Dalkey Island and Bray Head.

Manned by 16 men, the tower consisted of an 18-pounder gun, a guardhouse and a raised earthen battery armed with three 24-pounder guns and the structure built between 1804-5, was to repel a threatened French invasion.

In this year's prestigious Europa Nostra Awards, Martello Tower No.7 received 'Special Mention' of the Jury of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage.

The Martello Tower was short-listed in the category of Conservation where entries made an outstanding contribution to the conservation and enhancement of heritage and were recognised and particularly appreciated by the Juries.

The Europa Nostra awards receive entries from the entire European continent stretching from Iceland to the Russian Urals and from Norway to Turkey.

Details of Guided Tours

Location: Martello Tower No.7 (Tara Hill) on Killiney Hill Road. Meet just inside the main gates. 

Guided Tours (Days): Every Tuesday and Thursday
Tour Times: Hours from 2pm – 5pm (4 tours daily)
Tour Duration: 60 minutes
Max Capacity: 15 people

Notes: Not wheelchair accessible.
Access to roof is very restricted.
Children Must be accompanied by an adult.
Proper footwear is essential.

ALL tours in the Summer of Heritage programme are non-pre booking and places are limited so turn up early!

For further details of guided tours, download programme HERE for details of locations, dates and times. Or visit: www.dlrevents.ie Contact: (01) 204 7011

#SummerOfHeritage - As previously reported the annual Summer of Heritage events programme organised by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo) started last week.

Running over five days a week until 7 September, the programme this year has some added new and exciting venues for you to see, visit and learn from and for free!

All tours are non-pre booking and places are limited so turn up early!

The events which drew thousands of people last year and to look forward to in 2014 are the various heritage sites across the county and among them are the guided Seafront Memorial Tours held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

DETAILS: The first date of these guided walking tours (again no pre-booking) starts tomorrow Sunday, 6 July.

Location: at the Queen Victoria Fountain, Dún Laoghaire.

Descripstion: The tour covers coastal memorials along the harbour waterfront, including the Queen Victoria Fountain, George IV Memorial, the mailboat Leinster's anchor, Christ the King, the Crimean War Cannon and the 1895 Lifeboat Disaster.

Tours: (every Sunday) from 6 July until 7 September
Time: 11.30am (1 tour per day)
Tour: 60 minutes
Max capacity: 20 people
Wheelchair accessible.
This is an outdoor event.

For further details of the full programme download programme HERE for details of locations, dates and times. Or visit: www.dlrevents.ie Contact: (01) 204 7011

#SummerOfHeritage- The annual Summer of Heritage events programme organised by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo) started today.

Running over five days a week for the next ten weeks until 7 September the programme has some added new and exciting venues this year for you to see, visit and learn from. All for free! for adults and children alike.

Among the events which drew thousands of people in 2013 when visiting various heritage sites across the county was and will continue to be the Martello Tower at Seapoint where guided tours are held. A unique story told in a unique setting.

The tower is one of a series along with batteries built between Bray and Balbriggan in 1804-5 to repel a threatened French invasion.

The first tour starts tomorrow, 2 July (and every Wednesday plus all Sundays). Hourly tours of 4 held on both selected days (2pm-5pm) and are restricted to 15 persons. They are not wheelchair accessible.

This is both an indoor and outdoor event where proper footwear is essential, noting bare feet are not allowed. Access to roof is very restricted. Noting, children 'must' be accompanied by an adult.

For further details of the full programme of guided tours, download the Summer of Heritage brochure HERE and which also outlines locations, dates and times.

Or visit: www.dlrevents.ie or by contacting: (01) 204 7011