Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
North Mayo's Sea Cliffs and Stacks Celebrated in Guided Walk This Weekend
3rd May 2024 Coastal Notes
North Mayo’s spectacular cliffs, marked by imposing sea stacks, emerged from some of the island’s oldest geological formations. These and other facts will be imparted on a free guided walk of the Binn Bhuí (Benwee) Head loop in the Dún…
Port of Cork Welcomes Government's Future Framework on Offshore Renewable Energy
3rd May 2024 Port of Cork
The Port of Cork Company says it welcomes the Government’s publication this week of the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy. As already reported by Afloat, the framework sets out 29 actions to secure Ireland’s potential as a world leader in…
Ryan Rejects Claims He Is Impeding Floating Wind Development off West Coast
3rd May 2024 Power From the Sea
Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan has rejected claims that he is impeding development of floating offshore wind and criticised “false promises” made by politicians As The Irish Independent reports, Ryan was responding to comments by Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers…
Tagged Cuckoo's Journey from Congo Basin to Kerry Includes Big Sea Journey
3rd May 2024 Marine Wildlife
The 9,000 km northward land and sea journey made by the Irish cuckoo from the Congo Basin to Kerry has been highlighted with the return of a tagged cuckoo to Irish shores. The bird’s migration in making “big sea crossings”…
La Grande Motte International Regatta 2024 Marks Final Dress Rehearsal for Cats and Skiffs Before Paris 2024
3rd May 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
The Nacra 17 World Championship along with the 49er and 49erFX European Championships are attracting 148 teams to La Grande Motte in the south of France for six days of racing from next Tuesday 7 to Sunday 12 May. Of…
South Irish Coast "DMAP" A "Landmark in Spatial Planning" - Tánaiste Micheál Martin
2nd May 2024 Marine Planning
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said Friday’s publication of the designated maritime area plan (DMAP) for the south Irish coast represents “a landmark development in forward spatial planning”. “The South Coast DMAP will also initiate the State’s second offshore auction, which…
Seabourn Set to Open Killybegs Harbour Cruise Season With Private Yacht-Like Caller
2nd May 2024 Cruise Liners
An ultra-luxury modern expedition cruise ship, the Seabourn Venture, is to call to Killybegs Harbour, Co. Donegal, tomorrow (3 May) marking the start of this year’s season, writes Jehan Ashmore On hand to welcome tourists will be the team from…
Dublin Bay Sailing Club's (DBSC) Thursday evening racing was cancelled tonight due to very light winds. Winds measuring just over one knot meant the second Thursday race of the 2024 AIB summer season was scrubbed in all classes at Dun…
The Dublin Bay Twenty-One class that was restored after a 35-year hiatus now has a new website. The fleet, designed by Alfred Mylne in 1902 for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC), was revived in 2021. The new website portal…
Water Safety Ireland, Irish Coast Guard, and RNLI Urge People to be Safe and Summer Ready on or Near Water
2nd May 2024 Coastguard
Ahead of the May holiday weekend, Water Safety Ireland, the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI are jointly appealing to people to be safe and summer-ready when planning an activity on or near the water. The organisations are urging people…
Top Irish Match Racers Prepare for National Yacht Club Hosted Championships
2nd May 2024 Match Racing
Royal St. George's top Irish match racer, Tom Higgins, will confront March's Student Match Racing National Championships winner, Jamie McMahon of Howth Yacht Club, among others, when the National Yacht Club (NYC) hosts the Irish Match Racing National Championships (IMRA)…
Harland & Wolff Sign Refurbishment Contract of Braemar with US Based Villa Vie Residences
2nd May 2024 Shipyards
Harland & Wolff has signed a contract with Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US-based cruise brand Villa Vie Residences to carry out at its historic Belfast Dry Dock a refurbishment of the 24,344 gross tonnage cruise ship Braemar, writes Jehan Ashmore. Commenting…
The Raven Kaster, an educational “miniboat”, has been relaunched off Mayo’s Achill island from the Marine Institute’s Celtic Explorer. The mini boat has been upgraded with solar-powered GPS tracking and new technology since its last voyage and has been set…
Carlingford Oyster Company Eyes European Market Growth After Brexit-Related Grant
2nd May 2024 Aquaculture
A Co Louth oyster company has invested €535,000 in an upgrade with the support of a €142,000 grant under the Brexit Sustainable Aquaculture Growth Scheme. The award-winning Carlingford Oyster Company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is producing 2,500…
Ryan Publishes "Future Framework" for ORE, and Draft DMAP for South Coast Due Friday
2nd May 2024 Power From the Sea
The Government has published its “Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy” (ORE), which includes 29 key actions to develop the State’s plan-led approach to offshore wind. A draft designated maritime area plan (DMAP) for the Irish south coast is due…
A photograph taken by an Irish marine biologist will feature in a new set of stamps from the US Post Office celebrating sea turtles. As the Irish Independent reports, Rowan Byrne snapped his picture some 18 years ago while working…
Afloat.ie regrets to record the death of Don Street of Glandore in his 94th year. For many years a Caribbean enthusiast, writing a series of successful pioneering pilot books for the area, he was also a renowned authority on ocean…
On Wednesday evening, 22 boats turned out for the second Water Wag race of the AIB DBSC 2024 season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Race Officer Tadgh Donnelly set a three round windward/leeward course in a six-knot ESE’ly breeze. The strong…
Royal Cork’s Admiral Annamarie Fegan & Nieulargo Crew are Sailors of the Month (Inshore) for April
1st May 2024 Sailor of the Month
The Royal Cork YC’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo is always a busy boat, and usually successful too. But things are in over-drive for 2024 and 2025, as co-owner-skipper Annamarie Fegan - aka Mrs Denis Murphy - is also the RCYC’s…
Most offshore sailors would be well pleased to have notched their season’s start with a win in April, but Howth’s Simon Knowles goes into May with two bullets already in the bag for the J/109 Indian in the first races…