Lorna Siggins
Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award
"Mountain Waves" Created Turbulence Leading to Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Emergency Landing - AAIB Report
18th July 2023 Coastguard
An Irish Coast Guard helicopter which had to make an emergency landing earlier this year may have been affected by turbulence from the Sperrin mountains, an investigation has found. The report by the British Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) says…
First Designated Maritime Area Plan for ORE Published at MARA Launch in Wexford
13th July 2023 Marine Planning
The first designated maritime area plan (DMAP) for offshore renewable energy (ORE) has been published by Minister for Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan. The minister announced a consultation on the next phase of offshore wind energy auctions, when he marked…
Three Government Ministers Will Kick-Start Maritime Area Regulatory Authority
13th July 2023 Marine Planning
Three Government ministers are due to initiate the State’s first maritime planning authority in Wexford today (Thurs 13th). Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan and Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney will attend the event…
North-West Irish Sea To Be Designated as Ireland's Largest SPA for Birds
13th July 2023 Marine Wildlife
An area in the northwest Irish Sea is to be designated as Ireland’s largest ever protected zone for birds. The proposed new special protection area (SPA) will cover over 230,000 hectares and will increase Ireland’s percentage of marine waters protected…
Ireland Supports International Call for "Precautionary Pause" on Deep-Sea Mining
4th July 2023 Marine Wildlife
Ireland has supported calls for a “precautionary pause” on deep-sea mining on the international seabed. The “pause” means that no deep-sea mining should take place until a “robust” regulatory framework is in place to protect the marine environment, and until…
Extension of North Atlantic Marine Protected Area to Seafloor Welcomed by Birdwatch Ireland
3rd July 2023 Marine Planning
Birdwatch Ireland has welcomed a decision to extend marine protection for a North Atlantic sea area outside of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone. The seafloor of the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea Basin (NACES) has been given marine protected area…
Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Events Director Paddy Boyd On a Harbour Transformed (Podcast)
2nd July 2023 Wavelength Podcast
If it’s July, it must be the return of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, along with Coastival, the new festival celebrating the rich maritime heritage of the south Dublin waterfront. Over 370 boats have registered for the regatta, opening on…
Calculating the Weather - Met Éireann's Recently Retired Evelyn Cusack
29th June 2023 Wavelength Podcast
Did you know that Met Éireann calculates the weather every 2.5 kilometres, whereas the global models accessible on mobile phones are calculated every nine or every twelve kilometres? The one exception to that is the Norwegian forecasting service, used by…
Two Aran island fishing vessels which were approved for Ireland’s decommissioning scheme, recently completed their last trip before being broken up. The 17-metre Connacht Ranger and the 20-metre Conquest were photographed on their journey from Ireland to Denmark. Skipper-owner John…
Unreported costs of biological invasions have been calculated at €26.64 billion (US$28.0 billion) in the EU, according to a new study. The study's Lead researcher, Morgane Henry from McGill University in Canada, says there has been a “shocking underestimation of…
As the North Atlantic is beset by a marine “heatwave”, a new climate dataset project aims to inform adaptation to changing weather in Ireland. The “Translate” project involving Met Éireann combines all previous climate projects “of relevance” for Ireland to…
A team of three Donegal brothers have won the Three Island currach rowing challenge in Skerries, Co Dublin, this weekend. Simon, Ronan and Michael O Dómhnaill from Gaoth Dobhair had won the race for traditional currachs in 2021, and were…
CHC Ireland has confirmed that it has initiated a High Court challenge to the validity of the tender procedure for the Irish Coast Guard’s new search and rescue contract. Earlier this month, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that Bristow…
Coastal and Riverbank Walkers Asked to Help With National Otter Survey
10th June 2023 Marine Wildlife
Kayakers, anglers, seashore, and riverbank walkers have been invited to participate in a national otter survey. The survey is being run by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with researchers at Queen’s University Belfast and the National Biodiversity Data…
A new ten-year national policy for islands promises to give increased grants to turn vacant or derelict buildings offshore into long-term homes. The plan, entitled “Our Living Islands”, includes 80 commitments to improve housing and water infrastructure and better access…
Lifeboat Coxswain and Whale The Theme of Artist's Project With Rosslare Schoolchildren
7th June 2023 Irish Ports
The story of Ned Wickham, a 23-year-old lifeboat coxswain and the 25-metre Blue whale he captured at the mouth of Wexford harbour in 1891 is the theme of a project created by south-east artist David Begley. Now known as the…
Diverting streams and rivers to irrigate crops or provide drinking water may “significantly extend” the time microplastics spend in river catchments, new research states. Diverted water from rivers disperse tiny plastic particles across farmland from where they may be flushed…
Two white-tailed sea eagle chicks have hatched in a successful pairing of two adults under Ireland’s re-introduction programme. A male white-tailed sea eagle released in 2008 which had lived alone in east Clare for the past four years, has bonded…
New York Yacht Club Among The Entries for Wednesday's Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race
3rd June 2023 Wavelength Podcast
“They are missing a lot of berths down there, but we’ll get everybody in by hook or by crook! The words of Adam Winkelmann, chairman of the Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race, speaking about Dingle’s marina. A collision by a French fishing…
ESB and Danish Renewables Company Ørsted Sign Joint Agreement for Irish Offshore Wind
2nd June 2023 Power From the Sea
The ESB and Danish multinational energy company Ørsted have signed an agreement to jointly develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio. Ørsted becomes a 50/50 partner in a “pipeline of offshore wind development projects off the Irish coast”, the ESB said…
