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
The Last of The Light by Marc Ó Riain Captures Images of Loop Head Peninsula
17th August 2022 Wavelength Podcast
The Last of the Light is a collection of memories, short stories and beautiful images from the Loop Head peninsula by Kilkee writer Marc Ó Riain. The author aimed to capture “the images, sounds and smells, the very taste of…
Inland Fisheries Ireland investigating Claim by Coastwatch That Local Authority Using Chlorine to Treat Local Streams
16th August 2022 Coastal Notes
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a “very concerning” claim by Coastwatch that a local authority is chlorinating local streams which flow into a popular southeast beach. Coastwatch spokeswoman Karin Dubsky says that children are at risk, along…
Thunderstorms forced postponement of racing at the Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvara, Co Galway on Sunday for safety reasons, and the fleet will reconvene on Thursday. However, An Mhaighdean Mhara was first boat home in the turf race from Parkmore…
Meitheal: The Story of a Search - Documentary on Rescue 116 Crash Due to be Broadcast by RTÉ
14th August 2022 Maritime TV
“They were our friends, our colleagues...it was just hard to comprehend that we were trying to rescue the rescuers themselves...” These are some of the comments made by members of a Mayo community, recorded by filmmaker Fergus Sweeney, for a…
Cruinniú na mBád Fleet and Festival Celebration Returns to Kinvara This Weekend
12th August 2022 Galway Hookers
After a forced pandemic suspension, the Cruinniú na mBád festival of traditional craft returns this weekend to Kinvara, Co Galway. The opening ceremony tonight, Friday, August 12th, will include speakers Dr Karen Weekes, the first Irish woman to row solo…
Appeal to Surfers to Participate in "Paddle-Out" for Sligo Community Mental Health Project
9th August 2022 Surfing
Surfers have been invited to help set a new Irish “paddle out” record next month while raising funds for a community mental health project in Sligo. The first “Big Board Meeting”, as it is called, is set for September 17th,…
Dippers to Swimmers, Beach to Buoy, open water skills and yoga and dip are among Swim Ireland’s tuition programmes for its summer season. The 45-minute classes, which will run for four or six weeks depending on location around the Irish…
Covid-19 personal protective equipment has posed a “lethal threat to nature”, a new study by scientists involving Britain’s Natural History Museum (NHM) has found. Billions of face masks and gloves produced for protection from the virus are making plastic pollution…
Galway City Council has imposed a ban on swimming at two beaches due to E.coli contamination. The bacterial contamination was detected during tests at Grattan beach in Lower Salthill and Ballyloughane beach on the city's east side near Renmore. The…
Government Approves "Milestone" in Marine Protected Area Legislation
6th August 2022 Marine Planning
The Government has approved development of a general scheme of a Bill for designation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Ireland’s maritime territory. The approval has been welcomed by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien,…
The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority has decided that Irish pelagic vessels involved in pair fishing must submit individual authorisation applications “with immediate effect”. Pair trawling or fishing involves two or more vessels fishing together, dragging a single large net with…
Bord Iascaigh Mhara chief executive Jim O’Toole is to move to Bord Bia where he will head up the organisation from November 1st. Mr O’Toole is the second BIM chief executive to move to Bord Bia. His predecessor, Tara McCarthy,…
Currachaí na Sceirí Crew Win Revived Belderrig Currach Challenge in North Mayo
2nd August 2022 Currachs
An historic race involving the rare Belderrig currach resulted in a victory for Mayo emigrants over the August bank holiday weekend. Oarsmen with Mayo links from Currachaí na Sceirí, a club based in Skerries north Dublin, secured first place in…
Departing Dublin Port Chief Executive Eamonn O'Reilly "Deeply Frustrated" at the Time Ireland is Taking to Develop the Infrastructure Needed to Decarbonise
1st August 2022 Wavelength Podcast
Dublin Port’s chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly is moving on after 12 years at the helm. He does so at a time when the port reports a return to almost pre-pandemic and pre-Brexit trading levels, with overall volumes growing by 10.1…
SFPA Publishes Classification List for Commercial Shellfish Production Areas
30th July 2022 Aquaculture
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has published its annual classification list for commercial shellfish (bivalve mollusc) production areas across Ireland. This assesses 135 classifications in 60 production areas against strict safety requirements for human consumption. Across Ireland, nine production areas…
North Donegal Coast Identified by Fair Seas Coalition for Potential MPA Designation
30th July 2022 Marine Planning
The north Donegal coast has been identified by the Fair Seas coalition as a high biodiversity “Area of Interest” for potential Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation. Only 2% of Irelands' seas are currently protected. The Fair Seas environmental NGO coalition…
A Pacific expedition has discovered over 30 “potentially new” marine species ranging from sea cucumbers to starfish. The new species were collected by a team from Britain’s Natural History Museum, using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the abyssal plans…
“Crates of fish were stacked up on the pier awaiting collection. Fishermen in yellow oilskins crowded the pier, busy with a million tasks. Boats thronged the water...” That’s how writer and artist Marc O’Sullivan Vallig recalls Garnish pier in the…
For those missing the annual Dublin-Mayo clash on the GAA pitch, there is a substitute of sorts on water this weekend. A friendly clash between the Dublin-based Mayomen of Skerries and the Mayomen of Belderrig in the north of the…
University of Portsmouth Initiates Study on Impact of Open Water Swimming on Depression
28th July 2022 Sea Swim
Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have initiated a study to determine if open water swimming has an impact on depression. The researchers are seeking people in Britain to take part in the randomised control trial, where some participants will…
