MacDara Conroy
MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business
Big Wave Surfers Take on Swell ‘Almost as Big as It Gets’ Off Mullaghmore Head
22nd December 2025 Surfing
Super-sized North Atlantic swells have been driving big waves at such hotspots Nazaré in Portugal — and Mullaghmore Head in Co Sligo, where Irish surfing star Conor Maguire was among those last week taking on walls of water “almost as…
BBC News reports that a major incident has been declared in Shropshire, England where a hole suddenly appeared in a canal, trapping two narrowboats within it. Onsite engineers have blamed the incident on the Llangollen Canal in Whitchurch — in…
Mayo Councillors Speak Out Over ‘Brown Tags’ Plans for River Moy Salmon Angling
14th December 2025 Angling
Proposals to restrict salmon fishing on the River Moy could “wipe out” angling tourism in Mayo, county councillors have warned. Mayo Live reports on a recent council meeting regarding plans by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to introduce a brown tags…
Bangor RNLI’s volunteer crew were requested to assist the crew of a RIB with suspected engine failure just off Bangor Bay in Northern Ireland at 3.15pm on Thursday afternoon (25 September). The inshore lifeboat Ruby Robinson made best speed to…
Galway Lifeboat Station at the New Docks will hold an open day this Sunday 28 September from 11am to 4pm and everyone is welcome to visit the station, see the lifeboat and meet the crew. The other search and rescue…
Galway RNLI is looking to fill a number of volunteer roles including new trainee lifeboat crew, additional launch authority positions and a new lifeboat operations manager. For the past 30 years the Galway RNLI crew has provided search and rescue…
Whale Watch Skipper Blames Overfishing of Sprat for Turning West Cork Waters Into ‘Marine Desert’ as He Closes Business
27th May 2025 Marine Wildlife
A West Cork whale watching skipper has blamed overfishing of sprat for driving whales away from the area, forcing him to close his business after nearly 25 years. According to the Irish Examiner, Colin Barnes of Cork Whale Watch says…
Two People Killed as Mexican Tall Ship ‘Cuauhtemoc’ Strikes New York’s Brooklyn Bridge
18th May 2025 Tall Ships
Two people were killed and 22 others injured when the Mexican tall ship Cuauhtemoc collided with the Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday evening (17 May). Video footage shot by eyewitnesses shows the masts of the sail training barque…
RTÉ’s Nationwide Highlights Dublin Port’s Storied Past and Active Present
30th April 2025 Dublin Port
Dublin Port’s storied past and active present are the focus of a special series of TV programmes this week as part of RTÉ’s Nationwide. In the first episode, broadcast on Monday (28 April), Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh visits the port to…
Skellig Michael Landing Permits Still Not Issued A Week Ahead of 2025 Season
29th April 2025 Island News
Landing permits have yet to be issued for boats that ferry visitors to Skellig Michael, despite the summer season opening next week. And the delay could cause “lasting damage” to tourism in the south Kerry region, a local business representative…
Company Owner Jailed for More Than 10 Years Over South Wales Paddleboat Tragedy
27th April 2025 News Update
A former paddleboarding company owner who led four people to their deaths on a Welsh river has been jailed for 10 years and six months. Ex-police officer Nerys Bethan Lloyd was sentenced during a two-day hearing at Swansea Crown Court this…
Crews Rescued After Cargo Ship Collides With Jet Fuel Tanker in North Sea
10th March 2025 News Update
All 37 crew members have been rescued after a cargo ship collided with a jet fuel tanker in the North Sea off Hull, England on Monday (10 March). France 24 reports that both vessels were set ablaze in the incident…
Company Owner Admits Manslaughter of Four Who Died in South Wales Paddleboat Tragedy
10th March 2025 News Update
The owner of a paddleboard tour company in South Wales has admitted manslaughter after the deaths of four people in an incident during “extremely hazardous conditions” in October 2021, according to BBC News. Nerys Bethan Lloyd, who owned the now…
Tributes Paid as Sherkin Island Marine Station Co-Founder Matt Murphy Dies at 89
10th March 2025 Marine Wildlife
The Irish Examiner reports on the death last week of Matt Murphy, co-founder of the Sherkin Island Marine Station in West Cork, at the age of 89. Matt and his late wife Eileen established the station in 1975 as a…
A man has been arrested in connection to the investigation into the death of a woman in a “serious incident” aboard a ferry to Rosslare, as The Journal reports. It’s understood that the captain of the Tuesday afternoon (25 February)…
A judge has directed that a supertrawler detained over alleged fisheries offences be released on a bond of €450,000. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the German-registered MFV Helen Mary was been detained in Irish waters by a European Fisheries Control…
Smell of Rotting Seaweed Disturbing Carrickfergus Residents, Council Hears
9th December 2024 Northern Ireland Waters
Carrickfergus residents have complained to local councillors about the smell of rotting seaweed coming from the Co Antrim town’s drains. As the News Letter reports, DUP Alderman Billy Ashe raised the matter at a recent meeting of Mid and East…
Trinity Sailing Club (DUSC) has officially announced that its much-anticipated annual Alumni Regatta will take place next Saturday 2 November at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. This event is a highlight of the club’s calendar, drawing…
Broad Welcome for Lough Neagh Action Plan as Stormont Gives Seal of Approval
24th July 2024 Northern Ireland Waters
The long awaited action plan for Lough Neagh that was approved last week by the Northern Ireland Executive has been broadly welcomed, as BBC News reports. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said he would put his “shoulder to the wheel” to…
‘Shark Fitbit’ Gives Researchers First-Ever Data From Basking Shark Response to Boat Strike
24th July 2024 Marine Wildlife
Researchers based in Co Kerry have detailed how they captured data — for the first time ever — of a basking shark’s response to a boat strike. As RTÉ News reports, in April the team of scientists from Ireland and…
