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Displaying items by tag: Candlelit Boats

Candlelit paper boats were set adrift in the south Galway harbour of Kinvara late last week at a vigil hosted by the Kinvara Palestine Solidarity Group.

The event, entitled Caoineadh-Lament for Gaza, was held at dusk when many local people assembled at the pier.

Following a brief eulogy from Annie Rosario, a minute’s silence was observed, and then Eugene Lamb, a lone piper, played a lament that echoed across the harbour.

Finola Ó Siochrú sang “Cá bhfuil Mo Mhamaí?, a slow air she wrote to commemorate the children whose families have been killed in the conflict.

Over 27,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 66,000 wounded since Israel began its latest offensive in Gaza four months ago, according to the territory's health ministry.

Ó Siochru's air was followed by a chorus from a women’s group with local people joining in.

Candlelit paper boats were set adrift in the dark, as people held a moment’s silence at KinvaraCandlelit paper boats were set adrift in the dark, as people held a moment’s silence at Kinvara

Candlelit paper boats were then set adrift on the water, in the dark, as the people again held a moment’s silence.

The event was the latest in a series of solidarity vigils and peace marches held in Kinvara and Galway since October 7th.

During the Israeli war in Gaza in the summer of 2014, Kinvara residents and businesses took a collective stand against Israeli actions by pledging to support the growing boycott movement (known as BDS - Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) against the state of Israel.

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Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!