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Displaying items by tag: Dun Laoghaire 'Waterfront' buildings

Several waterfront buildings in Dun Laoghaire Harbour will be made open to the public on Sunday 10 October as part of 'Open House' Dublin Week (7th-10th October). With over 150 tours and workshops, the free event is Ireland's biggest architecture festival, allowing citizens to explore the architecture of their city. Buildings of all types and periods will open up in an event programme which is organised into areas.

In Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown the following buildings below are all open on Sunday 10 October. NOTE: There are other buildings throughout the borough also open to the public for free admission, for information on contact details see bottom of this page.

Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), Harbour Road. Tours provide a fascinating insight into the headquarters and work of the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Sunday 10 October (12–5pm). Last tour at 4.30pm. Regular tours. First-come basis. Disabled access.

Harbour Lodge (HQ of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company), Crofton Road. Built in the neo-classical style, the Georgian house represents the first serious piece of architecture in the town. Sunday 10 October (12–5pm). Last tour at 4.30pm. Regular tours. First-come basis. Disabled access.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Hall, Marine Road. The council's premises have evolved to comprise the original Town Hall, the adjoining 19th century post office and a late 20th century extension. Sunday 10 October (12-5pm) Last tour at 4.30pm. Regular tours. First-come basis. Disabled access.
(Tour includes the recent Old Town Hall refurbishment by DLRCC Architects Department).

Royal St George Yacht Club, Harbour Road. Founded in 1838, the historic building has been extended with a very contemporary addition. Clad in distinctive copper, this extension is connected to the original club by a glass-covered atrium. Sunday 10 October (12–5pm). Last tour at 4.30pm. Regular tours. First-come basis. Disabled access.

National Yacht Club, Harbour Road. A magnificant Class A listed building which has a design hybrid between a French château and an 18th-century country garden pavilion. Sunday 10 October (2–5pm). Last tour at 4.30pm. Regular tours. First-come basis. Disabled access.

Like most of the tours and events in Open House Dublin, there is no pre-booking required. Entry is FREE and on a first-come basis. For more information about what to expect from your tour or event. Contact: Open House Info Desk Tel: (01) 6165220 and check 'How It Works' by logging onto www.architecturefoundation.ie/openhouse/

Published in Boating Fixtures

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!