The EU is giving 8 million euros to set up Ireland’s first “hydrogen valley” in Galway port as one of nine such projects across Europe.

The EU funding is a significant boost for the multi-million euro green energy scheme, which aims to produce hydrogen fuel in Galway for air, sea, road and rail transport, along with industry, on the Atlantic seaboard.

Hydrogen fuel is deemed “zero carbon” when water is separated into oxygen and hydrogen, using electrolysis and a clean primary energy source.

A “hydrogen valley” creates a regional ecosystem linking research, production and distribution with beneficiaries such as transport and industry.

The EU is supporting research and innovation activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe through a public-private initiative known as the Clean Energy Partnership.

The Galway project supported by the EU is spearheaded by SSE Renewables, operator of offshore and onshore wind farms in Ireland and Britain.

The company, which has welcomed the EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership funding, has teamed up with University of Galway, Galway Harbour Company, Bus Éireann and Colas civil engineering company.

Aer Arann Islands, Lasta Mara Teo and Aran Ferries are also involved, as providers of air and ferry transport respectively to and from the Aran islands. The transport companies hope to use hydrogen as a cleaner fuel source.

Known as GH2, the grouping involves a number of international partners to ensure “knowledge sharing”, as this is a requirement of EU grant funding, according to an SSE Renewables spokesman.

The spokesman said the GH2 consortium would now “begin negotiations with the Clean Hydrogen Partnership to progress the grant agreement, which is expected to be concluded before the summer”.

It says it hopes to submit a planning application for the Galway Hydrogen Valley with Galway City Council by late Spring of this year. If planning is secured, GH2 is “targeting delivery by early 2026”, the spokesman said.

The EU’s Clean Energy Partnership says hydrogen “can play a critical role in energy transformation”, and has “many possible applications across industry, transport, power and buildings sectors”.

“Most importantly, when produced sustainably, it does not emit CO2 and does not pollute the air when used. It is therefore an important part of the overall solution to meet the 2050 climate neutrality goal of the European Green Deal,”it says.

It says research and innovation is required to improve its competitiveness against other energy carriers, and to ensure it has an infrastructure network to extend it across a geographically spread market.

A Galway riverbank patrol group has appealed to those socialising during the festive season to keep an eye and ear out for friends in the city.

The Claddagh Watch group of volunteers will walk the Corrib riverbanks up to and including Christmas Eve, and over the New Year’s weekend.

Claddagh Watch chairman Niall McNelis said that while it was great to see so many people enjoying themselves over the Christmas period, there was always a need for vigilance in relation to the risks associated with people out and about at night close to the river Corrib.

“We are asking people to buddy up when heading out for the night, and to watch out for friends and keep mobile phones fully charged,”McNelis, a Labour Party city councillor and mental health advocate, said.

“And please don’t hesitate to contact the emergency services on 112 if you are concerned about someone who is missing,”he said.

Claddagh Watch Patrol’s Niall McNelis on the banks of the River Corrib, Galway Photo: Andrew Downes

“Sometimes it may just be a young man who had gone to relieve himself, and hasn’t realised how close he is to the water’s edge,”McNelis said.

“The river Corrib is the fast flowing river of its size in Europe and people often don’t realise how strong the current is as it flows out into the bay.”

Claddagh Watch involves some 90 volunteers, about 50 of whom are actively patrolling the Corrib river banks and harbour area. The trained volunteers are out in all weathers until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Claddagh Watch works closely with the Garda Siochána, the RNLI Galway lifeboat, the Galway Fire and Rescue Service and Water Safety Ireland.

It was formed in July 2019 to help prevent suicides in and on Galway’s waterways, and models itself on the Wexford Marine Watch charity which was initiated for similar years and is ten years old.

Claddagh Watch has been involved in 360 major interventions involving “blue light” services, and in 11 rescues over the past three and a half years.

“We have not lost anyone any night we were out,”McNelis said. “Our volunteers have accumulated over 10,500 hours of patrolling along the river.”

The organisation is recruiting more volunteers, and plans to extend its patrols up the Corrib via a towpath and walk which runs through the University of Galway campus and by the Corrib village student residential area.

Paramedic Patrick Dunne is a keen kitesurfer, windsurfer, sailor, swimmer and general watersports enthusiast who has volunteered with the RNLI.

He has initiated a petition opposing Galway County Council’s new draft bye-laws which propose to ban watersports apart from swimming off 24 beaches in the county.

As initially reported by Afloat, the draft bye-laws state that “no person shall windsurf on sailboards or kite-surf on kiteboards or surf on a surfboard or use a canoe, kayak, dinghy, stand-up paddle board or water bike in close proximity to bathers” off any of the 24 named beaches.

The draft bye-laws also state that the council “ may at its discretion designate areas of any beach in and at which the use of surfboards and/or kiteboards and/or sailboards and/or canoes and kayaks and/or dinghies and/or stand-up paddle boards and/or water bikes is restricted or prohibited”.

However, watersports enthusiasts point out that consultation on zoning should have taken place before any draft legislation was published.

Blue Flag criteria also stipulate that beaches must be accessible to all and that there must be management and zoning for different users to prevent conflicts and accidents.

If Galway County Council’s bye-laws are passed without amendment, the council may be empowered to issue on-the-spot fines of €75 euro to anyone in breach of conditions and, if found guilty in court, a fine of up to €1,904.60.

The deadline for submissions on the proposals has been extended to 4 pm on November 25th.

Paramedic Patrick Dunne (right) is a keen kitesurfer, windsurfer, sailor, swimmer and general watersports enthusiast

Patrick Dunne spoke to Wavelengths about the petition he has initiated and why his own personal experience leads him to believe this type of legislation will create an unnecessary conflict between swimmers and all other watersports users.

Listen to Wavelengths below

The rich history of the river Corrib is explored in a new guide by Galway author and historian William Henry.

The Corrib is among Europe’s shortest rivers, at only six kilometres from the lake to the Atlantic, but has Ireland’s second largest flow rate after the Shannon.

The guide, divided into two sections, charts the river extending upstream from the estuary on the Claddagh towards Lough Corrib.

It documents locations and buildings along the riverbank extending from Wood Quay to Friar’s Cut - so named for giving members of the Franciscan order easier access to their friary in Claregalway.

William Henry, Galway historian and author of a new guide and history of the river Corrib

The history of Menlo castle, Terryland castle, the Dangan ring fort and the 19th century Martin “tea house folly” on the grounds of the University of Galway are explored by the author, and the book combines themes of prehistory and archaeology with a history of the various boating craft which plied the river.

National Geographic books author and editor Jack Kavanagh has paid tribute to the guide, stating that “William Henry’s River Corrib Guide takes readers on a geographic, historical, and cultural journey into the heart of the Galway region”.

“It is as entertaining as it is educational. Readers will warm to the stories in this book,” Kavanagh has said.

“ A seanchaí as well as an astute historian, you’ll find no better literary skipper to spirit you into Galway’s wonderful waterways,” Kavanagh has said of Henry.

River Corrib Guide by William Henry is available in a number of Galway bookshops, including Bell, Book and Candle, Charlie Byrne’s, Kenny’s Books and Dubray Books, or by emailing [email protected]

A collaboration between Galway Bay Boat Tours, Galway Hooker Sailing Club and Galway Bay Seafoods, this will celebrate Galway’s maritime culture on October 21/22/23, a 3-day event in Galway’s Docklands, the harbour, the commercial Docks, Claddagh and along the seashore.

The festival will highlight Galway’s seafood and introduce the public to the city’s iconic Galway Hooker sailing boats and its maritime history, according to the organisers; “Get to meet the boat builders, sample seafood, take a guided walk around the Docklands, go on board a boat for a spin through Claddagh. There will be supervised sessions on how to drive a motorboat. The festival will have something for everyone, sea-themed activities, art competitions, crafts and entertainment for all the family.”

Speakers will talk about Galway’s maritime heritage, with rigging demonstrations of the Galway Hookers and a Parade of Sail.

The festival will finish with an auction in Claddagh Hall on Sunday evening, October 23.

Funds raised will go to Galway RNLI and LAST - Lost at Sea Tragedies.

Lines of light showing projected sea level rise in Galway city is part of a collaborative project involving scientists and artists which will extend across a number of Irish coastal areas this year.

Línte na Farraige aims to provoke a dialogue around rising sea levels and the need to adapt societal behaviour to tackle climate change.

The installations comprise illuminated horizontal lines, based on predictions of future sea level rise from international benchmarks that represent future sea level and storm surges.

Galway City Museum has created a pop up “climate change gallery”, which features the Línte na Farraige exhibition and provides a viewing point for “lines of light” showing how the Atlantic may rise in the Spanish Arch area on the banks of the river Corrib.

The set of visual light installations has been created by Finnish artists Timo Aho and Pekka Niittyvirta who worked on similar projects in their home country of Finland, in Florida, USA, and in Scotland.

The scenarios draw on research published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 report and Irish tide gauge data.

As the IPCC reports have pointed out, sea level rise is driven by global greenhouse gas emissions.

It is estimated that sea level may rise by between 0.37 metres in a low emissions scenario, and by 1.88 metres in a high emissions scenario, by the year 2150 .

Línte na Farraige involves scientists, based at Trinity College Dublin, Maynooth University and University College Cork, the Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) and local authorities.

The Native Events sustainable event management company is also involved to ensure the installations have minimal environmental impact, while partners Algorithm are developing an interactive website.

The LED light installations will be located at the Spanish Arch and Ard Bia in Galway for six months, and at the Claddagh Basin for four days.

The project has been funded by Creative Ireland.

The Marine Institute's newest research vessel the RV Tom Crean has completed its delivery voyage from a Spanish shipyard to Ireland, having arrived this morning to dock in the Port of Galway.

RV Tom Crean which cost €25m will remain in Galway before embarking on its first survey towards the end of July and then making its way to Dingle in advance of its official commissioning due to take place in Autumn 2022.

As Ireland's latest marine research vessel has been named the RV Tom Crean (as Afloat highlighted in early 2021), after the renowned seaman and explorer from Kerry who undertook three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century.

Ireland’s newest research vessel the RV Tom Crean has arrived in Irish waters and is currently docked in the Port of Galway before embarking on its first survey towards the end of July and then making its way to Dingle in advance of its official commissioning due to take place in Autumn 2022

The RV Tom Crean which will be based in Galway after its commissioning will enable the Marine Institute to continue to lead and support vital scientific surveys that contribute to Ireland's position as a leader in marine science. The research vessel will carry out a wide range of marine research activities including expanded fisheries surveys, seabed mapping and marine spatial planning, climate change related research, environmental monitoring, deep water surveys, and support increased research in the Atlantic Ocean.

Above and below: The RV Tom Crean arrives in Galway docks amid great excitement

Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute speaking about the vessel's arrival into Irish Waters said: "This has been an extremely successful project with the vessel arriving on budget and on time into Irish Shores. We are delighted that Galway, is the vessel's first stop in Irish waters ahead of its official launch and commissioning due to take place in Dingle, Kerry in Autumn. The new vessel will be used by the Marine Institute, other state agencies and universities to undertake critical work to support fisheries assessment, offshore renewable energy, marine spatial planning, marine protected areas and addressing the challenges of climate change. After the official commissioning, the RV Tom Crean will be based in Galway, and it will greatly enhance our capacity to undertake collaborative research and acquire the data and knowledge essential to sustainably manage our ocean resources."

Ireland's latest marine research vessel has been named the RV Tom Crean, after the renowned seaman and explorer from Kerry who undertook three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century. Pictured were Isaac White age 10 and Seren Flavin age 9. Picture Jason Clarke

The new research vessel is a silent vessel, capable of operating throughout the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and will replace the RV Celtic Voyager, which was Ireland's first purpose-built research vessel which arrived in 1997. The RV Tom Crean will be at sea for 300 operational days each year – heading to sea for at least 21 days at a time - and aims to accommodate up to 3000 scientist days annually and is designed to operate in harsh sea conditions.

The vessel design incorporates the latest proven technologies to ensure that it operates as efficiently as possible, with reduced fuel consumption and minimising the vessel's environmental impact and carbon footprint.

You can track the progress of the vessel in the lead up to its official commissioning in September on the Marine Institute website here.

Listen to Lorna Siggins' podcast with Aodhan Fitzgerald, the Marine Institute’s research vessel manager, and project manager for the new build here

A local Government TD says he’s “confident” that Galway will be chosen to host a new naval base for an expanded Irish Navy.

Speaking to Galway Talks yesterday, Defence Minister Simon Coveney confirmed a new base will be sited along the west coast as part of plans to radically increase spending.

He said while Galway is in the running, it could be located anywhere between Galway and Donegal.

But Fine Gael Deputy Ciaran Cannon believes Galway is the most logical choice.

Meanwhile, a Dun Laoghaire TD has repeated her call this week for the 'underutilised' Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay to be a base for the Navy in the capital's waters.

Andy Fennell's 39ft trimaran Morpheus, the leader at the 48-hour Galway stopover in the 2000-mile Round Britain & Ireland Race 2022 from Plymouth, is now well on her way to the next stop at Lerwick in the Shetlands. But the variations in the fleet size and speed are such that the reception team from Galway Bay SC and the Port of Galway find that their services will have been on call 24-hours for a full week by the time the smallest boat, the Italian-owned vintage Vertue 25 Mea, heads on for Lerwick this coming Tuesday evening.

The skipper of the next-smallest boat in the fleet, 19-year-old Lou Boorman, was taking her boat to sea yesterday (Sunday) evening to start the passage to Lerwick when the little Mea (Matteo Ricardi) finally hove into sight under power, heading for Galway Dock after finishng Stage 1 at the line in the open waters of the Bay.

Thus as Mea won't be allowed to resume racing until Tuesday evening, it will be a clear week since Morpheus swept into town, having come zooming up the coast at a crisp 17 knots past the Cliffe of Moher. But that famous Galway "hospitality gene" has been well up to the seven-day challenge - many of the visitors said they will come back and visit Galway again, and many friendships were struck up with the members of Galway Bay Sailing Club who have been on call for a week to look after the sailors.

The Vertue 25 Mea (Matteo Richardi) finally reaches Galway

There were slower boats still arriving from Plymouth in Galway yesterday evening in the Round Britain and Ireland 2022 as the majority of the fleet threw themselves into party and feasting mode in the temporary but very effective dockside Genesys-sponsored Commander Bill King Club, with evidence that some crews hadn’t enjoyed a full meal since sailing away from Plymouth on Sunday.

It was time to relax among crews and hosts alike, with members and officers of Galway Bay SC and the Royal Western YC of E developing friendships which will doubtless lead on to cooperation in other events in the future. But in the meantime, the remorseless ticking of the clock means that on-water leader Morpheus, Andy Fennell’s 39ft Shuttleworth trimaran, will be shaping up at 1700hrs this evening (Thursday) to take her departure for the long leg to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, as her crew’s entertaining 48-hour introduction to Galway hospitality is coming to it mandatory conclusion.

Ross Hobson’s leading mono-hull Pegasus berthed right at the front door of the Commander Bill King Club on Galway Docks

Party time in the Bill King Club - it was clear that some crews hadn’t enjoyed a square meal since leaving Plymouth

Morpheus came up Galway Bay so quickly on Tuesday that the next to leave, the DazCat 45 Hissy Fit, won’t be going until 23.30hrs tonight. So already not only are the two leaders starting to have their individual separate races, but they’re now in a different sailing universe from the world of the tail-enders – the Contessa 32 White Knight from Wales (Lou Boorman) and the Italian Vertue 35 Mea - which are still off Ireland’s southwestern seaboard after some slow progress across the Celtic Sea.

Stripped-out racing machine – race leader Morpheus (39ft) has an all-up weight of less than three tons.

Longtime Connacht sailing mates Peirce Purcell, Donal Morrissey and Brian Sheridan join the throng to make the RB&I participants very welcome in Galway

As the course involved some deviating around the multiple TSS areas off Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly, almost inevitably there were some infringements with protests outstanding. Until they are resolved all we can currently say for certain is that Morpheus (as predicted here on Sunday) is the line honours winner for all divisions in Stage 1, with Hissy Fit second, while in the mono-hulls Ross Hobson’s Open 60 Pegasus was ahead as expected, but it was the Sunfast 3300 Orbit (Dominic Bowns) which provided something of a surprise for larger craft by coming second.