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30th July 2020

Eclectric Small Vessels Among Leisure Craft in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Scenes

Stella a former Dutch canal-cargo barge in this file photo when initially the vessel was berthed at the pierhead of the Old Pier (dating to 1767) which as the name suggests is Dun Laoghaire Harbour's oldest. The barge subsequently was relocated to the adjacent Coal Harbour. Take a closer look above the West Pier were the funnel and upper superstructure of a Seatruck Ferries 'P' class ro-ro freighter is seen underway having departed neighbouring Dublin Port and when bound to Britain, either Heysham or Liverpool.

During a self-imposed 'semi' day-off which took place on this day last week, several small 'motor'-powered vessels were observed during a brief visit to the marina in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and environs, writes Jehan Ashmore.

It was in Dun Laoghaire Marina which can accommodate leisure craft in 820 berths, was moored the heritage tug Swiftstone, which Afloat has tracked since April but then at Arklow Harbour. The veteren tug built in 1952 by Richard Dunston in the UK for Cory Lighterage Ltd for use on the River Thames, was undergoing final refurbishment in the Co. Wicklow port. Notably the former tug is listed on the National Historic Ships UK register, the official voice for historic/heritage vessels. 

The low-profile sleek lined Swiftstone was tracked by Afloat last weekend while transitting Dalkey Sound with a return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour via Killiney Bay. This involved a passage back but between the island and islet of the Muglins complete with light-beacon marking the southern approaches of the Dublin Bay.

Also occupying a berth within Dun Laoghaire Marina was the customary presence of a reserve RNLI lifeboat. On this occasion the name of Trent class craft could not be identified, given observation took place from a 'DART' train heading towards Dublin to make also a visit that day to the port (report to follow).

Despite not logging this lifeboat's name, a former Dutch barge, Stella, which still retains its name with origins from the 'lowlands' nation berthed elsewhere in the form of the 'Harbour Splash' barge. This is Dublin’s first inflatable aqua park which will be not open in 2020 but will be back in May 2021.

Interestingly, Stella is berthed 'Meditteranean' style where the stern is moored at right-angles to the Old Pier, (constructed in 1767) therefore the most historic pier given the bi-centenary of the harbour held in 2017 commemorated the start of constructing the 'Victorian' port of refuge. As for the embarkation of the Stella, this is made possible using a gangway linking the pier and the stern of the barge.

The practice of 'Med'-mooring is also routinely carried out in home waters too. But where? The answer is notably to be seen among some of our fishing harbours and ports, notably that of Killybegs, Co. Donegal. This even involves the largest of the Irish fishing fleet's supertrawlers to berth in this way and can include 'rafting-up' of several vessels, which also takes place in Dun Laoghaire albeit where the small fishing fleet berth conventionally alongside Traders Wharf.

Following the previously mentioned visit to Dublin Port (to be published) a repeat call was made to Dun Laoghaire but this time alighting from the DART to see the arrival to the harbour of St. Bridget, marking the end of a day's work of daily routine operations by Dublin Bay Cruises.

As St. Bridget edged cautiously to berth at St. Micheal's Pier /Wharf, a bow-thruster was put into to action before mooring lines were tied up. DBC were due to begin the seasonal cruises back in March during St. Patrick's Festivel however Covid-19 health restrictions delayed such plans.

The former Aran Islands / West coast islands passenger ferry now provides (up to 7 cruises) is Dun Laoghaire based (notably from East Pier) with St. Bridget beginning morning cruises firstly to Dublin city-centre and theron throughout the day with calls to Howth Harbour and Dun Laoghaire from where there is an around the Dalkey Island cruise including Killiney Bay.

Returning to St. Michael's is where the harbour's sole surviving refurbished ferry ro-ro linkspan (without pontoon) which served Stena Line remains in situ.

The infrastructure was last in use by the 'Lynx' fastferry Stena Lynx III until 2011 and not to be confused with the (HSS) fastferry Stena Explorer which ceased seasonal sailings also to Holyhead until almost six years ago. This took place in September 2014, as dictinct to not operating in the following year as the mainstream media widely reported.   

As in 2015, Stena confirmed they would not return to serve the south Dublin Bay harbour but concentrate on neighbouring Dublin Port. As the ferry operator had an existing route between the Irish capital and Holyhead which began in 1995. Initially though this was a freight-only operation.

So this leaves DBC as the only commercial operator in a port that potentially and deservedly has more to offer asides been the homeport of Irish Lights tender ILV Granuaile, visiting Naval Service patrol vessels and superyachts.

Due to lack of quay-space in Dublin in recent years and ironically exasperated by the construction of port infrastucture projects underway, this has led to occasional cargoships berthing in Dun Laoghaire for a variety of reasons.

This temporary scenario in Dublin Port had left cruiseships restricted in using the capital was due to a limit imposed by the port on the number of cruiseships visiting due to capacity constraints coupled with the impact of Brexit. So works notably the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) Project which is still ongoing to address the issue of Brexit and the trend to enable larger sized cargoships and cruiseships be accommodated as part of the Port's Masterplan.  

So this year's Dun Laoghaire Harbour's cruise season was going to be considerably different with Covid-19 severely impacting the sector. In addition the artificial spillover of cruiseships from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire was hence dealt a severe blow as the vast majority, 20 out of 22 cruise callers scheduled have so far been cancelled. 

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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

© Afloat 2020

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