Remembering the Armada commemoration of the Spanish Armada at Streedagh Beach will take place but online only this month due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now in its 10th year, this year's Remembering the Armada programme will take place between 18th-20th September and is available completely free of charge to the public on SpanishArmadaIreland.com

"We have a wonderful series of online events this year," says Eddie O'Gorman, Chair of Spanish Armada Ireland. "Despite the challenges involved in running an online-only festival, this has enabled our committee to think outside the box in terms of what we can offer viewers in Spain and Ireland, people who normally would like to be here in person."

The main innovations in this year's festival is a series of three online lectures which will give a fascinating insight into the Armada's local history in Sligo.

Further details The Sligo Champion reports of the online event featuring divers in 2015 at the wrecks off Streedagh.

A new docudrama telling the story of a Spanish Armada captain shipwrecked in Sligo launches tonight (Friday 22 May) as a digital download.

Armada 1588: Shipwreck & Survival follows the tale of Captain Francisco de Cuéllar, who washed ashore on Streedagh Beach near Grange on 21 September 1588.

Based on a true life account, the 27-minute film describes how three Armada ships were wrecked at Streedagh, with the loss of more than 1,000 Spanish lives.

De Cuéllar was one of the few Spanish soldiers to escape death, and as the producers describe, “his flight to freedom includes capture and escape, ruin and salvation, told in the words of someone who had to reach the very limits of human endurance to survive”.

Directed by Al Butler and written by Butler with Micheál Ó Domhnaill, the film was produced for Spanish Armada Ireland by Dublin-based company Mediacoop. It features Spanish actor Fernando Corral as Francisco de Cuéllar, and also includes many local actors, production and technical staff.

The film was funded by the Department of Rural & Community Development, Sligo County Council and Spanish Armada Ireland under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme.

Additional production services were provided by Sligo-based production company Omedia. It was filmed in February 2020 in locations across Sligo and Leitrim and is the first docudrama produced exclusively on the life of De Cuéllar.

Presented in both English and Spanish, the film will be available as a digital download at SpanishArmadaIreland.com from 9pm this evening, following a special online screening for funding partners.

The cost to download the film is €4.99 with proceeds going towards the development of the Spanish Armada Visitor Centre in Grange.

Following its launch this evening, Armada 1588: Shipwreck & Survival will be entered in film festivals in Ireland and Spain, and its is hoped to also secure broadcast deals in both countries.

#SpanishArmada - A Sligo-based group dedicated to promoting the northwest coastal area’s links with the historic Spanish Armada has been honoured by the King of Spain in a special ceremony this week, as RTÉ News reports.

The Plate of the Order of Isabel La Católica, the highest civil order granted by King Felipe VI, was presented by Spanish Ambassador to Ireland José María Rodríguez-Coso to the members of the Grange and Armada Development Association (GADA) at Sligo Town Hall.

The first Irish recipients of the honour, recognising groups and individuals who foster relationships between Spain and the international community, have worked hard to promote and preserve the history of the three Spanish Armada ships that were wrecked at Streedagh in 1588.

Three years ago, an almost completely intact rudder from one of the armada ships was discovered on the beach at Streedagh. Following that a number of cannons and other ship artefacts were recovered on dives to the wreck sites.

And the search for more items from the shipwrecks is ongoing, with marine archaeologists’ latest survey of the area taking place over the summer, according to TheJournal.ie.

The event comes almost a year after the Spanish Navy sailed into Sligo town for the first time since the armada in 1588 for a ceremony in memory of that historic fleet, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#SpanishArmada - More wreckage from Spanish galleons shipwrecked off the northwest coast more than 400 years ago has been washed up on a Sligo beach.

And according to The Irish Times, it's possible that this weekend's low tides could expose even more remnants from the three vessels - sparking concerns for the integrity of the wreck sites, which lie in 15 metres of water some 60 metres from the low tide mark.

Donal Gilroy from the Grange and Armada Development Association (GADA) said the wooden objects found on the beach this week had "been buried off Streedagh for nearly 430 years. It is lucky they were not carried out by the tide.”

The find comes just months after a near fully intact rudder, believed to be from one of the 1588 fleet, was discovered at Streedagh beach by a local farmer.

“This is a protected site but we worry that these boats are being moved by storms," added Gilroy. "They have thrown up more in the last two years than in the previous 40."

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

#SpanishArmada - A rudder from a ship that formed part of the Spanish Armada discovered at a beach in Co Sligo recently has been transferred to the care of the National Museum for preservation and study.

As Sligo Today reports, the 20-foot rudder was found on the beach at Streedagh – renowned for hosting the wrecks of three ships from the 1588 galleon fleet – by a local farmer, who contacted the Department of Heritage's Underwater Archaeology Unit.

Dr Nessa O'Connor of the National Museum, who was engaged to dive at the Streedagh site with Dr Douglas McElvogue of the Mary Rose Trust, was said to be so impressed with the discovery that she arranged for it to be immediately removed for preservation.

The rudder is almost completely intact, with a piece missing which the archaeologists believe may have been picked up at random by a passer by believing it to be driftwood.

It's hoped that this part can be recovered to put together "an important piece of history". Sligo Today has more on the story HERE.

#SYMPOSIUM: SPANISH ARMADA - As part of the four-day long Celtic Fringe Festival, there will be an International Symposium on The Spanish Armada Wrecks in Ireland held on the weekend of 23 and 24th June. The symposium is to be held in Grange, Co. Sligo.

The maritime event will be visited by expert underwater archaeologists, surveyors, historians, authors, training officers and divers from Ireland and England.

They will piece together the fascinating story of 1588 through to the present day, detailing their own experiences and participation with underwater archaeological surveys, explorations, excavations, research, conservation and exhibition of artefacts retrieved from the Spanish Armada shipwrecks.

Particular focus will be given to the discovery & underwater archaeology of the three Spanish Armada galleons wrecked on Streedagh Strand, Co. Sligo; 'La Lavia', 'La Juliana' and 'Santa Maria de la Vision'.

A special symposium package costing €35 covers admission to the weekend held symposium. Also included is a buffet lunch on the Saturday. In the evening a Galician/Irish music session & seafood reception will be held. The symposium concludes on the Sunday at 1:30pm.

For further information including tickets, times and venue plus the list of guest speakers visit click HERE

As for the other events during the four-days of the Celtic Fringe Festival (20th - 24th June) there will be a programme of international musicians and dancers, drama, walks, tours, street entertainment, strawboys, food stalls and more. To view festival programme and ticket information visit www.celticfringefest.com

It's mid-way through Heritage Week (20-28 August) and as part of the numerous events organised nationwide there will be a maritime lectures seminar held this Sunday and run by the Maritime Institute of Ireland, writes Jehan Ashmore.

12.30 – 1.30 pm. Neutral Ireland's Role in the Sinking of the Bismarck, May, 1941 By Dr. Michael Kennedy, Executive Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, Royal Irish Academy.

1.30 – 2.30 pm. Traditional Boats of Ireland. - Wooden workboats from all the Maritime Counties of Ireland. By Darina Tully, Lecturer and Maritime Archaeologist.

2.30 – 3.30 pm. Too Many Bags in the Lifeboat. A Lifeboat Tragedy at Bray 1876 By James Scannell, Lecturer and P.R.O of the Old Dublin Society.

4.00 – 5.00 pm. Maritime Guinness, The Ships, Yachts and Barges of the Guinness Dynasty. By Dr. Edward Bourke, Diver, Maritime Historian and Author of "Guinness, the Family, the Business and the Black Stuff"

5.00 – 6.00 pm. Ireland's Armada Heritage. The Story of the Spanish Armada of 1588. The discoveries of the wrecks on the Irish Coast and the recovery of artifacts. By Cormac Lowth, Lecturer, Author and Diver.

Further information Barney Yourell 087 900 7466 No seminar charge – donations accepted. Information in general on the Maritime Institute of Ireland can be found on http://www.mariner.ieand for other nationwide events of the Heritage Week visit www.heritageweek.ie

This year's Heritage Week (20-28 August) includes a one-day maritime lecture's seminar organised by the Maritime Institute of Ireland. The lectures will take place in Dún Laoghaire Club, Eblana Avenue, Dún Laoghaire (12.30 to 6pm) on Sunday 28th August.

Below is listing of the lecture programme and times.

12.30 – 1.30 pm. Neutral Ireland's Role in the Sinking of the Bismark, May, 1941. By Dr. Michael Kennedy, Executive Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, Royal Irish Academy.

1.30 – 2.30 pm. Traditional Boats of Ireland. - Wooden workboats from all the Maritime Counties of Ireland. By Darina Tully, Lecturer and Maritime Archaeologist.

2.30 – 3.30 pm. Too Many Bags in the Lifeboat. A Lifeboat Tragedy at Bray 1876. By James Scannell, Lecturer and P.R.O of the Old Dublin Society.

3.30 – 4.00pm. Model Boats, A short talk to accompany the exhibition. By Garry Mooney secretary of the Irish Model Boat Club.

4.00 – 5.00 pm. Maritime Guinness, The Ships, Yachts and Barges of the Guinness Dynasty. By Dr. Edward Bourke, Diver, Maritime Historian and Author of "Guinness, the Family, the Business and the Black Stuff"

5.00 – 6.00 pm. Ireland's Armada Heritage. The Story of the Spanish Armada of 1588.The discoveries of the wrecks on the Irish Coast and the recovery of artifacts. By Cormac Lowth, Lecturer, Author and Diver.

For further information contact Barney Yourell Mob: 087 900 7466 No seminar charge – donations accepted

Information in general on the Maritime Institute of Ireland can be found on www.mariner.ie and for all the other events held during the National Heritage Week go to www.heritageweek.ie/