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Displaying items by tag: Dun Laoghaire Bicentenary

#PeopleOnPier - Due to popular demand DLR Libraries “People on the Pier” exhibition has been extended giving the public the opportunity to view the free photographic indoor event.

Afloat had reported of the exhibition launched earlier this month which involved an open-air display of peoples photos beamed onto the outside of the Lexicon Library. These publically contributed images formed the current indoor exhibition on display in the iconic building.

In total the collection of 400 candid photos were taken over the years of families and friends enjoying the pier, which were submitted as part of the 2017 commemorations for the bicentenary of Dun Laoghaire Harbour. 

The display in the Lexicon Library's Lab will also serve the purpose of keeping the dlr Libraries’ Local Studies Collection current. The exhibition continues this week but is only to remain running until 5pm this Saturday 16 December.

Today, this Thursday up to 8 pm

Fri / Sat – 9.30 am – 5 pm

For further details of the People on the Pier project and more click the link here.

#LectureOnHarbour - A lecture by esteemed Heritage architect Grainne Shaffrey, is to be held on Thursday, 30th November as part of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bicentenary celebrations.

Grainne and her practice have an extensive knowledge of Dun Laoghaire harbour having worked on the East Pier resurfacing and the restoration of the Victoria Monument.

The talks will describe the remarkable physical qualities of the Harbour in the context of its historic development. In addition to exploring some of the very particular ways in which the Harbour continues to be a special place of cultural heritage.

Event Location: Dun Laoghaire, Ferry Terminal Building

Event Time / Date: 19:00 Thursday 30th November 2017  

Event Registration: to book a free place via Eventbrite click the link here. 

The commemorative event is a partnership between the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and the Dun Laoghaire Bicentenary committee, for more details visit: www.dlharbour200.ie 

A little bit about Grainne Shaffrey

Gráinne Shaffrey is a principal architect at Shaffrey Architects based on Ormond Quay Lower. Ms Shaffrey is a Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI) Grade 1 Conservation Architect and currently President of International Council on Monuments and Sites Ireland.

Shaffrey Associates was established in 1967 by Patrick and Maura Shaffrey. The practice has undertaken architectural, urban design and planning projects throughout Ireland and possess a wide knowledge of Irish towns and cities. Architectural work includes the conservation, adaptation and extension of historic buildings and new buildings in existing urban settings.

#SailFlagship –The presence today of the five-masted flagship Wind Surf in Dun Laoghaire never fails to impress despite been the most regular cruiseship caller to the harbour of recent years, writes Jehan Ashmore.

All five masts of Wind Surf are notably of the same height as they stand at a commanding 221 feet (67.5 meters) high. From these masts she sets seven triangular self-furling computer-operated sails. Together the total surface are is 26,881 square feet (or 2,600 square meters).

Even when without sails aloft, Windstar Cruises magnificent motor-sailing yacht makes an impression while occupying Dun Laoghaire’s Carlisle Pier. It is alongside this pier where the 310 guest cruiseship has accommodation based exclusively of staterooms and luxurious suites. Those on board have plenty of open deck space presenting views as likewise the vantage point taken opposite from the harbour’s East Pier.

This season sees six cruiseships in total calling to Dun Laoghaire Harbour which this year celebrates its Bicentenary year. This significant historical event marks the beginning of the harbour’s construction in 1817. This involved using granite hewn from nearby Dalkey.

Originally the purpose of the harbour was as a place of ‘Refuge’. This enabled sailing ships that encountered tempestuous seas in the exposed expanse of Dublin Bay to take shelter within the harbour piers.

Roll on two hundred years and it is refreshing to have Wind Surf, albeit a wind-assisted vessel make for a graceful visitor within the harbour arms. The majestic flagship is easily the largest caller at more than 14,000 gross tonnage, however unlike previous years there are no deeper draft cruiseships. Such considerarably cruiseships have to date taken anchorage calls offshore.

The call of the luxurious 162m Wind Surf so far represents the third call this season and follows the previous visit of fleetmate, Star Pride, a conventional yet yacht-like cruiseship. Beforehand of that call the season was opened by the elegant veteran Serenissima.

In addition to recapping some details about Wind Surf, below are further facts and figures of this more unusual caller to Irish waters.

CAPACITY: 310 Guests
STATEROOMS: 122 deluxe ocean view staterooms / 31 deluxe Suites ocean view suites
BRIDGE DECK SUITES: 2 deluxe ocean view bridge suites
DECKS: 6 decks
CREW: 201 international staff
SHIP'S REGISTRY: Bahamas
LENGTH: 535 feet (162 meters) at waterline; 617 feet (187meters) including bowsprit
DRAFT: 16.5 feet (5 meters)
TONNAGE: 14,745 gross registered tons (grt)
BEAM: 66 feet (20 meters)
ENGINES: 4 diesel electric generating sets, 2 electrical propulsion motor
SPEED: 10 to 12 knots with engines only; up to 15 knots wind and engine assisted

#Bicentenary - Minister for Jobs & Innovation Mary Mitchell O'Connor today became Patron of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bicentenary programme.

Convening in the historic Harbour Lodge in Dun Laoghaire, the Minister met members of the Steering Group, which includes the Pavilion Theatre, DLR County Council, the RNLI, the Coal Harbour Users Group, The National Maritime Museum, Dalkey Heritage Centre, a representative of the 4 Yacht Clubs, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and Dun Laoghaire Business Improvement District (BID).

The Bicentenary Steering Group met to discuss a series of initiatives to commemorate and celebrate the 200 year history of this historic harbour.

May 31st 1817 saw the laying of the first stone in the creation of one of the world’s finest man-made harbours, originally named as "The Royal Harbour of King George IV at Kingstown"

Gerry Dunne, CEO of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company said " this is an incredibly exciting initiative , of national and international significance. We will be engaging with members of the Irish Diaspora all over the world, so that we can gather relevant stories and memorabilia, and create a legacy both online and physical, a legacy which this special place fully deserves"

About Dublin Port 

Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest and busiest port with approximately 17,000 vessel movements per year. As well as being the country’s largest port, Dublin Port has the highest rate of growth and, in the seven years to 2019, total cargo volumes grew by 36.1%.

The vision of Dublin Port Company is to have the required capacity to service the needs of its customers and the wider economy safely, efficiently and sustainably. Dublin Port will integrate with the City by enhancing the natural and built environments. The Port is being developed in line with Masterplan 2040.

Dublin Port Company is currently investing about €277 million on its Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR), which is due to be complete by 2021. The redevelopment will improve the port's capacity for large ships by deepening and lengthening 3km of its 7km of berths. The ABR is part of a €1bn capital programme up to 2028, which will also include initial work on the Dublin Port’s MP2 Project - a major capital development project proposal for works within the existing port lands in the northeastern part of the port.

Dublin Port has also recently secured planning approval for the development of the next phase of its inland port near Dublin Airport. The latest stage of the inland port will include a site with the capacity to store more than 2,000 shipping containers and infrastructures such as an ESB substation, an office building and gantry crane.

Dublin Port Company recently submitted a planning application for a €320 million project that aims to provide significant additional capacity at the facility within the port in order to cope with increases in trade up to 2040. The scheme will see a new roll-on/roll-off jetty built to handle ferries of up to 240 metres in length, as well as the redevelopment of an oil berth into a deep-water container berth.

Dublin Port FAQ

Dublin was little more than a monastic settlement until the Norse invasion in the 8th and 9th centuries when they selected the Liffey Estuary as their point of entry to the country as it provided relatively easy access to the central plains of Ireland. Trading with England and Europe followed which required port facilities, so the development of Dublin Port is inextricably linked to the development of Dublin City, so it is fair to say the origins of the Port go back over one thousand years. As a result, the modern organisation Dublin Port has a long and remarkable history, dating back over 300 years from 1707.

The original Port of Dublin was situated upriver, a few miles from its current location near the modern Civic Offices at Wood Quay and close to Christchurch Cathedral. The Port remained close to that area until the new Custom House opened in the 1790s. In medieval times Dublin shipped cattle hides to Britain and the continent, and the returning ships carried wine, pottery and other goods.

510 acres. The modern Dublin Port is located either side of the River Liffey, out to its mouth. On the north side of the river, the central part (205 hectares or 510 acres) of the Port lies at the end of East Wall and North Wall, from Alexandra Quay.

Dublin Port Company is a State-owned commercial company responsible for operating and developing Dublin Port.

Dublin Port Company is a self-financing, and profitable private limited company wholly-owned by the State, whose business is to manage Dublin Port, Ireland's premier Port. Established as a corporate entity in 1997, Dublin Port Company is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of the Port.

Captain William Bligh (of Mutiny of the Bounty fame) was a visitor to Dublin in 1800, and his visit to the capital had a lasting effect on the Port. Bligh's study of the currents in Dublin Bay provided the basis for the construction of the North Wall. This undertaking led to the growth of Bull Island to its present size.

Yes. Dublin Port is the largest freight and passenger port in Ireland. It handles almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland.

All cargo handling activities being carried out by private sector companies operating in intensely competitive markets within the Port. Dublin Port Company provides world-class facilities, services, accommodation and lands in the harbour for ships, goods and passengers.

Eamonn O'Reilly is the Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Capt. Michael McKenna is the Dublin Port Harbour Master

In 2019, 1,949,229 people came through the Port.

In 2019, there were 158 cruise liner visits.

In 2019, 9.4 million gross tonnes of exports were handled by Dublin Port.

In 2019, there were 7,898 ship arrivals.

In 2019, there was a gross tonnage of 38.1 million.

In 2019, there were 559,506 tourist vehicles.

There were 98,897 lorries in 2019

Boats can navigate the River Liffey into Dublin by using the navigational guidelines. Find the guidelines on this page here.

VHF channel 12. Commercial vessels using Dublin Port or Dun Laoghaire Port typically have a qualified pilot or certified master with proven local knowledge on board. They "listen out" on VHF channel 12 when in Dublin Port's jurisdiction.

A Dublin Bay webcam showing the south of the Bay at Dun Laoghaire and a distant view of Dublin Port Shipping is here
Dublin Port is creating a distributed museum on its lands in Dublin City.
 A Liffey Tolka Project cycle and pedestrian way is the key to link the elements of this distributed museum together.  The distributed museum starts at the Diving Bell and, over the course of 6.3km, will give Dubliners a real sense of the City, the Port and the Bay.  For visitors, it will be a unique eye-opening stroll and vista through and alongside one of Europe’s busiest ports:  Diving Bell along Sir John Rogerson’s Quay over the Samuel Beckett Bridge, past the Scherzer Bridge and down the North Wall Quay campshire to Berth 18 - 1.2 km.   Liffey Tolka Project - Tree-lined pedestrian and cycle route between the River Liffey and the Tolka Estuary - 1.4 km with a 300-metre spur along Alexandra Road to The Pumphouse (to be completed by Q1 2021) and another 200 metres to The Flour Mill.   Tolka Estuary Greenway - Construction of Phase 1 (1.9 km) starts in December 2020 and will be completed by Spring 2022.  Phase 2 (1.3 km) will be delivered within the following five years.  The Pumphouse is a heritage zone being created as part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project.  The first phase of 1.6 acres will be completed in early 2021 and will include historical port equipment and buildings and a large open space for exhibitions and performances.  It will be expanded in a subsequent phase to incorporate the Victorian Graving Dock No. 1 which will be excavated and revealed. 
 The largest component of the distributed museum will be The Flour Mill.  This involves the redevelopment of the former Odlums Flour Mill on Alexandra Road based on a masterplan completed by Grafton Architects to provide a mix of port operational uses, a National Maritime Archive, two 300 seat performance venues, working and studio spaces for artists and exhibition spaces.   The Flour Mill will be developed in stages over the remaining twenty years of Masterplan 2040 alongside major port infrastructure projects.

Source: Dublin Port Company ©Afloat 2020.