Significant changes arrived at Dun Laoghaire Harbour this Summer as the country's biggest marine leisure centre - and Ireland's largest man-made harbour - gears up for a brighter maritime future under the new ownership of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
Outgoing Harbourmaster Simon Coate, who is to retire after more than 30 years of service, hands over a bustling scene both afloat and ashore to Harbour Master designate Harry Duggan.
An economic report on the Harbour published late last year provides an economic blueprint for the Victorian infrastructure. Its future looks very much tied to marine leisure and a multi-use purpose.
A local trawler arrives with its catch while a visiting cruise liner departs Dun Laoghaire Harbour
On June 14, County Councillors gave the green light for a technology hub at the site of the former Stena ferry terminal. With busy commercial traffic, the harbour's four berths have been active since Springtime, as have the harbour's four waterfront yacht clubs and more than forty watersport organisations operating out of the coal harbour area.
Indecon Economic Report
Dun Laoghaire's future could lie in its potential as a hub to support offshore renewable energy projects. That's one of the conclusions from the €100k report commissioned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to develop a blueprint for the south Co Dublin harbour's improved use.
Economic consultancy Indecon was tasked last year with preparing a plan for the harbour based on a critical evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses.
A view over the centre of Dun Laoghaire Harbour from September 2018 Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate
Its report — available to download here — comes on the foot of a choppy few years for Dun Laoghaire Harbour's fortunes, from the loss of the cross-channel ferry in 2015 to the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020.
Indecon says: "The three main areas which should be given priority are to implement a financial-economic recovery plan for the harbour, to increase linkages with the town and to maximise the economic and social impact of the port.
In July, Local TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill repeated her call on Minister for Defence Simon Coveney to use Dún Laoghaire Harbour as a naval base in response to Brexit, as Afloat reported here.
Quarterdeck Innovation Hub for St. Michael's terminal
As Afloat reported as far back as March 2020, Lapetus Investments Ltd, trading as Quarterdeck Innovation, has envisioned a "co-working innovation space" within the St Michael's Pier terminal building.
It intends "to create a technology hub whereby small and medium-sized businesses can collaborate in a community-based environment that promotes and fosters entrepreneurship, through a spirit of innovation and creativity".
From Ferry terminal to state-of-the-art innovation campus - plans are in place to transform the old building. The 'Innovation Space' plans could create more than 650 jobs In Dun Laoghaire, say DLRCoCo Photo: Afloat
These plans look a step closer now, thanks to the Councillors' thumbs up at their June meeting. More here.
The project partners have also pledged to "assist and collaborate closely" with the feasibility study team for the National Watersports Campus being proposed for Carlisle Pier to help "improve the harbour's infrastructure resulting in improved access, job creation and strong tourism potential".
Proposals to develop the former Stena ferry terminal were first made in 2017 but later scrapped over licensing issues.
National Watersport Campus
In 2020, the Government awarded €400,000 to the local authority to conduct a feasibility study on the watersports campus, which would be a marine version of the national sports campus in Abbotstown, Dublin.
Under Project 2040, the State's national development plan, the Government set aside €100 million for sports infrastructure.
The National Sports Policy, published in 2018, established the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) to provide exchequer support for sports facility projects.
Dun Laoghaire's Carlisle pier has been proposed as a location and would involve a high-performance watersports coaching centre and a venue for national and international events.
A view over the Eastern side of Dun Laoghaire Harbour with the town library and National Maritime Museum in the foreground, the Carlise Pier left, the National Yacht Club and RNLI base pictured centre and the East Pier right Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate
It would also involve an education centre for schools, community groups and clubs, and a public slipway for recreational craft users who are not members of the harbour sailing clubs.
Currently, Dun Laoghaire has one public slipway in the Coal harbour, which is not accessible at all stages of the tide.
If approved for planning, the campus would complement the Dun Laoghaire baths currently refurbished by the local authority.
Loss of revenue since the cancellation of regular Irish Sea ferry sailings between Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead, a long with increased interest in watersports during the Covid-19 pandemic, are factors influencing the local authority's move.
The campus plan is spearheaded by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Irish Sailing Association, and Irish Diving and has been endorsed by several Irish watersport national governing bodies and clubs and activity providers.
Dun Laoghaire Baths nears completion
Looking north towards Howth Peninsula on Dublin Bay with a visiting cruise liner moored on Dublin Bay, the refurbished Baths site nears completion at Dun Laoghaire in September 2022 Photo: Afloat
While there has been some disappointment locally over construction delays, the refurbishment of the old Dun Laoghaire Baths located at the back of the East Pier will likely be completed by the end of the year. It's been a four-year project that began in June 2018.
The €9 million redevelopment of the old Dún Laoghaire Baths site that has been derelict for 30 years now looks on the cusp of opening, with some eager kayakers already testing the waters back in May.
A view of the baths site with the Roger Casement pier on the left of picture and the Forty Foot bathing place and Sandycove visible right
Last August, it was promised that 2022's Roger Casement execution commemoration would be on the site of the new statue; that date came and went, but it is hoped the facility will open in 2022.
(Above and below) The baths in June 2022 and (bottom) as it was when demolition and reconstruction work started in June 2018
78 Cruise Liners for Dun Laoghaire in 2022
One of 78 visiting cruise liners to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in 2022 Photo: Afloat
Dun Laoghaire Harbour published a schedule of its cruise liner calls for 2022 with many of the liners anchoring on Dublin Bay and tendering passengers ashore in a successful arrangement that marked the return of the cruise business after covid.
RIBS escorts a cruise liner tender to and from Dun Laoghaire harbour Photo: Afloat
A 'cap' on the number of cruise calls to Dublin Port since 01 January 2020 has consequently seen an increase in the number of bookings of 'tender' calls to Dun Laoghaire, the former ferry port. Dun Laoghaire's cruise calls are listed here
A cruise liner tender brings passengers ashore at Dun Laoghaire harbour Photo: Afloat
As Afloat reported, new pontoon facilities are now in place at the harbour to facilitate embarkation and disembarkation from some 78 expected cruise liner calls running until October.
The newly installed cruise liner docking pontoon at berth number four at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
Marine & Coastal agencies hold emergency display
A Coastguard RIB on exercise at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat
On June 16th, a major inter-agency marine and coastal agency emergency services display was held in the Ferry Marshalling Area of the Harbour.
Dun Laoghaire's RNLI inshore (left) and all-weather RNLI lifeboat
There were static displays and equipment capabilities with Irish Coast Guard - Dun Laoghaire Unit, RNLI Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station, Irish Coast Guard - Rescue Helicopter 116 and DLRCOCO staff from Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Dun Laoghaire Marina.
A Civil Defence RIB at the Harbour mouth Photo: Afloat
The briefing dealt with emergency landing zones, evacuation procedures, Ambulance access points, Major incident facilities and Port Secure Zones.
On display was an Incident Command Unit, Mobile units and equipment, an All-terrain vehicle, Dun Laoghaire's Trent class All-Weather lifeboat and D-Class Inshore lifeboat and Rescue heli R116.
According to one Afloat source, the display's upshot was that the harbour could expect to see R116 in the port more often.
Dun Laoghaire's Busy ship berths
There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire, and since the withdrawal of Stena ferry services in 2015, these berths lay idle apart from the occasional visit of the Navy or a one-off cargo ship visitor.
The visiting Baltic Explorer Survey Vessel at the harbour's berth number four Photo: Afloat
But, happily, more recently, there has been a significant increase in ships, foreign trawlers, cruise liners, survey vessels and the Naval making good use of the relatively deep water berths and convenient access to Dublin city offered by Dun Laoghaire.
A Belgian Beam Trawler arrives to offload her catch. Soetkin from Zeebrugge approaches berth no 2 Photo: Afloat
The four berths are:
- No one berth (East Pier)
- No two berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
- No three berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
- No four berth (St, Michaels Wharf)
Survey vessels involved in renewable energy projects are frequent visitors to Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat
The popular St Bridget Dublin Bay Cruise boat operates from Dun Laoghaire with trips to Howth, Dalkey Island and Dublin City Photo: Afloat
Superyacht visits are an Aquatic tourism feature
French and Scandinavian yachts are the Summer's most popular visitors to Dun Laoghaire Marina as Ireland's marine leisure capital sees a significant increase in visiting yachts since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
With 800 berths Dun Laoghaire Marina is Ireland's largest marina facility Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate
The visitors included one of the world's biggest' leisure boats', the Cook Islands-flagged forty-metre Phoenix in May, continuing a pre-COVID trend of superyacht visits to the south Dublin town.
The superyacht Phoenix on its berth at Dun Laoghaire Harbour in May
"French yachts, in particular, are arriving in record numbers, as are the Scandinavians", according to the marina's General Manager Paal Janson. More on that story here
Superyachts visits are a regular occurrence at Dun Laoghaire Marina
Sailing and Marine Leisure boon
The biggest harbour users are the sailing community of over 5,000 that compete in a range of both local, national and international races throughout summer and winter.
Racing at the Dragon Class National Championships at Dun Laoghaire in September Photo: Afloat
Dublin Bay Sailing Club organises local club racing on behalf of the four waterfront yacht clubs comprising a fleet of over 200 racing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the summertime.
The 30-boat, 100-year-old DBSC Water Wag fleet races every Wednesday evening inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour
The DBSC Race Hut at the West Pier
The harbour is also home to the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA), which competes on either side of the Irish Sea at Pwllheli in North Wales and Dublin Bay. 2022 saw a resumption of cross-channel racing after COVID.
The National Yacht Club on Dun Laoghaire's East Pier is the home of the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association Photo: Afloat
The finale of the waterfront's 2022 regatta season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour was presented on July 3rd by the Royal St. George Yacht Club with its biennial Frank Keane BMW Regatta.
Approximately 150 boats across 30 separate racing divisions competed in the two-race programme.
A visiting J109 yacht from Howth competing off Dun Laoghaire
The Frank Keane BMW George Regatta brought to a close the regattas for 2022 at Dun Laoghaire, which began on June 12 with the DMYC Regatta and was followed a week later by the Davy NYC Regatta.
After a break of four years due to COVID, it's exciting times for the waterfront clubs as they prepare for the combined clubs' regatta known as the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland's biggest sailing event.
The clubs have appointed a new event director for the 2023 edition. Highly regarded international sailor and administrator Paddy Boyd will run the 2023 event that is expected to see greater cooperation with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and a possible new format emerging with greater involvement for the town.
Some of the sponsors range displayed outside the Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day Photo: Afloat
The 2022 season didn't end with the club regattas, however. As late as September, the harbour continued to host crucial national championships and international sailing events such as the 56-boat SB20 World Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.
More than ten nations were represented at the Royal Irish Yacht Club's staging of the SB20 World Championships, including three boats from the United Arab Emirates (below)Photo: Afloat
Coastal rowers
Over 100 coastal rowing crews attended 17 races in July at Dun Laoghaire's St. Michael's Regatta. The event took place on the 17th of July, and it brought together a large community of heritage skiff rowers from all along the east coast.
Launching a skiff at Seapoint for St. Michael's Rowing Club Regatta
Traditionally held every year at Seapoint at the back of the West Pier, the event drew hundreds of spectators. Heritage rowing is a sport for all ages - from youth rowers as young as 10 to 'vets' in their 50s and 60s.
Unfortunately, Dalkey Rowing Club's annual regatta scheduled to be held in Scotsman's Bay at the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire in May was cancelled due to weather.
MGM Boats and Dun Laoghaire Boatyard
The MGM Boat Yard and Travel Hoist again experienced a hectic season this year at Dun Laoghaire's Boatyard located at the Coal Harbour.
According to the operators, the 50-Ton Travel Hoist has been working overtime dealing with the increased demand for yard services.
MGM operate the only Marine Travel Hoist of its size in south Dublin, allowing the firm to lift and service its client base using its in-house staff.
The MGM Boats 50 Ton Travel Hoist is in constant use for lifting yachts, fishing trawlers, Pilot vessels, wind farm support vessels and RNLI Lifeboats Photo: Afloat
The company says its customer base increased during Covid, with strong demand to get on the water and growing demand for professional boat services.
"We also experienced a significant increase in the commercial boat sector with Fishing Trawlers, Pilot Vessels and Wind Farm support vessels increasing their requests for annual servicing and out of the water work, "Martin Salmon of MGM said Afloat.
In May this year, MGM celebrated 25 years in business and celebrated this success on the terrace of Dun Laoghaire Marina with over 100 clients and families in attendance.
MGM Boats of Dun Laoghaire celebrate 25 years in business - from left Ross O'Leary, John O'Kane, and brothers Gerry and Martin Salmon
Several new Jeanneau and Prestige models were also on display for the weekend, and the event was a huge success resulting in several recent boat sales.
The CEO of the massive French boatbuilder, Jeanneau, Mr Paul Blanc, along with its Sales Director, Mr Antoine Chancelier and the CEO of Prestige Motor yachts, Mr Erwin Bamps, travelled to Dublin to celebrate the Irish firm's success and to further strengthen MGM's long-standing 23-year relationship with these French brands.
As Afloat reports here, MGM is showcasing these brands at September's Cannes and Southampton boat shows.
Irish National Sailing School trains 3,000 youngsters
Learning to sail with the INSS in a 1720 Sportsboat off Dun Laoghaire Harbour
At the country's largest sailing school at the Harbour's West Pier, the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) reports that children's programmes are back to pre-pandemic levels, with over 3,000 children attending sailing courses this Summer.
Junior training in an INSS Optimist
The Autumn and Winter Saturday Sailing programme has started again on Saturdays, and already there are over 250 sign-ups.
Adult sailing and powerboat course attendances are growing again, and the INSS's Glyn Williams says, "we're expecting that approximately 8,500 people will have taken to the water in Dun Laoghaire with the school by year-end on sailing, powerboating, kayaking, school groups and other watersport programmes".
•Check out Afloat's Dun Laoghaire Harbour news page and harbour webcam pages too
