The indefatigable maritime historian and analyst Cormac Lowth has been spending some time on the shores of the Mediterranean recently, and inevitably began drawing comparisons between the tightly packed, colourful and comfortable harbours to be found there and the often very different waterfront scenes and maritime traditions of Northwest Europe, particularly Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Ireland.
Tides, of course, have much to do with it, not to mention weather. But the contrasts between how the true stories or myths developed and were recorded make for a fascinating study. Lowth has previously explored subjects ranging from the history of Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Ringsend's sailing trawlers to Roman wrecks in Italy's Lake Nemi.
And as the talk is timed for half an hour at 1pm next Tuesday, 17 November, in the Dún Laoghaire LexIcon, it will make for an entertaining and informative lunch break.
