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This beautifully illustrated book explores the history of the fishery piers and harbours of Galway and North Clare. A testament to these structures as feats of engineering, it is also a riveting account of the human aspect that shadowed their construction; a beautiful rendering of the maritime activities that gave life to the Wild Atlantic Way – kelp-making, fishing, turf distribution, and sea-borne trade.

Humble Works for Humble People nurtures the retelling of human stories surrounding the piers, giving voice to the unacknowledged legacy of the lives that were their making. Foreign financial support, humanitarian efforts, controversies and conflict – these are all features of the piers and harbours’ development and preservation. Humble Works for Humble People is a vital contribution to the maritime history of Galway, Clare and of Ireland in general; an overlooked but culturally rich facet of Irish history.

Buy the book online from Afloat.ie's Marine Market here.

Published in Book Review
Tagged under
#piers – The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, today announced details of a €23m package for the repair of public owned piers, harbours and slipways damaged during the winter storms and for investment in the ongoing development of Ireland's public harbour network.In announcing this initiative, the Minister said "We are all too well aware of the damage wreaked on our harbour network during the winter storms.
 
I am delighted to announce as part of an extended capital programme for 2014, this significant funding for the immediate repair of piers and harbours across the country".
 
€8.5m for 115 storm damaged piers and harbours to assist 11 Local Authorities and the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine to repair this storm damaged infrastructure. (see tables 1&2 below for details)
 
Funding of €7m for 111 projects to repair Local Authority owned storm damaged harbours, piers and slipways and €1.5m for remediation work at four Department owned, non-Fishery Harbour Centres including €1.3m for North Harbour Cape Clear.

"In addition, a further €14.63m of funding is being provided for harbour development in 2014 and this represents a significant increase on the level of funding provided in 2013. This is an indication of the Government's commitment to developing our fishery harbours for the benefit of our fishing industry, seafood processing sector, other ancillary marine industries, tenants and the wider community. It is part of an ongoing and long term strategy to develop and improve the facilities at our Fishery Harbour Centres and other public harbours around our coast." (see table 3 below for details).

€11.63m of this is allocated towards safety, maintenance and new development works at six Fishery Harbour Centres at Howth, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Dingle, Ros a Mhíl and Killybegs, in addition to infrastructural improvement works at "bull nose" pier, North Harbour, Cape Clear. This works also includes €4m for dredging works at Dunmore East.

€3m is being allocated for Local Authority Harbour Development and Marine Leisure programmes. The Department is contacting the relevant Local Authorities in relation to applications under this element of the Programme.

Flagship projects in the 2014 Capital Programme include the works at "bull nose" pier Cape Clear, major dredging works at Dunmore East, electrical upgrading in Howth, slipway works at Ros a Mhíl, Castletownbere and Dingle, and a small craft harbour in Killybegs.

The Minister commented that "the projects consisting of €23m in total capital expenditure will repair the storm damage to our vitally important fisheries piers and harbours network and will develop our harbours for the benefit of our seafood industry and the coastal communities dependent on this infrastructure. This package will help to ensure that this important infrastructure is fit for purpose in the modern era and will bring significant added value to local communities and much welcome jobs and economic activity".

 
 
   

Table 1 Departmental owned Non-Fishery Harbour Centres approved for funding under the Storm Damage Programme.

 

Location

Structure Type

DAFM Approved Funding

Cape Clear, Co.Cork.

North Harbour

€1,300,000

Dooagh, Co Mayo

Pier (PLB)

€115,000

Westcove, Co. Kerry

Navigation Beacon (PLB)

€60,000

Gun Rock, Co. Galway

Beacon (PLB)

€40,000

TOTAL

€1,515,000

 

Table 2 Local Authority Projects approved for funding under the Storm Damage Programme

Location

DAFM Approved 2014

90% funding

Cork County Council

 

Pallas Sea Wall, Ardgroom

€36,000

 

Glandore Pier

€180,000

 

Courtmacsherry Harbour

€9,000

 

Letter Pier, Kilcrohane

€27,000

 

Dursey Island Pier

€9,450

 

Travarra Pier

€13,500

 

Cleanderry Slip, Ardgroom

€22,500

 

Gorteen Pier

€9,000

 

Deelish Pier, Skibbereen

€27,000

 

McDonald's Quay Youghal

€72,000

 

Baltimore Pier

€36,000

 

Barleycove Beach

€45,000

Total Cork Co. Co.

€486,450

Waterford County Council

 

Tramore Seawall

€135,000

 

Boatstrand Pier

€315,000

 

Dunmore East Stormwall

€18,000

Total Waterford Co. Co.

€468,000

Wexford County Council

 

Courtown Harbour 1

€477,000

 

Cahore Harbour

€49,500

 

Wexford Harbour

€9,000

 

Kilmore Quay, Harbour 2

€180,000

 

Courtown Harbour 2

€630,000

 

Fethard Harbour

€9,000

 

Slade Harbour

€54,000

 

St Helens Harbour

€45,900

 

Ballyhack Harbour

€45,000

 

Carne Harbour

€13,500

Total Wexford Co. Co.

€1,512,900

Mayo County Council

 

Roonagh Pier

€18,000

 

Porturlin Harbour

€135,000

 

Purtoon, Inishturk Pier

€27,000

 

Kilcummin Harbour

€63,000

 

Killala Harbour

€63,000

 

Inishbiggle Pontoon

€27,000

 

Clare Island Pier & Slipway

€76,500

 

Islandmore Pontoon

€18,000

 

Mulranny Pier

€67,500

 

Old Head Pier

€12,600

 

Blackshod Pier

€72,000

 

Carramore Pier

€47,700

 

Killerduff Harbour

€135,000

 

Rathlacken Harbour

€135,000

 

Saleen Harbour

€90,000

 

Lecanvey Pier

€10,800

 

Bunlough Slipway

€9,000

 

Faulmore Slipway

€45,000

 

Belderrigh Pier, Ballycastle

€90,000

 

Inishkea Island Pier

€45,000

 

Frenchport Pier, Belmullet

€18,000

 

Westport Quay

€27,000

Total Mayo Co. Co.

€1,232,100

Sligo County Council

 

Mullaghmore Harbour

€89,100

 

Enniscrone Pier

€61,200

Total Sligo Co. Co.

€150,300

Galway County Council

 

Cé na Trá Ban, Lettermore

€198,000

 

Cé an Mace, Carna

€90,000

 

Cé Cora Point, Inis Meáin

€135,000

 

Cé Sruthan Pier, An Cheathru Rua

€216,000

 

Cé Inis Oírr Slipway, Inis Oírr

€108,000

 

Cé Annaghvaan, Lettermore

€180,000

 

Seán Céibh Spideál

€135,000

 

Cé Spideál Nua

€90,000

 

Cé Inis Oírr Slipway, Inis Oírr

€90,000

 

Cé Dolan

€108,000

 

Cé Pointe, An Ceathru Rua

€180,000

 

Cé Sruthan Bui, Rosmuc

€135,000

 

Cé Caladh Thaidh

€108,000

 

Cé Finnis, Finnis Island

€135,000

 

Cé Rossadilisk

€108,000

Total Galway Co. Co.

€2,016,000

Kerry County Council

 

Local Aids to Navigation

€19,350

 

Kilmakilogue Pier

€18,675

 

Tahilla Pier

€5,850

 

Blackwater Pier

€675

 

Cuan Pier

€2,700

 

Coonanna Pier

€1,125

 

Cooscrome Pier

€7,650

 

Fenit Pier

€7,740

 

Knightstown Pier

€6,750

 

Dromatoor Pier

€7,650

 

Bunnavalla Pier

€4,500

 

Dunquin Pier

€27,000

 

Brandon Pier

€4,500

Total Kerry Co. Co.

€114,165

Wicklow County Council

 

Arklow Harbour South Pier

€5,400

Total Wicklow Co. Co.

€5,400

Donegal County Council

 

Mountcharles Pier

€36,000

 

Magherarorty Harbour

€45,000

 

Buncrana Harbour

€45,000

 

Arranmore, Rannagh Pier Slip

€27,000

 

Bundoran Pier

€7,200

 

Malinmore Pier

€6,750

 

Doonalt Pier (near Glencolmcille)

€6,750

 

Bruckless Pier

€16,200

 

Port Inver

€18,000

 

Cladnageeragh Pier (near Kilcar)

€22,500

 

Portsalon Pier

€22,500

 

Bunaniver Pier

€31,500

 

Wyon Point & Rinnalea Navigation Lights

€9,000

 

Nancy's Rock Navigation Perch

€31,500

 

Cassan Sound Pier

€9,000

 

Malinbeg, Ballyederlan, Gortalia, Tawney (Piers & Slipways)

€18,000

 

Donegal Town Pier

€3,600

 

Bunagee Pier

€135,000

 

Ballysaggart Pier

€13,500

 

Owey Island Pier

€27,000

 

Rathmullan Pier

€27,000

 

Leabgarrow Harbour, Arranmore

€45,000

 

Ballyshannon Harbour

€45,000

 

Curransport Slipway

€9,000

 

Arranmore,Stackamore, Slipway

€6,750

 

Cruit Island Slipway

€6,750

 

Inis Caoraigh Slipway

€18,000

 

Killybegs Harbour, Shore Road

€63,000

Total Donegal Co. Co.

€751,500

Clare County Council

 

Liscannor Pier

€130,950

 

Ballyvaughan Pier

€65,700

 

Seafield Pier

€18,000

 

Kilbaha Pier

€18,000

Total Clare Co. Co.

€232,650

Louth County Council

 

Carlingford Harbour

€4,500

Total Louth Co. Co.

€4,500

   

GRAND TOTAL

€6,973,965

Table 3   2014 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Capital Programme

Location

Project

DAFM Approved Funding

 

Cape Clear, Co. Cork.

Bull Nose Development

€3,000,000

 

Safety & Maintenance Works

€50,000

 

Disability Access Works

€10,000

 
 

Piers, Lights & Beacons

€27,000

 

All Fishery Harbour Centres

Safety & Maintenance

€1,260,000

 

Disability Access

€100,000

 

Howth FHC

Design & Planning for Pontoons between Middle and West Pier

€100,000

 

Syncrolift Platform Painting & Repairs

€80,000

 

Upgrading of Navigational Lights & Markers

€20,000

 

Upgrading Electrical System

€500,000

 

East Pier Repairs

€150,000

 

Castletownbere FHC

Power points & Electrical Upgrade Mainland Quay

€200,000

 

Mainland Quay Perimeter Fencing/Wall

€200,000

 

Harbour Slipway

€300,000

 

Welfare facilities for harbour users (Dinish)

€100,000

 

Syncrolift drainage  – Design & Planning

€150,000

 

An Daingean FHC

CCTV Upgrade

€40,000

 

Main Pier sheet pile condition survey

€40,000

 

Boatyard Slipway Removal

€200,000

 

Ros a Mhíl FHC

Design & Planning for Phase 2 Small Craft Harbour

€31,000

 

Commencement of New Slipway

€133,000

 

Dunmore East FHC

Construction of Harbour Building Extension

€220,000

 

Dredging Works

€4,000,000

 

Killybegs FHC

Safety Mooring (Department Craft)

€20,000

 

Landing Pier Fendering

€30,000

 

Floating work platform

€9,000

 

Synchrolift Carriage

€10,000

 

Repairs to Blackrock Pier

€150,000

 

Small Craft Harbour – Phase 1

€500,000

 

Local Authority Development

Local Authority Programme (excluding storm damage projects)

€3,000,000

 
 

Marine Leisure & Marine Tourism

Local Authorities

 

TOTAL

€14,630,000

 

 

 

   

 

Published in Coastal Notes

#IRISH HARBOURS - Protesters took to the water off Kerry's piers last month in an organised swim drawing attention to proposed harbour bylaws designed to regulate the activities of water users.

“We need to make the public aware they have to make submissions,” Denise Collins told The Irish Times from Kells, which hosted one of the largest swims. “Traditional activities such as swimming will be over-regulated, we fear.”

The proposed bylaws would give Kerry County Council greater control over 16 of the county's 57 harbours and piers, including Kells, Kenmare, Portmagee, Brandon and Ventry.

Under the new bylaws, strict regulations would be placed on the use of loudhailers, landing and unloading passengers and freight, waste and even movement around the harbour.

"Draconian" charges are also set to be imposed on fishermen and other harbour users, while campaingers also feel that a ban on swimming and diving could also be added to the list.

The proposed bylaws already suffered a set-back earlier this year when Kerry County Councillors decided to restart the consultation process to allow the fishing industry, tourism operators and other interests more time to make submissions.

According to the Irish Examiner, only two submissions had been received by the council as of its January monthly meeting, despite senior council officials working for months on the draft proposals.

Cllr Toiréasa Ferris commented that the proposed charges in particular "would have huge implications for fishermen, some of whom might currently be earning only between €40 and €50 for a 14-hour day."

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, charges may also soon be hiked on yachts berthing at Ireland's main fishing harbours, a list that includes Dingle in Co Kerry.

Irish Marine Federation chairman David O'Brien expressed concern at the potential for such charges to damage "the good tourism dividend for coastal towns", noting that for every euro spent on a harbour berth, €10 was normally spent in the locality.

Published in Irish Harbours
4th December 2009

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority seeks to operate profitably within fair and competitive tariff arrangements so that the Port is economically sustainable. Its aim is to contribute as much as possible to the generation of economic wealth within the Port and its regional hinterland.

warrenpoint.jpg

Consequently, profit optimisation, to achieve its primary mission rather than profit maximisation, will be pursued.

 

History

The original Port of Warrenpoint, consisting of a wet dock and piers, was constructed in the late 1770s by Roger Hall, Robert Ross and Isaac Corry with the assistance of £500 of public funds. In 1919 the heirs of Roger Hall sold the Port to John Kelly and Sons for the sum of £16,000. John Kelly continued to operate the Port until 1971 when it was sold to Warrenpoint Harbour Authority for £369,000.

The Port was substantially enlarged with an initial total investment of approximately £6.7million to create the modern Port of Warrenpoint. Until 1971 the Port of Warrenpoint acted as a lightering port for the Port of Newry and jointly these ports handled approximately half a million tonnes of cargo annually. Subsequently the modern Port of Warrenpoint has handled 5 times as much cargo on an annual basis.

Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, The Docks, Warrenpoint, Co. Down, N. Ireland BT34 3JR. Administration/General Enquiries – Tel: 028 417 73381 • Fax: 028 417 52875. Operations – Tel: 028 417 52878 • Fax: 028 417 73962• Email: [email protected]

Published in Warrenpoint Port

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Information

Dun Laoghaire Harbour is the second port for Dublin and is located on the south shore of Dublin Bay. Marine uses for this 200-year-old man-made harbour have changed over its lifetime. Originally built as a port of refuge for sailing ships entering the narrow channel at Dublin Port, the harbour has had a continuous ferry link with Wales, and this was the principal activity of the harbour until the service stopped in 2015. In all this time, however, one thing has remained constant, and that is the popularity of sailing and boating from the port, making it Ireland's marine leisure capital with a harbour fleet of between 1,200 -1,600 pleasure craft based at the country's largest marina (800 berths) and its four waterfront yacht clubs.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bye-Laws

Download the bye-laws on this link here

FAQs

A live stream Dublin Bay webcam showing Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance and East Pier is here

Dun Laoghaire is a Dublin suburb situated on the south side of Dublin Bay, approximately, 15km from Dublin city centre.

The east and west piers of the harbour are each of 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) long.

The harbour entrance is 232 metres (761 ft) across from East to West Pier.

  • Public Boatyard
  • Public slipway
  • Public Marina

23 clubs, 14 activity providers and eight state-related organisations operate from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that facilitates a full range of sports - Sailing, Rowing, Diving, Windsurfing, Angling, Canoeing, Swimming, Triathlon, Powerboating, Kayaking and Paddleboarding. Participants include members of the public, club members, tourists, disabled, disadvantaged, event competitors, schools, youth groups and college students.

  • Commissioners of Irish Lights
  • Dun Laoghaire Marina
  • MGM Boats & Boatyard
  • Coastguard
  • Naval Service Reserve
  • Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  • Marine Activity Centre
  • Rowing clubs
  • Yachting and Sailing Clubs
  • Sailing Schools
  • Irish Olympic Sailing Team
  • Chandlery & Boat Supply Stores

The east and west granite-built piers of Dun Laoghaire harbour are each of one kilometre (0.62 mi) long and enclose an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2) with the harbour entrance being 232 metres (761 ft) in width.

In 2018, the ownership of the great granite was transferred in its entirety to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who now operate and manage the harbour. Prior to that, the harbour was operated by The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, a state company, dissolved in 2018 under the Ports Act.

  • 1817 - Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.
  • 1820 - Rennie had concerns a single pier would be subject to silting, and by 1820 gained support for the construction of the West pier to begin shortly afterwards. When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed Kingstown, a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years. The harbour was named the Royal Harbour of George the Fourth which seems not to have remained for so long.
  • 1824 - saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.
  • 1826 - Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year. The service was transferred from Howth whose harbour had suffered from silting and the need for frequent dredging.
  • 1831 - Royal Irish Yacht Club founded
  • 1837 - saw the creation of Victoria Wharf, since renamed St. Michael's Wharf with the D&KR extended and a new terminus created convenient to the wharf.[8] The extended line had cut a chord across the old harbour with the landward pool so created later filled in.
  • 1838 - Royal St George Yacht Club founded
  • 1842 - By this time the largest man-made harbour in Western Europe had been completed with the construction of the East Pier lighthouse.
  • 1855 - The harbour was further enhanced by the completion of Traders Wharf in 1855 and Carlisle Pier in 1856. The mid-1850s also saw the completion of the West Pier lighthouse. The railway was connected to Bray in 1856
  • 1871 - National Yacht Club founded
  • 1884 - Dublin Bay Sailing Club founded
  • 1918 - The Mailboat, “The RMS Leinster” sailed out of Dún Laoghaire with 685 people on board. 22 were post office workers sorting the mail; 70 were crew and the vast majority of the passengers were soldiers returning to the battlefields of World War I. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat near the Kish lighthouse killing many of those onboard.
  • 1920 - Kingstown reverted to the name Dún Laoghaire in 1920 and in 1924 the harbour was officially renamed "Dun Laoghaire Harbour"
  • 1944 - a diaphone fog signal was installed at the East Pier
  • 1965 - Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club founded
  • 1968 - The East Pier lighthouse station switched from vapourised paraffin to electricity, and became unmanned. The new candle-power was 226,000
  • 1977- A flying boat landed in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, one of the most unusual visitors
  • 1978 - Irish National Sailing School founded
  • 1934 - saw the Dublin and Kingstown Railway begin operations from their terminus at Westland Row to a terminus at the West Pier which began at the old harbour
  • 2001 - Dun Laoghaire Marina opens with 500 berths
  • 2015 - Ferry services cease bringing to an end a 200-year continuous link with Wales.
  • 2017- Bicentenary celebrations and time capsule laid.
  • 2018 - Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company dissolved, the harbour is transferred into the hands of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

From East pier to West Pier the waterfront clubs are:

  • National Yacht Club. Read latest NYC news here
  • Royal St. George Yacht Club. Read latest RSTGYC news here
  • Royal Irish Yacht Club. Read latest RIYC news here
  • Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. Read latest DMYC news here

 

The umbrella organisation that organises weekly racing in summer and winter on Dublin Bay for all the yacht clubs is Dublin Bay Sailing Club. It has no clubhouse of its own but operates through the clubs with two x Committee vessels and a starters hut on the West Pier. Read the latest DBSC news here.

The sailing community is a key stakeholder in Dún Laoghaire. The clubs attract many visitors from home and abroad and attract major international sailing events to the harbour.

 

Dun Laoghaire Regatta

Dun Laoghaire's biennial town regatta was started in 2005 as a joint cooperation by the town's major yacht clubs. It was an immediate success and is now in its eighth edition and has become Ireland's biggest sailing event. The combined club's regatta is held in the first week of July.

  • Attracts 500 boats and more from overseas and around the country
  • Four-day championship involving 2,500 sailors with supporting family and friends
  • Economic study carried out by the Irish Marine Federation estimated the economic value of the 2009 Regatta at €2.5 million

The dates for the 2021 edition of Ireland's biggest sailing event on Dublin Bay is: 8-11 July 2021. More details here

Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Offshore Race

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down the East coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry. The latest news on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race can be found by clicking on the link here. The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

The 2021 Race will start from the National Yacht Club on Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

Round Ireland Yacht Race

This is a Wicklow Sailing Club race but in 2013 the Garden County Club made an arrangement that sees see entries berthed at the RIYC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour for scrutineering prior to the biennial 704–mile race start off Wicklow harbour. Larger boats have been unable to berth in the confines of Wicklow harbour, a factor WSC believes has restricted the growth of the Round Ireland fleet. 'It means we can now encourage larger boats that have shown an interest in competing but we have been unable to cater for in Wicklow' harbour, WSC Commodore Peter Shearer told Afloat.ie here. The race also holds a pre-ace launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Laser Masters World Championship 2018

  • 301 boats from 25 nations

Laser Radial World Championship 2016

  • 436 competitors from 48 nations

ISAF Youth Worlds 2012

  • The Youth Olympics of Sailing run on behalf of World Sailing in 2012.
  • Two-week event attracting 61 nations, 255 boats, 450 volunteers.
  • Generated 9,000 bed nights and valued at €9 million to the local economy.

The Harbour Police are authorised by the company to police the harbour and to enforce and implement bye-laws within the harbour, and all regulations made by the company in relation to the harbour.

There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire:

  • No 1 berth (East Pier)
  • No 2 berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 3 berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 4 berth  (St, Michaels Wharf)

Berthing facilities for smaller craft exist in the town's 800-berth marina and on swinging moorings.

© Afloat 2020