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Displaying items by tag: Below the Surface

#LectureNorseDublin: The next and final monthly held 'Below the Surface' lecture the "Norse Dublin - The Fleet of Norse Dublin around 1000AD" is to be held on Wednesday 3 April (starting 8pm).

The talk to be presented by Professor Poul Holm TCD, who will mark the end of the Below the Surface series which began last November. The unique lecture series has provided the public an opportunity to attend and enjoy in celebrating Ireland's maritime heritage and archaeology.

As usual the talk is to take place on the famine replica ship, the Jeanie Johnston, docked at Custom House Quay in Dublin's city-centre. The venue provides an intimate space ideal for maritime tales, oozing seafaring ambience with the creaking sounds of the hull surrounding the audience.

The talks to date have touched on many aspects of our rich and controversial maritime history, from tales of pirates, queens and lost polar expeditions.

Tickets are available online by visiting: http://jeanie.visrez.com/engine/event/57

 

Published in Boating Fixtures

#Lecture -The next 'Below the Surface' series of monthly held maritime lectures is 6 March. The topic will be 'The Opening of the Atlantic World' – English Settlement in Ireland and North America in the 17th Century, by James Lyttleton.

As usual the lecture takes place below decks on board the replica 19th century famine emigrant barque, Jeanie Johnston, at her berth at Custom House Quay, in Dublin's Docklands.

Doors open at 7.15pm and the lecture starts at 8pm. Please ensure to arrive early as entry to venue may not be permitted on commencement of the lecture.

For further details contact 01 4730111 and to book online, tickets costing €15.00 per person click HERE.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#LecturePIRACY: Continuing the 'Below the Surface' of maritime lectures held monthly, the next talk is on 6 February, the topic will be 'Piracy and Predation in early 17th Century Ireland' presented by Connie Kelleher Phd, A Historical and Archaeological overview.

As usual the lecture takes place below decks on board the replica 19th century famine emigrant barque, Jeanie Johnston, at her berth at Custom House Quay, in Dublin's Docklands.

Doors open at 7.15pm and the lecture starts at 8pm. Please ensure to arrive early as entry to venue may not be permitted on commencement of the lecture. For further details contact 01 4730111 and to book online, tickets costing €15.00 per person click HERE.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#TALLSHIP EVENTS– Once again the unique venue of the tallship Jeanie Johnston plays host to maritime heritage lectures and live music sessions throughout early 2013,writes Jehan Ashmore.

Resuming the 'Below the Surface' lectures series on 2 January will be a talk about Grace O'Malley - Ireland's Maritime Icon, one of history's most extraordinary mariners, presented by Anne Chambers.

A month later on 2 February, Juliet Turner a singer/songwriter from Tummery, near Omagh, launches the inaugural session of the New Year. In the course of her career she has opened up for artists among them Bob Dylan, U2 and Bryan Adams. Other performers lined-up for the Jeanie Sessions are Caroline Moreau and The Dunne & Hernandez Duo.

So if you are looking for a gift idea for the history buff or music lover in your life then perhaps consider as a stocking filler, which are available to purchase. For further information on lecture and gig tickets visit: www.jeaniejohnston.ie/events-page.html

The 'Jeanie' is berthed at Custom House Quay close to the Sean O'Casey foot-bridge in Dublin's city centre. In addition the replica 19th century barque is also a museum which tells the story of mass emmigration during the famine.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#JEANIE LECTURES – Having started this month, the 'Below the Surface' series of six lectures is a celebration of Ireland's maritime heritage and archaeology. They are held on the first Wednesday of each month on board the replica 19th century barque Jeanie Johnston in Dublin Docklands. The next lecture on 5th December is about Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of Irelands greatest polar explorers.

The talk presented by historian and guide - Jonathan Shackleton will give a unique insight by delving into his family background of the polar explorer and for his reputation and growth in four expeditions to Antarctica.

Doors open at 7.15pm (lecture starts 8pm) and those attending will experience an intimate space ideal for maritime tales, oozing with seafaring ambience with the creaking sounds of the hull.

It is advisable to arrive early as entry to venue will not be possible upon commencement of the lecture venue.  The emmigrant famine museum ship is berthed alongside Custom House Quay. To book online tickets costing €15 each, click the link HERE

Published in Boating Fixtures

#LECTURES – "Below the Surface" is a new series of six monthly held maritime lectures which are aptly to take place on board the replica barque Jeanie Johnston. The tallship built in Blennerville a decade ago, is now a floating famine museum ship berthed at Custom House Quay in Dublin's Docklands.

The talks will touch on many aspects of our rich and controversial maritime history, from Viking fleets in Dublin bay, through pirates, queens and lost polar expeditions. All told in a most charming setting, while the River Liffey gently sways the hull beneath your chair.

All the lectures will be held on the first Wednesday (8pm) of every month, with the inaugural talk "Searching For Franklin" on 7 November. This will be presented by John Murray, who will examine the ill fated exploration to find the Northwest Passage, undertaken by Captain John Franklin .

Tickets are available online at www.jeaniejohnston.ie/below-the-surface-page.html For further information on the series click HERE

Published in Boating Fixtures

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!