#ISLANDS – The recently established West Cork Islands Community Council was formally launched by the Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Tim Lombard at a meeting of Cork County Council in County Hall (Monday 27th February 2012).

Mr Syd Cheatle, a resident of Sherkin Island was elected chairperson of the new body which will be in a position to speak for all of the islands' communities and work for their long-term overall interests, as a voluntary, collective, representative structure modelled on Muintir na Tíre.

The Community Council should add a more representational and collective approach to the development of the West Cork Islands, and will facilitate the exchange of information and experiences between the island communities.

One of the key aims of the West Cork Islands Interagency Group was to establish a voluntary representative structure for the West Cork Islands as an Island Group. There are two members elected by the population of each of the seven inhabited islands.

The West Cork Islands have also launched their own website to inform Islanders of events and news on the Islands, to showcase the Islands to potential visitors and develop the brand of the west cork islands.

The Mayor wished the newly elected Community Council well and looked forward to exploring new ways that the Council and Forum can work together, listening and learning from each other.

"Community and town councils exist at a scale that reflects people's patterns of social interaction and their identification with place. They can therefore act to facilitate community activities, organise and sponsor community events and promote community spirit and inclusiveness," saild Cllr Lombard.

Speaking at the launch, County Manager Mr. Martin Riordan said that working together locally in an organised and focused way is one of the most effective methods of ensuring that the community's needs are heard and met and urged people to get involved. He added that voluntary activity forms the very core of all vibrant and inclusive societies and the linking together of all our west cork island communities offers great opportunities for the islands

John Walsh from Bere Island Projects Group said that they were delighted to be involved with the setting up of the West Cork Islands community council. This is the first time that the 7 inhabited of West Cork Islands will be represented by one structure and this will be a positive step forward for the communities living there.

Máirtín Ó'Méalóid, manager of the Comharchumann Chléire Teo which played a significant role in the council's development, stated that it will be a very important forum for discussion on matters collective to the seven islands of west cork and that the Comharchumann very much looks forward to working closely with the council in a supportive way into the future.

#WEST CORK – Sailing Clubs stand to benefit in an allocation of over €2.6 million to harbour boards across West Cork this year to fund essential remedial works. The State funding has been approved for harbour development works in Skibbereen, Baltimore, Kinsale and Bantry by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

In Baltimore a Sailing Club Slipway extension has been allocated €35,000 and in Bantry a Sailing Club Pontoon will get  funding of €70,000. See full breakdown below.

In many cases works might involve the completion of a slipway or the construction of a pontoon adding to some other marine leisure developments along the Cork coast over the last 12 months. Royal Cork Yacht Club announced this month a five star grading for its marina in Crosshaven and elsewhere in Cork harbour a new marina has been built at Monkstown.

Development works underway at the harbour in Baltimore this week. Photo: Tom MacSweeney

The announcement by Minister Leo Varadkar sees the Baltimore and Skibbereen harbour board and the Kinsale harbour board each receive €1.25 million to fund essential remedial works. The Bantry Bay harbour commission will also receive €140,000.

This is a substantial investment that will considerably improve the operational capacity of each harbour, which will in turn have positive knock-on effects for the local economy and the environment.

The Baltimore and Skibbereen harbour, and the Kinsale harbour were recently transferred from the Department of Transport to Cork County Council and as part of that process, a two-year commitment to fund essential remedial works by the Department was agreed.

Local TD Michael McCarth of the Labour party said "I welcome the allocation of these monies and am glad the Government continue to recognise the importance of up-keeping and maintaining our local harbours, which are often important focal points for rural communities."

Harbour Funding 2012

Baltimore & Skibbereen
Western Pier final account €39,000

RoRo Slipway final account €21,000

North Pier extension final account €25,000

North Pier Phase 1 final works and account €150,000

North Pier Phase 2 works underway €745,000

Sailing Club Slipway completion of works €35,000

Proposed Inner Harbour Pontoon €70,000

Breakwater Design completion €30,000

Foreshore Licence Fees €135,000

€1,250,000

Kinsale
Commercial Town Pier contract retention €30,000

Adam’s Quay completion of work on site €555,000

Lobster Quay works completion €90,000

Fisherman’s Pontoon Remedial Works €140,000

Commercial Pier extension Phase 1 €435,000
€1,250,000

Bantry Bay
Sailing Club Pontoon €70,000

Pier Derrick €70,000
€ 140,000

#NEWS UPDATE - The body of the last missing crewmember of the stricken Tit Bonhomme was recovered in Glandore Bay in West Cork on Friday, The Irish Times reports.

The remains of 23-year-old Egyptian national Saied Ali Edlin were discovered floating on the surface to the west of the bay off Long Point, almost a mile from the wreck site and close to a month after the tragedy occurred.

It also comes just two days after the body of skipper Michael Hayes was found close to the mouth of the harbour, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

The fishing vessel Tit Bonhomme ran aground in rough seas near Adam's Rock, at the mouth of Glandore Harbour, on Sunday 15 January.

Five of the six-person crew - Eldin, Hayes, Attea Shaban (26), Kevin Kershaw (21) and Wael Mohammed (35) - lost their lives when the boat went down.

Only 43-year-old Abdul Mohammed, the brother of Wael Mohammed, survived the sinking after he was able to reach the shore.

"Some of those lost were Egyptian, some were Irish but if you fish the sea, you’re all part of the same family," commented harbour master John Minihane. "We’re all the same, we’re one fishing family and we brought them home.”

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Sixteen crews have so far confirmed their participation at the 420 Class's Mid-term Training Camp at Fastnet Marine and Outdoor Education Centre in Schull, County Cork.

 Coaching will be provided by Irish Olympic Sailor Ross Killian, Tom Mapplebeck, Christian Birrell and double 470 World Champion Nic Asher.

 Further information on the Training Camp, which runs from Monday 13th to Friday 17th February, can be found on http://www.sail420.com/

#CALVES WEEK – Calves week is to be cut down to a four day event this August in response to competitors requests for a shorter and less expensive event writes Claire Bateman. This year, as an alternative to the traditional event spanning a two week period, the Schull based sailing programme will consist of a four day Calves Week Championships, running from Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th of August, with the usual mix of courses taking in the Fastnet Rock and many of Carberys Hundred Isles, together with laid courses in Roaringwater Bay.

Daily prizegiving will take place on Main Street Schull where a nautical festival theme for the village is being organised by local businesses.

The traditional regattas on August Monday in Baltimore and the following Saturday and Sunday in Crookhaven and Schull will continue as stand alone events with their own courses and prizegivings being organised by the local sailing clubs.

The week will once again commence with the overnight Crosshaven/Schull race starting the activities on Friday August 3rd, while on Saturday morning August 4th the White Sail fleet will have an early start from Kinsale. Both of these races will form part of the new Scora Offshore Championships, together with the midweek Fastnet Race out of Schull.

#NEWS UPDATE - The search for two fishermen still missing after their boat went down off West Cork nearly three weeks ago will be wound down next week, The Irish Times reports.

Search teams have been combing the area for any trace of Michael Hayes (35), skipper of the Tit Bonhomme, and crewman Said Mohammed (23) after the fishing vessel ran aground in rough seas near Adam's Rock, at the mouth of Glandore Harbour, on Sunday 15 January.

The bodies of Kevin Kershaw (21), Attia Shaban (26) and Wael Mohammed (35) were recovered in the days and weeks following the tragedy. Only one of the six-person crew - 43-year-old Abdul Mohammed – is confirmed to have survived.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, last weekend saw more than 90 divers embark on an extensive search of the wreck site and the Glandore bay area, with hundreds more volunteers searching the coastline and on land.

#NEWS UPDATE - The Irish Coast Guard told RTÉ News that it has received an "overwhelming" response from the diving community to its appeal to join the search in West Cork for two missing fishermen.

Skipper Michael Hayes and crewman Saied Ali Eldin are still missing after the fishing vessel Tit Bonhomme ran aground in rough seas near Adam's Rock at the mouth of Glandore Harbour.

Only one of the six-person crew - 43-year-old Abdul Mohammed – is confirmed to have survived. The bodies of Kevin Kershaw (21) and Attia Shaban (26) were recovered last week, while the remains of Wael Mohammed (35) were found by civilian divers near the wreck site last Sunday.

Coastguard manager Declan Geoghegan said that search teams now have the 48 divers required to conduct an exhaustive search of the wreck area and urged further volunteers not to travel for the moment.

The search will concentrate on the waters between Adam's Rock and Long Point, where much of the debris from the trawler has washed up.

RTÉ News reports that more than 200 volunteers are assisting the coastal search by boat and on land, which is being co-ordinated from the village of Union Hall.

#WATERFRONT PROPERTY - A hotel with adjacent apartments in Schull, West Cork has come to the market with a guide price of €1.025m, PropertyPlus reports.

Located on Schull's main street, the Harbour View Hotel has pictureque views of Schull Harbour and its islands, which are very popular with tourists.

The hotel features 30 en-suite bedrooms, a bar and restaurant, breakfast room, function room and a leisure centre with swimming pool, while the eight vacant apartments are all fully fitted with timber floors.

Both hotel and apartments are offered as a single lot through joint agents Savills and James Lyons O'Keefe (Schull).

The hotel is available as a separate lot guiding at €500,000, while the eight apartments are being offered for €525,000. Rental of the apartments as a single lot will also be considered.

More details on the property, including images, can be found HERE.

#NEWS UPDATE - The search is set to resume again this morning for the three fishermen not yet recovered after their trawler sank off West Cork last Sunday.

Skipper Michael Hayes and Egyptian crewmen Saied Ali Eldin and Wael Mohammed have been missing since the fishing vessel Tit Bonhomme ran aground and went down in rough seas near Adam's Rock, at the mouth of Glandore Harbour.

Only one of the six-person crew, 43-year-old Abdul Mohammed, is confirmed alive after he was able to reach the shore immediately following the incident.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Garda divers retrieved the body of Attia Shaban (26) on Thursday morning, followed in the afternoon by that of Kevin Kershaw (21).

Yesterday the search was expanded to cover an 18-mile radius after a dive at the wreck site was unsuccessful, according to The Irish Times.

Divers from the Garda and Naval Service will continue to focus on the wreck today, helped by favourable weather conditions, while volunteers join in the wider search of the coastline.

It emerged on Friday that that boat's aluminium wheelhouse sheared off in the rough seas that followed for three days after it ran aground.

RTÉ News has video of the search operation in progress HERE.

#RESCUE - Garda divers have this morning recovered a body in their search for the crew of the fishing vessel Tit Bonhomme off the coast of West Cork.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, five of the six-person crew went missing after the boat ran aground and went down rough seas near Adam's Rock, at the mouth of Glandore Harbour.

The five men include skipper Michael Hayes from Helvic Head in Co Waterford, Dubliner Kevin Kershaw (21) and Egyptians Said Mohammed (23), Wael Mohammed (35) and Attea Ahmed Shaban (26).

RTÉ News reports that the body recovered this morning has not been identified, but it is believed to be that of an Egyptian national.

Dive teams from the Garda and Naval Service have been set back by the trawler's position wedged in a narrow inlet with strong wash and backwash on either side, but were said to have made "significant progress" during dives yesterday.

A broader search is also being conducted inside and outside the harbour area and surrounding coastline, assisted by fishing boats, Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopters, and small boats and kayaks.