#vOR – The biggest free open air music festival of the year is expected to attract over 150,000 visitors to Galway and make the city rock like never before during the dramatic final week of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The nightly concerts on the huge waterfront stage will feature some of the country's best known and most exciting new bands and entertainers. They will also be one of the centerpieces of the global TV coverage of the event.

During the 2009 Volvo Stopover in Galway, tens of thousands of music fans thronged the dramatic waterfront setting each night for similar free concerts and described the atmosphere and the performances as "electrifying and incomparable".

The organizers of this year's festival say they believe it will be even more memorable with performances by incredibly talented bands, more elaborate staging and larger audience capacity.

Head of Entertainment for the 2012 Galway Volvo Festival Lisa Hallinan said "This is going to be a spectacular opportunity for music fans to come to Galway and enjoy nine nights of non stop free entertainment in a truly wonderful location – between the sea and the city".

"Anybody who was in Galway in 2009 will understand the sheer scale and the energy of the event. Now the city is once again preparing to throw the party of the year and live up to its reputation for  delivering world class festivals."

The Volvo Ocean Race Finale in Galway will be at the centre of a global TV audience of millions with crews from 47 TV stations arriving in the city. The concerts will be part of the backdrop to many of the stories on the race finale and festival in Galway.

Maverick Sabre, one of Ireland's hottest tickets and described by BBC1 as the "the male Amy Winehouse" will headline the festival, opening on the Main Stage on Saturday June 30th. He will be supported by rising stars and local band 'The Kanyu Tree'.

On Sunday July 1st and Monday July 2nd the fantastic line up of Thin Lizzy, The Family Stone, Ryan Sheridan, Niwel Tsumbu and The Deans will have the city and the docks area pulsating with a vibrant music festival beat.

The week's line up also includes Galway's legendary Saw Doctors, who will be leading the city in celebration as the Volvo Fleet arrives form Lorient in France at the end of the 39,000 nautical miles round the world race. Few will ever forget the performance of the Saw Doctors during the arrival of the Volvo fleet at the 2009 stopover in Galway.

One of the most spectacular days of the week-long festival will be July 4th US Independence Day which will see a gigantic fireworks display on the night skyline and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble performing on the Main Stage.

Trad claims centre stage on Thursday night with Altan's Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and Galway's own trad supergroup De Danann, who are expected to be one of the biggest crowd pullers of the week.

Celebrating their 25th anniversary, Galway's storming rock band The Stunning will play their only Galway gig of 2012 on Friday July 6th reliving their unforgettable performance at the 2009 festival when they appeared on stage in full seafaring costume.

Sharon Shannon and her 42 piece orchestra, who wowed audiences at the Auckland Stopover in New Zealand earlier this year, will be the star attraction at the Grand Finale Concert following the official prize giving ceremony.

The week of non-stop entertainment will also feature Hot 8 Brass Band, Túcan, The Rip Tide Movement, Bipolar Empire, O Emperor and  Stephen James & Band. A  programme of family friendly street theatre and roving performances will run throughout the Race Village and the city. The acts will include LUXe, Extreme Rhythm, Cillian Rodgers, Bui Bolg, Marcel So, Youth Ballet West and Groupo Candeas.

John Killeen, President Volvo Ocean Race Galway, says that the open air concerts are expected to attract record breaking audiences and will be at the centre of an international media showcase for the city.

"A music festival of this scale could not take place without the financial backing and generous support of Galway City Council which is funding the entire entertainment line up," he said.

Speaking on a visit to the site of Race Village, Joe O'Neill City Manager said "We believe that the Finalé of the Volvo Ocean Race will be a hugely successful event for the city. We are glad to be working with the Galway Volvo Ocean Race team to ensure that the biggest event in Ireland this year will have a lasting and worthwhile legacy for GalwayCity."

#roundireland – Round Ireland race organisers have confimed Ireland's former entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, 'the Green Dragon', will sail in Sunday's Round Ireland yacht race from Wicklow Sailing Club as one of the biggest entries in the race.

Wicklow SC say the 70-foot sloop will be raced by an 'amateur crew' but any other details of arrangements for the race are yet to be made public. Afloat.ie understands Green Dragon's crew are made up of a consortium of Dun Laoghaire yachtsmen.

In a post on its race website Wicklow officials say the Volvo 70 had arrived in Dun Laoghaire marina from Alicante in Spain to finalise preparations for her Round Ireland competition against an international fleet of 36 yachts, many from the UK.

The Reichel Pugh designed canting keel yacht was built in 2008 and competed in the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race under British skipper Ian Walker where she finished fifth out of seven starters.

Wicklow Sailing Club Commodore John Harte said: 'It will be great to have such an iconic yacht such as the Green Dragon in the Round Ireland Yacht Race. She will be a very impressive spectacle on the start line'.

The yacht has been stored in Galway since the end of the last VOR race before being moved to the continent for a number of promotional engagements including the VOR Legends Regatta.

Green Dragon is set to be involved in a number of initiatives as a youth academy boat.

#openseaswimming – An Open Sea Swim Competition, as part of the Volvo Ocean Race Galway Grand Finale, was launched by Mayor of Galway City Hildegarde Naughton & Corrib Water Polo Club in conjunction with Galway and Shark Swimming Clubs on June 13^th2012 in Galway’s Salthill Hotel.

The 5th Annual Open Sea Swim, which goes from Grattan Road Beach to Blackrock Tower, will commence on Saturday 30^th June. The swim is part of the many aquatic activities scheduled for the 9 day Volvo Ocean Race Grand Finale festival.

The Corrib Open Sea Swim is the only national qualifying sea swimming event in the west of Ireland and annually attracts hundreds of eager swimmers to the shores of Galway Bay. The swimming races last year were placed in the top five best-attended races last season.

Andrew Flannagan of Corrib Swimming and Water Polo Club commented "on behalf of Corrib Swimming and Waterpolo Cub I'd like to thank all of our sponsors as well as 'Let's do it Galway' for their assistance in organising the swim and we and the other swimming clubs involved hope that sea swimmers of all ages and abilities come along to enjoy the swims."

The Kingfisher Club announced that they will once again sponsor the Corrib Open Sea Swim for men this year. Managing Director of the Kingfisher Group Joe Cosgrove said: ‘The Kingfisher Club is delighted to be associated with an event of this caliber, and wish all the participants the best of luck in the open sea swim’.

The Women’s race will be sponsored by Mc Sharry Brothers Construction Equipment, Ballybrit.

Each race is a distance of 2200 metres on an outgoing tide, either with or against the wind, depending on the climatic conditions of the day. The races will be at 2.30pm (Men) and 3.30pm (women) on the 30th of June 2012 and can be followed and watched by simply walking the promenade in Salthill.

Corrib Water Polo Club are also running two under-age swims this year; at 2.30 pm a ‘junior’ race from ladies beach to Blackrock boat-slip for younger swimmers aged 12-16 who can swim 400m. At 3.30 pm on race-day there will be a novices swim from the ‘first-rock’ to Blackrock boat slip for our youngest swimmers aged 10 – 14 and is about 100m. Full lifeguard cover will be provided.

Prizes are awarded to the first six in each race, the first veteran home (over 50), and a team prize for the first four swimmers home from one club. The fastest

time recorded in each race will be awarded the Fastest Time Trophies. The prize giving ceremony will take place in the Salthill Hotel immediately after the end of the women’s race on the day at about 7.30pm.

#GALWAY BAY NEWS - Ballyvaughan Bay Hop will run a fast ferry service between Ballyvaughan in Co Clare and Galway City to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Volvo Ocean Race finale on Saturday 30 June.

As reported last year on Afloat.ie, proposals for the Galway Bay ferry link aimed to half the travel time between the Burren region and Galway City.

Departing from the New Pier in Ballyvaughan, the service will run three times daily facilitating park-and-ride commuters from the North Clare area.

According to the ferry operators, a 10-journey commuter ticket is cheaper than a tank of petrol, making the ferry a more cost-effective and eco-friendly commuting option.

The service will also "provide travellers from Galway with a novel way to visit and explore the Burren, with accommodation and meal value packages with Ballyvaughan eateries and guesthouses available to enhance their trip."

The service will be operated by Rib West on behalf of Ballyvaughan Bay Hop in a fully licenced enclosed passenger RIB as part of a pilot project to establish a community fast passenger service serving the North Clare region.

For more information visit the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop website HERE. There's also a chance to win tickets for the ferry on the Bay Hop Facebook page HERE.

#ship - A giant cargo ship carrying the spectacular Volvo Ocean Race spectator village – packed into 70 ready to assemble crates - will arrive in Galway Port in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The high tech "pop up" village, one of two which have accompanied the race across the globe, is currently on its way from Lisbon in Portugal on board the Dutch registered heavy lift ocean freighter "Deo Volente".

The duplicate villages are the biggest travelling sporting arenas of their kind in the world and have welcomed millions of visitors as they made their way from stopover port to stop over port across the globe.

During the course of the 39,000 mile race the two villages have leap-frogged ahead of the Volvo racing fleet in a series of tightly timed logistical operations. Described as the Everest of logistics,   this kit set village has been assembled and dismantled by teams of specialist construction workers at each stopover port along the race route.

Galway's Race Village, a network of colourful pavilions will be erected on the dockside and across the harbour area making it a "must visit" meeting point for those wishing to experience the excitement of the Volvo Ocean Race finale.

Each of the participating teams will welcome visitors to their individual pavilions and according to race sponsors Volvo, will attempt to bring fans closer than ever before to the most dramatic action of the  2011-2012 race.

Micheline McNamara, CEO Lets do it Global said,

"Anyone who visited Galway during the 2009 race stop over will be familiar with the excitement and the impact the dramatic dockside village created. The 2012 Race Village will be many times bigger and will be "the beating heart" of the nine day festival on the waterfront.

For the first time ever the Formula One style team zones are being opened to the public allowing fans to watch and to meet master boat builders and design experts at work and to experience at first hand the excitement of round the world sailing.

The Galway Race village will also include a 90 seater cinema which will show the first ever 3D footage of the  race; a carbon fibre simulator which creates hair raising rides inside a model of a Volvo ocean racing yacht and a sailing academy which will be aimed especially at young and aspiring sailors.

Volvo estimates that up to four million people will have visited the various race villages across the globe during the nine months of the round the world race.

The cargo ship "Deo Volente" with the Galway Race Village on board is due to dock in the Harbour at about 4 am on Tuesday morning. A team of 60 specialist construction workers will be involved in the task of assembling the village.

Galway Harbour Master Capt Brian Sheridan said the arrival of the container ship – the first the port has ever had to handle - is part of "the unfolding jigsaw that is the Volvo Ocean Race", and will create huge excitement as the village emerges from its containers and transforms the dockside into a gigantic sports and entertainment arena.

Volvo Ocean Race Project Director Reinier Vens, said "Everybody who has worked on the construction and the running of the various race villages around the world cannot wait to get to Galway. The support and cooperation from the city and the port has been fantastic and we can't wait to get started."

#vor – Forget the soccer disappointment! Ireland is to the fore in world sailing again writes Tom MacSweeney. France's Groupama completed a heroic comeback victory on Leg 8 of the Volvo Ocean Race today strengthening their grip on the overall standings and realising a dream homecoming to the port of Lorient. Kerryman Damian Foxall is aboard and a podium finish for an Irishman in Galway beckons.

Skipper and sailing legend Franck Cammas and his men were cheered by thousands of fans on the Brittany coast after crossing the finish line at their home port at 13:31:04 local time, with an elapsed time of four days, 23 hours, 31 minutes and four seconds.

When he contracted Damian Foxall to his crew, Camas said of the Irishman: "He is such a great sailor it is better to have him with you than against."

#VOR – Up to the minute information on the progress of the 39,000 mileVolvo Ocean Race – headed for Galway in three weeks time – will be "tweeted" from a high tech "Twitter Buoy" which will "go live" in Galway Bay today (Thursday).

The Galway'Twitter' Buoy will be launched by the Irish Lights Vessel "Granuaile" at alocation close to Mutton Island and will transmit a constant flow of data on the race, the weather conditions being experienced by the sailors and other ocean and meteorological data.

The 'round the world / 'round the clock' transmissions from the buoy will link the race to the140 million active users of the "Twitter" social media network across the globe.

The  Galway 'Twitter' Buoy will be accessible on Twitter@Galwaybuoy. Its information stream will also be passed onwards through Facebook and the Internet. It will transmit from today until mid July.

The launch of  the service – a Volvo Ocean Race first -  has come about through a collaboration between the Commissioners of Irish Lights, the Marine Institute, TechworksMarine, Smartbay Ireland andIMERC partners, (Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster).

The eight metres high navigational buoy is fitted with multiple environmental sensors andelectronic transceivers including AIS (Automatic Identification system) andRACON (Radar beacon) and will 'tweet' the whereabouts of the Volvo  boats as they head for the nail biting RaceFinale in Galway.

Speaking in Galway at the official announcement of the Ocean Wealth Showcase taking place duringthe Volvo Ocean Race Finale, Yvonne Shields, Chief Executive of the Commissioners of Irish Lights said that the Galway 'twitter' buoy will communicate actively on marine safety information, race updates and eventsassociated with this great occasion.

"While fog signals and whistles may be a thing of the past, the Commissioners of Irish Lights are working on new Aids to Navigation using next generation technologies to communicate with sea goers and navigators around our coasts" said Shields.

Taking place at theVolvo Global Village from 30th June to 8th July, theOcean Wealth Showcase will highlight Ireland's marine resources andsectors to the business community and members of the public attending the Volvo Ocean Race Finale. A number of different events are planned including an Ocean Wealth Exhibition (30th June- 8th July), Family Fun Days(30th June & 1st July), and a Marine Career and Recruitment Event (5th & 6th July).

"Getting more fromour Marine Resources through Technology"- The 3rd Annual Smart OceanConference at the Marine Institute on Monday 2nd July  is expected to attract over 120 national andinternational delegates who will hear discussions from the Marine and ICTsectors, State agencies and Research Institutes.

A Symposium on the Marine Environment on 6th July features a number of expert speakersincluding Koen Verbruggen, Geological Survey of Ireland, Dr. Ken Whelan authorand international researcher UCD, Dr. Anthony Grehan, NUIG and Michael O'Cinneide, Director of Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Protection Agency.

The inaugural SmartOcean Innovation Exchange on 3rd July, aims to support companies toinnovate in the Marine Sector and to encourage investment opportunities.

Concluding theweeklong showcase on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July isa 'Stay Safe at Sea' event which will provide safety talks and advice to visitors including life jacket health checks and stay safe at sea practicalworkshops.

Updates fromGalwayBuoy can be followed on twitter.com/Galwaybuoy

#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - Telefónica have taken the lead in the IWC Schaffhausen Speed Record Challenge and set a new speed record on the penultimate leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Their distance of 557 nautical miles in a 24-hour run bests the previous record of 553nm set by CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand during the first leg from Alicante to Cape Town late last year.

It's a double indignity for the CAMPER team, who stalled metres from the seventh leg finish line in Lisbon and were pipped to fourth place by Telefónica by a mere 1 minute 24 seconds.

A massive low pressure system in the Atlantic is sending the fleet to Lorient at incredible speed, and with 600 nautical miles still to go, there's plenty of room yet for another team to claim the record.

Telefónica are currently leading the leg, closely followed by the Groupama team - which features Kerry sailor Damian Foxall among its crew.

The world record for a monohull over 24 hours is 596.6nm sailed by Ericsson 4 in the last edition of the race.

#VOR – Mick Brogan's Hooker Mac Duach led a fleet of 30 boats into Galway dock welcomed by the Major of Galway firing a ceremonial cannon in advance of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet this month. Hooker racing takes place on the opening week of the VOR Grand Finale, Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July. On Sunday afternoon, 100 cruising and other boats from around the bay will be lead into docks in what is expected to be the largest Parade of Sail seen on Galway Bay.

#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - A shorter route with smaller boats and streamlined teams are among the big changes to the Volvo Ocean Race expected to be announced in the next few weeks, as the Daily Telegraph reports.

The changes come amid concerns over the high cost of competing in the round-the-world yacht race, which fielded a fleet of just six boats for the current campaign.

“The world is changing and we need to adapt to that so we have had a lot of discussions about the boat size, the route and logistics,” said race CEO Knut Frostad.

The race boats will see "significant changes", he added, with many expecting the current VOR 70 yacht to be replaced with a 62-foot boat that gives designers greater leeway.

Smaller boats will also mean smaller teams, while the number and duration of the race's stopovers is set to be reduced, making big savings in terms of accommodation and logistics.

Race organisers are expected to announce the new plans before the fleet departs Lorient for Galway on the final leg of the current race.

The Daily Telegraph has more on the story HERE.