#PeterPearsonPhotos - Peter Pearson, historian, conservationist and artist has a photo exhibition currently running throughout the summer (until 31 August) in National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The photo exhibition held daily (11am-5pm) is held on the gallery floor of the restored former Mariner's Church on Haigh Terrace, close to the Royal Marine Hotel.

Signed books of the artist are also available from the museum's gift and book shop. For further information, contact the museum or the artist: 053 912 8935 and 087 637 1646

Click the link to the National Maritime Museum website, noting the photograph of the artist and an example of his work depicting the Sealink / British Rail car-ferry St. Columba berthed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Carlisle Pier. Note the quayside cranes (for the older 'mail'-boats), which suggests this painting was taken in her early career on the Irish Sea.

In recent years the Carlisle Pier ferry terminal was demolished. The site still features the ferry linkspan's operators booth that operated the vehicle ramp and lift-bridge for yacht access to and from the Royal St. George Yacht Club. In the painting the bridge is in a raised position obscuring the booth. These days cruise ships call instead, the most recent visitor was the cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf.

The Danish built St. Columba was custom built for the Holyhead route and entered service in 1977. She remained on the Irish-Welsh link as the last conventional car ferry until replaced by the revolutionary Finish built catamaran HSS Stena Explorer introduced in 1996. The fast-ferry operates albeit only on a seasonal basis and from St. Michael's Wharf adjoining the marina.