Welcome aboard this week's Seascapes podcast with Marcus Connaughton. This week's edition features the State ceremonial event held on Banna Strand earlier this year with HE President Michael D Higgins; descendants of Captain Monteith and Sir Roger Casement and Grainne McPolin talks to historian Pat Lawlor on The Aud and Casement in this centenary year.

Hello and welcome aboard your maritime programme Seascapes, this week we bring you highlights from the unveiling of a fine sculture by Mark Richards in Athy, Co Kildare on the centenary to the day of the rescue of the Endurance crew from Elephant Island and the unveiling of a sculpture by Mark Richards of Sir Ernest Shackleton beside the Athy Heritage Centre in his home place complete with an Honour Guard from the Irish Naval Service, we’ll be talking to Kevin Kenny of Athy Heritage Centre ; Commander Cormac Rynne of the Irish Naval Service; Arts Officer Lucina Russell and Jack L who performed “The Wearin’ of the Green” and we also met up with Jonathan Shackleton ...... also this week Dr Gordon Dalton of MAREI on the Maribe project and the outcome of a recent conference held in Cork....first this week here on Seascapes to our Galway Studios where we can hear from Features Editor Gery Flynn of Inshore Ireland Magazine on what’s in the latest edition ...

Features Editor of Inshore Ireland magazine – Gery Flynn ....next here on Seascapes to Athy in Co Kildare where .............to coincide with the very day a hundred years ago on the 30th of August that epic rescue of The crew of The Endurance from Elephant Island was marked by a sculpture by Mark Richards being unveiled by the Mayor of Kildare , Cllr Ivan Keatley and Alexandra Shackleton with an honour guard drawn from the Irish Naval Service in attendance ....

Also present for the ceremony was local musician Jack L who spoke briefly to Seascapes before he performed this song...

Jack Lukeman performing The Wearin’ of the Green” next we spoke to Jonathan Shackleton ...

Also in attendance was Commander Cormac Rynne of the Irish Naval Service.....

From Commander Cormac RYNNE to Kildare Arts Officer , Lucina RUSSELL..
The Athy Heritage Centre is in the heart of the town and is hosting an exhibition “ By Endurance We Conquer “running until February of next year....

Lets have a final word from Kevin Kenny of Athy Heritage Centre....
MARIBE is Marine Investment for the Blue Economy , Dr Gordon Dalton who is based at MaREI ERI, at University College Cork is Maribe Project Coordinator , we last talked to him earlier this year

Dr Gordon Dalton of MAREI /ERI – Maribe Project Coordinator

We wish swimmers the “Swim Sisters” team of Lynsey Dunne -Connacht, Mary Bolger-Hinds- Leinster, Claudine Hughes -Ulster and Maighread McMahon from Munster , they will attempt to become the first four provinces, all-female team to swim the length of the largest freshwater lake in these islands , Lough Neagh – a distance of approximately 30.5km.

The “Swim Sisters “ are four experienced open water swimmers and members of the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association. And it was through their love of open water swimming that the team the " Swim Sisters " came together. Two of them , Lynsey & Maighread are veterans of two successful English Channel relay swims.You can read more about their swim on the Seascapes webpage....

That’s it for this week on your maritime programme, on the sound desk this week Niall O Sullivan , next week here on Seascapes we bring you the story of the Aud and Sir Roger Casement and highlights from the commemoration held on Banna Strand earlier this year at Easter .....Grainne McPolin was there for Seascapes when she spoke with with H.E. President Michael D Higgins we hear from local historian Pat Lawlor about Sir Roger Casement the humanitarian, explorer and seafarer and descendants of Captain Monteith and Sir Roger Casement ; until next Friday night, tight lines and fair sailing.”

A popular wedding venue a Wedding Fair is being held in The National Maritime Museum of Ireland, Haigh Terrace, Dun Laoghaire on Sunday 18th September open from 12 noon....

Ireland’s National Maritime Museum is housed in Dun Laoghaire’s 180-year-old Mariners Church, directly opposite the new DLR Lexicon library and easily accessible by DART suburban train and several bus services. The museum’s greatest artefact is probably the building itself as it is one of a few custom built places of worship for seafarers remaining intact in the world to-day.

Experienced guides will bring you on a voyage of discovery enthralling you with stories of discovery, heroism, war and disasters at sea. You will learn about maritime history, exploration, navigation, radio, deep-sea cable technology, nature, wildlife and view art inspired by the sea.

See the 10-tonne revolving Baily Optic, try the electrified steam engine and pause to reflect at the Titanic exhibit, the re-created radio room, the Royal Navy prisoners docks and the war memorial. Try sailor’s knots, learn how they lift heavy weights, be photographed with the pirate, research in the library, visit the shop and café and much more.

Hello and welcome aboard your maritime programme Seascapes, shortly we’ll be hearing about a company that dominate our skylines on constructions cities throughout this island ..Grainne McPolin for Seascapes focuses on crane company Liebherr and its relationship with Tralee Bay, Fenit and its shipping operations through the area.....first this week on Seascapes, we were in Athy on Tuesday on the centenary to the day of the rescue of the Endurance crew from Elephant Island for the unveiling of a sculpture by Mark Richards of Sir Ernest Shackleton beside the Athy Heritage Centre in his home place complete with an Honour Guard from the Iriish Naval Service , we’ll have a full report on the event on next Friday’s edition , however the first group we met were fresh from Skibbereen and the jubilant celebration of our rowing heroes the O’ Donovan Brothers, I talked to Eugene Furlong that man who unearthed the cabin from “The Quest”, Liam McLoughlin and this man Donncha O Hea ......

Lets hear next from Joe O’ Farrell, a director of Athy Heritage Centre on the significance of the day ....

We’ll have a full report on next weeks edition of Seascapes covering that wonderful ceremony in Athy, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross T.D. has signed an Order transferring Wicklow Port Company to Wicklow County Council, with the consent of his colleagues Paschal Donohoe T. D., Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Simon Coveney T.D. Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. Wicklow Port is the first port to transfer under the National Ports Policy which was approved by Government and published in 2013. The policy recommended that designated Ports of Regional Significance - Drogheda, Dún Laoghaire, Galway, New Ross and Wicklow - transfer to more appropriate local authority led governance structures.....

Next to the South West and deepest Kerry to Tralee Bay and Fenit and Liebher Container Cranes Ltd of Killarney home to a company that established there in the late nineteen fifties , Grainne McPolin talked to a number of people with strong connections either to the company or the work that they do in the locality, lets hear first from the Chief Executive Officer of Liebherr – Pat O Leary...

From Pat O'Leary CEO of Liebherr to a former employee now retired – Max McCarthy told Grainne McPolin about the origins of Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd and his time working there....

Well from Max McCarthy to the Manager of the Port of Fenit Don O Herlihy who talked to Grainne...

We hear next from Fiona Frawley , Commodore of Tralee Bay Sailing Club and Vice Commodore , Gary Forte ....

The final word goes to Harbour Master Batt McCarthy who talked to Grainne McPolin about the movement of shipping through what is a busy waterway....

That report on the workings of Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd was assembled and recorded by Grainne McPolin...............

Bernard Lynch completed an English Channel Swim on Wednesday his support boat was the Louise Jane and his pilot Andy King, together with 2 other support crew

A ceremony to honour the crew of the LÉ Cliona for actions taken by them in relation to extinguishing a fire onboard their ship on 29 May 1962 took place on Thursday onboard the L.É Niamh docked at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.

Minister with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe T.D was in attendance to present scrolls of commendation to Lieutenant Pat O’Mahony, Able Stoker William Mynes, Chief E.R.A. Maurice Egan and Chief Stoker Gerald O’Callaghan (posthumously) for their brave and decisive actions in bringing the fire under control.

Sailor and poet Mick Delap is on the Poetry Programme this coming Saturday 3rd September talking about his collection 'Opening Time', published by Arlen House.

He reads several of his sailing-related poems during the interview with Rick O'Shea, including 'Kerry Head' and 'At anchor off the island of Inishglora'. Thats the Poetry Programme on Saturday night at half past seven on RTE Radio1 ........

That’s it for this week on your maritime programme, on the sound desk this week Niall O Sullivan , next week here on Seascapes we hear from Features Editor Gery Flynn of Inshore Ireland Magazine on whats in the latest edition ...Dr Gordon Dalton of Maribe on the outcome of a recent conference held in Cork and the unveiling of a magnificent sculpture of Sir Ernest Shackleton in the heart of Athy, we’ll be talking to Jack L; sculptor Mark Richards; Jonathan Shackleton and Commander Cormac Rynn of the Irish Naval Service, until next Friday night, tight lines and fair sailing.

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of Seascapes your maritime programme .......glad to be back this week after our break during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro we salute the Irish competitors who participated and congratulate our medal winners and wish our Paralympians every success , writer and broadcaster Hugh Oram relates the tale of how The Celtic Sea came by its name ; we have the results of our Seascapes competition and the winners of those copies of “ Shackleton’s South” as retold by John MacKenna in a Real Reads edition ; first this week to the recent Swim Ireland event at Coosan Point in Athlone ––Ron Coveney and Laura Hannon went along for Seascapes .......... let’s hear first from Mary McMorrow, Operations Manager of Swim Ireland as the National 5 and 10k Championships and Swim for A Mile all part of Waterfest began at the start line..........

Mary McMorrow, Operations Manager, Swim Ireland we can hear next from Marathon Swimmer Steven Miller...

Next to Charlie Lawn at Waterfest, Charlie is Inspector of Navigation with Waterways Ireland...

From Charlie Lawn to some of the winners of the National 5K Championship as Laura Hannon and Ron Coveney greeted them at the finish line at Coosan Point in Athlone....they talked to Adrian Cosgrove of Ennis ; Jordan Sexton of St Fiaccs the National 5K Champion but first to Amy Wolfe of Sandycove Island who was 1st across the line in the Senior Female (wetsuit) in the National 5K Championships..
A final word from Waterfest in Athlone with Kevin Clabby who is Chairman of Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

The Athlone River Festival and Food Village takes place in the Shannonside town from the Friday 9th of September to Sunday 11th more details on the Waterways Ireland webpage and on the Seascapes webpage....
With all the coverage of the remarkable feat in the lightweight double sculls by the O'Donovan brothers Gary and Paul and the jubilation felt by all involved in Irish rowing circles throughout this island I was drawn to a piece by Alex Clark who wrote in last weekend’s Observer........

“ They do things differently in Skibbereen, as Gary and Paul O Donovan, Ireland’s first –ever rowing medal winners, demonstrated in their post-victory interviews. “

“The lightweight double scullers thrilled as they might have been, were not about to go overboard; rather they explained in Cork’s distinctive sing-song accent they had “done some Nutella, done the podium thing and peed in a cup”
“Back home, the duo rather wistfully explained on Irish (national) broadcaster Raidio Telefis Eireann, “its mad excitement altogether “and Skibbereen was “after closing everything down and having a national holiday and we’re missing it all.” Clark writes “Don’t worry lads: the ‘craic’ will still be ninety when you get home.”

In sailing, Annalise Murphy secured her silver medal after almost a decade of constant training and perseverance and her victory was celebrated in Dun Laoghaire and at her home sailing club The National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire , she is now hotly tipped to take on the Moth for Tokyo in four years time. Congratulations also go to the entire Irish sailing squad

Finn Lynch (20) from Carlow and also a National YC sailor was the youngest ever Olympic helm to represent Ireland as well as being the youngest in his 46-strong class. He achieved several notable performances during his ten-race series at Rio including several top 20 results. In an event where the average age of the top ten finishers is 30, he has proven his ability with an Olympic experience under his belt and is certain to be a prospect for Tokyo 2020.
Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey from the Royal Irish YC started their campaign together exactly three years ago and sailed the 49erFX class for the new Women’s Skiff event at Rio. Overcoming a three-month injury hiatus to their campaign, they qualified Ireland for the event earlier this year and their form improved steadily in the build-up to the Olympics. Over their 12 race series, they achieved five top ten results and ended their debut Olympic Games in 12th place overall.
Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern, from Carrickfergus Sailing Club, Ballyholme YC & Royal Ulster YC were the last of the six Irish sailors into action on Guanabara Bay in the Men’s Skiff event Medal Race final. The London 2012 veterans improved on their performance from four years ago by qualifying for the final to place tenth overall. Their results included two race wins in which they beat the four times world champions and eventual Gold medal winners. This ensured they were within reach of the podium going in to the last day of fleet racing.

“This result proves that our strategy in high performance is working and is providing the success that all involved in sailing and sport crave,” commented David Lovegrove, President of the Irish Sailing Association. “I want to acknowledge the tremendous professionalism of our coaching staff who have demonstrated such passion and commitment to our sailors. In particular I want to commend James O’Callaghan’s leadership and guidance of high performance sailing, ably supported by Rory Fitzpatrick.”

“Annalise’s medal confirms the intent of our programme that both delivers the highest standard of performance but also makes a return to our domestic sport,” said James O’Callaghan, ISA Performance Director.
We wish all our Paralympians well in Rio particularly our Paralymic Sailing Team of John Twomey , Ian Costelloe and Austin O Carroll , this is Johns ‘ 11th consecutive games...fair winds...

As the clock counts down to the America’s Cup proper next year, the pressure is building week by week. Pressure for Sir Ben Ainslie’s team, Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing ; also for the Defenders Oracle Team USA and indeed for all six teams as they fight for the bonus points that could increase their chances next year when the road to the America’s Cup kicks off.

Next to our recent Seascapes competition you may remember that we asked you to name the last vessel on which Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed before his untimely passing the answer as many of you correctly guessed was The Quest, so copies of “Shackletons South “ as retold by John MacKenna are going out to ...

*Kevin O'Halloran, Youghal, Co. Cork

*Marcelline Cody Roscrea Co Tipperary

*Tony O'Connor Malahide, Co. Dublin

A new statue is unveiled in Athy to Sir Ernest Shackleton this coming week and we’ll be there.......

Well from the World of exploration to our coastal waters and the Celtic Sea...........broadcaster and writer Hugh Oram on the how this body of water got its name.........
Hugh Oram and the origins of The Celtic Sea, Hugh’s latest book is a pictorial history of Sandymount, published by The History Press Ireland ...

“ On the sound desk this week Niall O’ Sullivan, next week here on your maritime programme Grainne McPolin heads for Fenit and Tralee Bay for Seascapes and profiles the crane company Liebherr who came to Tralee in 1958 and how the company has expanded , their shipping movements through Fenit and Tralee Bay ..........we’ll meet the Chief Executive Officer of Liebherr , Pat O ‘Leary ; retiree Max McCarthy ; Port Manager - Don O’ Herlihy ; Commodore and Vice Commodore of Tralee Bay Sailing Club Fiona Frawley and Gary Forte and Harbour Master - Batt McCarthy......and we’ll be at the unveiling of that new statue to Sir Ernest Shackleton in Athy .........until next Friday tight lines and fair sailing.”

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes, shortly we’ll be talking to Eugene Garrihy of Dublin Bay Cruises out on the water aboard the St Bridget in Dublin Bay .......... Seamus Maguire will be linking up with us from our Sligo Studios where he has all the details on the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships and the inaugural Donegal Bay Maritime Festival .......our intrepid duo of Laura Hannon and Sarah Murphy bring us a further selection of reports from the Shore Shots Film Festival held in Sligo in April..they were there for Seascapes so this week in Part Two we feature ace surf photographer Tim Nunn and former professional surfer Fergal Smith ........first this week to the KBC Laser Radial World Championships opening ceremony which took place last Sunday in Dun Laoghaire in brilliant sunshine hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company we were there and as the forty eight flags of the attending countries were held aloft in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council offices we spoke to David Kelly , Chairman of the event ......

Well from David Kelly and Eric Faust we spoke next to the Harbour Master Captain Simon Coate ....

At the event we also met Con Murphy; Louis Monk; Gareth Craig of Fotosail and many other friends of the programme, a few words from the Commodore of The Royal St George Yacht Club – Justin McKenna.....

You can read and see more about the KBC Laser Radial World Championships in Dun Laoghaire on the Seascapes webpage.....

Next to Dublin Bay and Dublin Bay Cruises who operate a fine vessel the St Bridget taking natives and visiting tourists across the bay to Dun Laoghaire and Howth we’ll hear about the BioSphere that is Dublin Bay on next weeks edition of Seascapes with and we’ll have a word with Catherine McCloskey of Failte Ireland on the “Breath of Fresh Air” initiative however on Monday of this week as the KBC Laser Radial World Championships were in full swing in the waters out off Dun Laoghaire we left the quayside at Sir John Rogersons Quay just down river from the Samuel Beckett Bridge and talked to Eugene Garrihy about the company and how it all began .....

As we motored out in the bay we met the Boskalis company's dredger the Freeway heading into the port ....we’ll have more here on Seascapes next week on Dublin Bay Cruises and the BioSphere with Dr Favel Naulty and hear from Caroline McCloskey of Failte Ireland about “A Breath of Fresh Air” , we can heartily recommend a voyage out on the water it’s a very comfortable and unique experience no matter what part of this island you are from ........and they don’t sail in adverse weather conditions .........you get a great sense of the scale of the port -the marine traffic the bay, the scenery and the wildlife ...

In our Seascapes competition this week you can win copies of “Shackleton’s South” as retold by John Mac Kenna in a “Real Reads” edition for youngsters with illustrations by Maurice Pierse if you can name the last vessel on which Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed in the Southern Ocean before his passing (hint the Cabin from the vessel is being restored in the West) ......answers on a postcard to Seascapes , RTE Radio 1, Fr Mathew Street , Cork or by email to [email protected]

Next to Donegal where the inaugural Donegal Bay Maritime Festival and the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships are taking place , we can hear from Seamus Maguire who is in our Sligo Studios and has all the details........

One young man whom we featured on Seascapes some years ago is Westport native Fergal Smith a former professional surfer he talked to Laura Hannon for Seascapes at Shore Shots ......

Fergal Smith at Shore Shots Festival in Sligo talking to Laura Hannon , next to surf photographer , writer and film maker Tim Nunn.....

The voice of Tim Nunn at Shore Shots talking to Sarah Murphy....next week here on Seascapes Ron Coveney meets Freediving Ireland’s Feargus Callagy and he talks to Peter Conroy of Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club ..............
This week an exhibition of aerial photographs “ West Cork from the Air “ by Dennis Horgan was opened by Lord David Puttnam and the exhibition continues for the next few weeks in the Town Hall in Skibereen with stunning images of the Fastnet ; Roaringwater Bay and Crookhaven.....more on the seascapes webpage....

“Next week here on Seascapes more on Dublin Bay Cruises with Eugene Garrihy and the BioSphere with Dublin Bay BioSphere Discovery Tour Guide Dr Favel Naulty , and in a Seascapes exclusive we visit Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club and meet our sailing Olympians to coincide with the Brasil Olympic Games opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro we’ll hear from Finn Lynch ; Saskia Tidey ; Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern and Annalise Murphy and the Irish Olympic Sailing team leader James O’Callaghan plus we meet the Commodore of Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club Roger Smith and hear about their regatta which is happening on the 13th and 14th August .....................and in our final report from Shore Shots Ron Coveney talks to Freediver Feargus Callagy and Peter Conroy of the Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club...................all that and much more here on Seascapes , until next Friday night , tight lines and fair sailing.”

Marcus Connaughton

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes, this week we talk to Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett about the humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean rescuing migrants in a week that saw the number of people rescued pass the ten thousand mark ................our intrepid trio of Ron Coveney, Laura Hannon and Sarah Murphy bring us a selection of reports from the Shore Shots Film Festival held in Sligo in April...they were there for Seascapes so this week in Part One we’ll be hearing from Easkey Britton; and Easkey’s mum NC Britton first here on Seascapes to Conor Galvin whom we met on Seafarers Sunday in Dublin Port at the new Seafarers Centre on a newly formed organisation .....

A historically important Polar Medal awarded to an heroic Irish sailor who was one of five men chosen by the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton to accompany him on what is arguably the greatest open-boat journey of all time was set to be auctioned by Dix Noonan Webb in London earlier today . The unique bronze medal awarded to Able Seaman Timothy McCarthy, Royal Naval Reserve, for the epic 800-miles journey across the stormy sub-Antarctic Ocean, is expected to fetch £15,000 to £20,000 sterling at the sale of orders, decorations, medals and militaria.

You can win copies of “Shackleton’s South” as retold by John Mac Kenna in a “Real Reads” edition for youngsters with illustrations by Maurice Pierse in our Seascapes competition here next Friday....

Next to the Irish Naval Base in Haulbowline where we recently spoke with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett ...this week saw the figure of people rescued by our Navy pass the ten thousand mark as the L.E. James Joyce took over from the recently returned L .E. Roisin .....

Next here on Seascapes to Sligo town where the Shore Shots Irish Surf Film Festival took place earlier this year, in fact back in April ................ its a festival that brings together the Irish surfing community ..........the Seascapes team was there to be sure and catch some of the action , our intrepid trio ......of Laura Hannon ; Ron Coveney and Sarah Murphy braved the elements in April and headed to the North West ..............Sarah Murphy spoke to Shane O’Donoghue, one of the Shore Shots organisers, about the origins of the festival and how film can bring together lovers of our oceans it was originally held in Dublin however it moved to the North West to the beating heart of Irish surfing where the Britton family in Rossnowlagh blazed the trail and indeed as a very young man I saw them surfing in Donegal .................

Shane O Donoghue talking to Sarah Murphy, we hear next from the mother of surfer Easkey Britton here’s NC Britton who talked to Ron Coveney...

Well from NC Britton to her daughter Easkey .... Laura Hannon spoke to one of this country’s foremost professional surfers who is an artist a scientist and an explorer , Easkey also talked about her surfing experience in Iran ..here’ s Easkey Britton ......

Easkey Britton in conversation with Laura Hannon for Seascapes, One young man whom we featured on Seascapes some years ago is Westport native Fergal Smith a former professional surfer he talked to Laura Hannon for Seascapes at Shore Shots ......

Westport ...........“Safety at Sea through War and Upheaval: Irish Lights 1911-1923” ' is an exciting new exhibition that is currently on display in Westport Town Hall Theatre.......

Next week here on Seascapes we preview the inaugural Donegal Bay Maritime Festival which coincides with the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships we’ll be speaking with Seamus Maguire about drontheims and sea shantys ; we take our second visit to the Shore Shots festival and meet Peter Conroy of the Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club ; Tim Nunn renowned surf photographer , writer and film maker and Freedive Ireland’s Feargus Callagy with the intrepid team of Ron Coveney; Laura Hannon and Sarah Murphy , and we go aboard Dublin Bay Cruises across Dublin Bay ...........all that and much more here on Seascapes , until next Friday night , tight lines and fair sailing.”

This Saturday the Inter Firm Dragon Boat Race will take place at the boardwalk on Lapps Quay in Cork between 2pm and 7pm.
There over 300 participants from 16 different companies including, Amazon, Biomarin, BMD &Co, Boston Scientific, Cork Dragons, DeCare Systems Ireland, Fireeye, Glencove Web Industries, Idle hour & Goldberg’s, Mater Private, Newsweaver, McKesson, Musgraves, Penny Dinners, Pgi and Stryker. We wish them all well

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of Seascapes – your maritime programme, we’ll be talking to the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett at Naval Headquarters in Haulbowline about the inaugural inter services Beaufort Cup which is being held as part of Volvo Cork Week......this weekend divers from around the country are gathering at Hook Head for the South East Rally.... Valentia Island Celebrates 150 Years of Transatlantic Communications with the BT Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Festival which takes place until this Sunday...we’ll be talking to Dr Martina Prendergast of the Ryan Institute at the National University of Ireland Galway about the SeaScienceApp .............first this week on Seascapes , last Sunday was Sea Sunday and we went along to the new Seafarers Centre in the heart of Dublin Port where the Sea Sunday Ecumenical Service was hosted by The Apostleship of the Sea –Stella Maris and Reverend Father Padraig O Cuill of the Capuchin Order and Reverend William Black , Church of Ireland of The Mission to Seafarers –Flying Angel ......one of the first people we met attending amongst many regular Seascapes listeners was historian author and photographer Pat Sweeney ......

 author of Liffey Ships and Shipbuilding ...... We also met up with Mission to Seafarers volunteer Bill Douglas

Next to the chairman of the Mission to Seafarers ....Ed Taylor

Next here on Seascapes to the Reverend Willie Black of the Mission to Seafarers who with Father Padraig O Cuill concelebrated the Ecumenical Service in the Seafarers Centre

From the Reverend William Black to Father Padraig O Cuill...

Our thanks to Rose Kearney of Stella Maris; Dermot Desmond of Mission to Seafarers for their hospitality and the many other Seascapes regulars including Joe Varley and Conor Galvin , we’ll be hearing from Conor on next Friday’s edition about the Robert Erskine Childers O.N.E.......
Next to the western seaboard and our Galway Studios to hear from Dr Martina Prendergast , Strategic Development Manager, Ryan Institute at NUI Galway......she explained how the SeaScience App came into being , its free to download from the Apple app store and Google play store for android , just search for sea science.....

Valentia Island Celebrates 150 Years of Transatlantic Communications with the BT Transatlantic Telegraph Cable Festival which takes place until this Sunday 17th in Valentia

The festival will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first successful transatlantic cable between Valentia Island and Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, laid in 1866 to connect Europe with the new world for the first time.....you can read more on the Seascapes webpage .....
The Marine Institute will host a third public information meeting on the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site, on Thursday next 21st July at 7:30pm in the Connemara Coast Hotel, Furbo, Galway. The meeting is part of the public consultation to ensure full information is provided on the Marine Institute’s foreshore lease application to upgrade test and demonstration facilities at the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site.

Next to Volvo Cork Week and the inaugural inter services Beaufort Cup , on Tuesday night we headed to the Naval Base in Haulbowline to speak with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett.........about the Beaufort Cup and congratulated the two crews drawn from the Defence Forces one aboard Joker 2 which won after handicaps were applied –and line honours were won by Irish Defence Forces skippered by Tom Roche they competed in the Fastnet overnight race which took place earlier this week...........

Vice Admiral Mark Mellett , Chief of Staff of The Defence Forces on The Beaufort Cup , we’ll have more from Vice Admiral Mellett on the humanitarian work being done in the Mediterranean by our valiant crews......as the LE Roisin returned to the Naval base earlier today ......
We’ll have the results of The Beaufort Cup posted on the Seascapes webpage.......

Fresh from setting a stunning new Round Ireland record last month Musandam-Oman Sail have set their sights on another milestone record in the Transat Quebec- St Malo with a match against the world’s largest Trimaran Spindrift 2 expected to push them to the limit...........

Swim Ireland will host their National Open Water Championships – 5K and 10K and Swim for a Mile Open Water (750m & 1500m) on Sunday August 7th at Coosan Point in Athlone.

Congratulations to Michael Martin and his team on The Titanic Trail in Cobh who have been awarded a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence ... well done to all ....

In Diving the South East Rally off Hook Head takes place this weekend, thanks to Denny Lawlor whom we met earlier this year in Athlone who was in touch with details ...

“That’s it for this week here on Seascapes, you can read and see more on the Seascapes webpage www.rte.ie/radio1/seascapes on the sound desk this week Niall O’ Sullivan, next week here on your martitime programme we feature the recent Shore Shots Festival in Strandhill in Sligo with the intrepid trio of Laura Hannon ; Sarah Murphy and Ron Coveney talking to surfers such as Easkey Britton ; Free Diving and much more... Conor Galvin has details on the newly formed Robert Erskine Childers ONE ; Vice Admiral Mark Mellett on the remarkable humanitarian rescue work being done by the Defence Forces in the Mediterranean , all that and much more , until next Friday night, tight lines and fair sailing. “

Marcus Connaughton
Presenter / Producer

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes – this week we talk to sailing instructor and yachtsman Niall McAllister in Adrigole in West Cork; we have music from Eleanor Shanley and “Sail Away To The Sea”; we preview the Glandore Classic Boat Summer School, we have the second part of our conversation with John Breslin of SmartBay on how he became involved in the maritime world.............. first on Seascapes this week we talk to Open Water swimmer and Steve McQueen fan Ned Denison on the Open Water Swimming calendar and a unique swim in the Southern Hemisphere.......

Ned Denison and Open Water Swimming and that extraordinary swim around Devils Island....the Vibes and Scribes Lee Swim takes place on next Saturday 16th July ..

Originally held in 1914, the annual Vibes and Scribes Lee Swim has become one of the top open water swimming events in Ireland. The course runs through the centre of Cork City, with a distance of around 2 kilometres (1,700m downstream and 300m upstream).

Starting from a specially erected platform at the entrance of the old distillery premises on the North Mall, the contestants swim under all the bridges of the North Channel with the flow of the River Lee until they round the Port of Cork Customs House. They will then continue against the flow of the river to the finishing pontoon in front of the Clarion Hotel.

Most of the swimmers compete for age group prizes, some raise money for local charities and a good number just swim for the enjoyment of the day and the acknowledgement and encouragement of family and friends.......

Congratulations to all in Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club on the completion of the IDRA 14 class wooden dinghy – named “Wicked Sadie” and launched on the last Sunday in June, congratulations to all involved lead by Ronan Melling ...Bravo...

Last week here on Seascapes we talked to John Breslin of Smart Bay well while we were discussing the observatory in Galway Bay and the new technologies that it harnesses we wondered how he became involved in the maritime world .........

John Breslin on the exciting world of technology and the marine and the Smart Bay Observatory ....next week here on Seascapes we’ll hear about a new SeaScience App developed by the Ryan Institute at NUI Galway.....we’ll be talking to Martina Prendergast

........well from Galway to the Glandore Classic Boat Summer School which is on next weekend on Saturday 16th we have all the details on the Seascapes webpage..... speakers include Rui Ferreira, Oliver Hart, Donal Hayes, Dr.Breda Kenny, Dr Charles Luddington, Padraig Whooley, Gary McMahon, John O’Connell, Simon O’Keeffe, Vincent O’Shea, Tiernan Roe, Bill Trafford and others.

Next here on Seascapes to Adrigole in West Cork and sailing instructor , mariner and yachtsman Niall McAllister from the West Cork Sailing and Powerboat Centre .....Niall told us how he became involved and about “Jessy” his Sun Odyssey 37 ....

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes, we have music from Fairport Convention and “ A Sailor’s Life ” …..we visit the brand new Seafarers Centre in Dublin Port withMission to Seafarers – ships visitor Dermot Desmond and Eamonn O Reilly of Dublin Port Company ….we go aboard the Morgenster in Cork and Waterford and we’ll be hearing from a twenty one year old sail trainee on his maiden voyage from Belfast and Chairman of Sail Training Ireland – Seamus Mcloughlin …..…………..First this week to Damian Foxall’s remarkable record breaking Volvo Round Ireland record aboard Oman Sail in 38 hours and 37 minutes in the Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race as Rambler 88 and George David also completed the course and may prove to be the outright winner….. ….. David Branigan was on the spot for Seascapes…

Further north on the East coast …………… Greystones Sailing Club officially opened its new premises last Sunday …. The Club, originally established in 1968, caters for over 350 members and is very much a family club, rooted in the Greystones community. We wish them well….

Next here on Seascapes to Sail Training and the recent visit of the Dutch registered brig Morgenster to both Cork and Waterford we went aboard and met up with the Chairman of Sail Training Ireland Seamus Mcloughlin when she was tied up at Albert Quay in Cork .....…

Seamus McLoughlin , Chairman of Sail Training Ireland.........

Next to Lina from Lithuania aboard Morgenster on the voyage from Belfast …

Also aboard was twenty one year old sail trainee Glenn from Northern Ireland........ …..

From Sail Trainee Glenn to the Captain of The Morgenster – Harry Mutter …..

Last Friday in Waterford with the Morgenster and the Brian Boru tied up in the heart of Waterford city we spoke to the Chief Executive of The Port of Waterford – Frank Ronan

Next here on Seascapes to to the heart of Dublin Port where last week we heard from the Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company Eamonn O Reilly , before we headed down to the new Seafarers Centre we talked about the buildings origins as the Odlums Mill canteen

We left the Dublin Port Company offices a a few hundred yards away entered the shining new Seafarers Centre ....Eamonn again..

As we were admiring the facility we spoke to a great friend of the programme Mission to Seafarers , Ships Visitor Dermot Desmond

We hope to make it along on Sunday the 10th July for Seafarers Sunday at the new centre on Alexandra Road in the heart of Dublin Port

Cobh Traditional Sail & Sea Shanty Regatta In Association with Cove Sailing Club and the Naval Service Squadron takes place this weekend with all the details on display on the Seascapes webpage......
Seascapes was at a remarkable concert “Starboard Home” in the National Concert Hall this week on Wednesday and we’ll be bring you conversations with many of the artists who participated and composed material for the occasion in the coming weeks....

“Well that’s all folks for this week ,on the sound desk this week Niall O Sullivan ………….. next Friday night here on your maritime programme Seascapes we talk to newly elected Senator Grace O’ Sullivan about Rainbow Warrior growing up beside the water in Tramore and how we can preserve and maintain our maritime heritage…..we preview the Glandore Classic Boat Summer School next month….we have a report from the Cobh Traditional Sail and Sea Shanty Regatta and with the advent of Cruise liners visiting West Cork we meet Clodagh Heneghan of Cork County Council .....all that and much more , until next Friday night , tight lines and fair sailing.”

Marcus Connaughton

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes ... we have music from Starboard Home and an exclusive wide ranging interview with the Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company – Eamonn O’ Reilly on the life of the port and its ongoing development ………….……we have music from Andy Irvine who headlines this weekend’s Fastnet Maritime and Folk Festival in Ballydehob in West Cork as Molgoggers head for the Falmouth Festival we wish them fair sailing ….……..more on that competition where you can propose a youngster for a Sail Training Bursary this Summer courtesy of Sail Training Ireland and Seascapes ; we congratulate Royal Ulster Yacht Club on their 150th Anniversary with the celebrations starting this weekend …….first this week as the Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race vessels and crews gather in Wicklow Sailing Club. David Branigan went along for Seascapes to Dun Laoghaire this week to have a word with record holder Brian Thompson, first we hear from Justin Slattery.....

David Branigan talking there to Justin Slattery and Brian Thompson ..the Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race begins this weekend from Wicklow Sailing Club ..we’ll have a full report on next Friday's edition of Seascapes …

Further north on the East coast …………… Greystones Sailing Club will officially open its new premises this Sunday when Minister Simon Harris will perform the official opening………. The Club, originally established in 1968, caters for over 350 members and is very much a family club, rooted in the Greystones community. Initially sailing was confined to Mirror dinghies launched from a rubber mat rolled out on the shingle on North Beach with boats transported to and from the harbour on the tops of cars. The old clubhouse was built in the early 1970’s and has continued to be a part of the Greystones community since then. Now with the opening of the new facility, the club boasts over 100 dinghy’s and 20 keelboats and has one of the strongest junior sections of any club along the East Coast and is set to grow.

This weekend one of our great musical troubadours and treasures plays the Fastnet Maritime and Folk Festival Ballydehob here is the man himself Andy Irvine with this classic “Banks of Newfoundland” taken from his album Abocurragh…..

Next here on Seascapes to Dublin Port Company where we recently met up with the Chief Executive Eamonn O'Reilly and talked about the current dredging of Dublin bay to facilitate the expansion of the Alexandra Basin Container Ferry and Cruise Liner traffic and his perspective on spoil being dumped at the Burford Bank and the Starboard Home Concert in the National Concert Hall as part of the 2016 Commemorations which is on next Wednesday and Thursday…….

Finally Seascapes talked with Eamonn O Reilly about the port’s dredging spoil which is deposited on The Burford Bank in Dublin Bay since the beginning of the last century……

Eamonn O Reilly Chief Executive of Dublin Port we’ll hear more about the brand new Dublin Port Company Seafarers Centre which houses the Mission to Seafarers and Stella Maris and we’ll also be talking to Dermot Desmond Ships visitor for the Mission to Seafarers…..if you are attending the Starboard Home concert we hope to see you there also they’ve added an extra night on Thursday next …. tickets on sale now www.nch.ie

Starboard Home Features new works by Paul Noonan, James Vincent McMorrow, Cathy Davey, Duke Special, Gemma Hayes, Jape, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Lisa O’Neill, Declan O’Rourke, John Sheahan Paul Cleary and novelist Caitriona Lally.

Royal Ulster Yacht Club are celebrating their 150th anniversary …
The first event of the 150th Anniversary celebrations for the Club will take place this weekend ……………The Randox Health Sigma 33 UK & Irish National Championships has attracted twenty boats from throughout the UK and Ireland. From Lough Swilly to Waterford, from the Clyde to Falmouth taking in Liverpool and the Isle of Man on the way. The visitors will join the local boats for three days of racing on the open waters of Belfast Lough.

On next Saturday 25th June there is to be an Anniversary Sail Past of all the competing boats and visitors from the other Club in Belfast Lough. This should be quite a sight with the old and the new processing past the RUYC Clubhouse along with . The Sail Past will commence at 12.00 midday and will be followed by the Club’s Annual Regatta supported by Templeton Robinson.

The fortnight of celebrations concludes on Friday 1st July with a gala dinner. The RUYC acknowledge the support of Ards and North Down Borough Council in running these special events.

“Well that’s all folks for this weekon the sound desk this week Niall O Sullivan ………….. next Friday night here on your maritime programme Seascapes we meet some Sail Training Ireland sail trainees aboard the brig “Morgenster” in Cork and Waterford and hear about their experiences at sea we talk to the Captain of the vessel Harry Muster and speak with the Chairman of Sail Training Ireland Seamus McLoughlin ………………….. we’ll have music from Fairport Convention with “A Sailor’s Life” and a report from the Volvo Round Ireland Yacht Race ….plus we visit the Seafarers Centre in the heart of Dublin Port all that and much more until next Friday night tight lines and fair sailing.”

Marcus Connaughton