#Redwater – ‘Redwater’ the BBC Studios in association with RTE produced drama spin-off of Eastenders, mostly shot in Dunmore East, Waterford, is home to a fishing fleet and likewise of Wicklow Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The east-coast port of Wicklow is where this morning is docked the distinctive red-hulled cargoship, Ceg Cosmos (1983/1,139gt). Only last night the small sixty metre long ship which is a regular to the port had sailed from Scotland loaded with felled trees. In the trade, such cargo is referred as ‘round’ timber.

This is a major trade for Wicklow Port that also imports packaged sawn timber for the housing / construction industry. On a related note the farmhouse featured in ‘Redwater’, used an inland location from Wicklow, where the River Vartry flows through the port and that is close to Roundwood, one of the highest villages in Ireland. The village at an altitude of 238m (781ft) above sea level is a gateway to the Wicklow Mountains.

To the east of Roundwood is where the Vartry fed-reservoir, a feat of Victorian engineering featured in the Bradshaw guide led BBC series of Micheal Portillo’s ‘Great Railways Journeys’ on Irish Railways. Among the railway lines included in this recent return of the series to Ireland was the Wexford (Rosslare Europort)-Dublin service. On this line a railway bridge crosses the Vartry that follows into the Broadlough Estuary. This borders The Murrough, north of Wicklow Port to where timber storage warehouses are located.

The river continues through Wicklow Port to finally enter the Irish Sea. Just two miles south of the town, the crew and cast of Redwater also filmed beach scenes at Magheramore Strand. 

The Ceg Cosmos flies the UK Red Ensign or Red ‘Duster’ as it also known and which is the case of Wicklow where the cargoship normally trades from Scottish ports of Corpach, Holylock and Sandbank. The latter port been the previous call. Also berthed in Wicklow today at the East Pier is the gaff-rigged Maybe that sailed from Belfast.

'Working' the Wicklow Way

In recent weeks Ceg Cosmos, however had crossed the Irish Sea but from the English north-west port of Workington. The above photo shows the Gibraltar registered Ceg Cosmos in Wicklow having called from the Cumbrian port.

Asides commercial shipping the Irish port as mentioned has a fishing fleet, and also seen are empty fish boxes stacked high on the South Quay. Most of the fleet are small inshore craft, though on occasion larger beam-trawlers make an appearance. An example, Briget Carmel which featured in one of 'The Angelus' slots broadcast on RTE.

Upon closer examination of these fish boxes, Afloat has identified a firm based in Waterford where the fictitious town of ‘Redwater’ is alas the scenic village of Dunmore East. In addition the boxes included those from fishing co-ops stretching from Castletownbere in west Cork to as far north to Lough Foyle, Donegal. 

One box that clearly stood out was a Dorset fish company based in Poole. Also a ferryport located on the English south coast.