Displaying items by tag: Sir Ernest Shackleton

11th March 2016

Restoring Moonduster, Shackleton & More on RTE's Seascapes Podcast

An elegantly varnished hull with effortlessly powerful performance…. Moonduster off Cork in May 1981.

Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of your maritime programme Seascapes .....this week we hear about efforts afoot to assist in the restoration of “Moonduster”; we have the results of our recent competition for copies of Carsten Kriegers ‘ “This Is the Burren” courtesy of The Collins Press ; we talk to Donal Boland whom we met last weekend in Athlone whilst we were at The Dive Ireland Conference about a gathering in Lynches of Tullamore this weekend focussing on The Mid Shannon with a wide range of speakers; how the British Ambassador to Ireland HE Mr Dominick Chilcott earlier this week paid homage to Sir Ernest Shackleton and members of the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition and the Centenary of their return home with Tom Crean and our many maritime heroes celebrated by author Michael Smith who addressed the large gathering in the Ambassadors’ residence with descendants of the Shackleton and Crean families present, the Shackleton Mueseum in Athy and all branches of the forces including Chief of Staff of The Defence Forces – Vice Admiral Mark Mellett just returned from Mali..... ....first this week to last weekend’s Skipper Expo in Galway – Seascapes was there on Saturday where we met many regular listeners and contributors – one man whom I remember reading as a young boy was there, the veteran journalist and founding editor of The Skipper now in his eighties Arthur Reynolds had this to say....

Published in Seascapes

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Below the Surface Lecture: Sir Ernest Shackleton – a Family Perspective

#JEANIE LECTURES – Having started this month, the 'Below the Surface' series of six lectures is a celebration of Ireland's maritime heritage and archaeology. They are held on the first Wednesday of each month on board the replica 19th century barque Jeanie Johnston in Dublin Docklands. The next lecture on 5th December is about Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of Irelands greatest polar explorers.

The talk presented by historian and guide - Jonathan Shackleton will give a unique insight by delving into his family background of the polar explorer and for his reputation and growth in four expeditions to Antarctica.

Doors open at 7.15pm (lecture starts 8pm) and those attending will experience an intimate space ideal for maritime tales, oozing with seafaring ambience with the creaking sounds of the hull.

It is advisable to arrive early as entry to venue will not be possible upon commencement of the lecture venue. The emmigrant famine museum ship is berthed alongside Custom House Quay. To book online tickets costing €15 each, click the link HERE

Published in Boating Fixtures

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Liverpool’s Last Chance to See Shackleton

Visitors to the Merseyside Maritime Museum have just over a fortnight to view Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure! writes Jehan Ashmore.

The exhibition which has been running since last July, tells the epic story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition and the incredible real life tale of survival. For over two years, Shackleton and his men became castaways during their Antarctic ordeal.

Also featuring in the exhibition are 150 compelling images taken by the ships photograph, Frank Hurley who saved the negatives from perishing in the icy waters.

The Endurance exhibition ends on Sunday 27 February and admission is free. For further details logon to the National Liverpool Museums website here

Last year the Dublin Port Company named a new tug, Shackleton in honour of the Athy-born, polar explorer and a sister tug was named Beaufort after the Navan-born innovator, Sir Francis Beaufort.

To read about the tugs in their starring role in an advertisement made for the National Lottery last year click this link and to see the tugs in Making Magic mode click video

Published in Boating Fixtures

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.