#MARTIME MUSEUM AT EASTER - Earlier this week Dun Laoghaire's maritime museum re-opened its doors to the public after a €4m renovation project was carried out on the apt venue of the former Mariners Church, which incidentally closed on this Easter Day forty years ago, writes Jehan Ashmore.

With a new lease of life the extensively renovated and upgraded museum can look forward to a future. Visitors enter the museum at a new entrance, where in the reception foyer there is a souvenir shop, beyond that in the main body or nave are exhibits displayed, each telling a story and for children there is a Knott Station. To view the initial exhibits on display, click HERE.

In addition there is new facility in the form of a café, which was much needed and where two new stained -glass windows by Peadar Lamb feature, they were sponsored by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. As for the original stained-class windows they were restored to their full glory.

The renovation began in 2006 and was funded by the Government which led to a three-phrased project that involved work carried out from the re-roofing right down to the floorboards. Walls were re-plastered, electric systems modernised and wheel chair-lift and ramps installed.

Work also took place to clean the exterior of the stone-cut granite building hewn from Dalkey Quarry and which led to the consecration of the Kingstown Episcopalian Mariners Church in 1843.

After many generations of mariners and their families, parish numbers dwindled and its use as place worship ended on Easter Sunday 1972. The Maritime Institute of Ireland which runs the museum relocated two years later having had a smaller museum sited along the town's harbour waterfront.

For the next three decades the museum which has attracted locals and visitors from home and overseas, eventually had to close due to deteriorating conditions of an aging building.

Now that the museum is up and running, the M.I.I. which is staffed by volunteers has in recent years also had the support of a FAS scheme of workers, which according to the institute have been invaluable.

The museum is open 11am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday and every Bank Holiday, for further information visit: www.mariner.ie

#TITANIC – The Maritime Institute of Ireland is to host a musical tribute and illustrated talk to mark the centenary of the Titanic shipping disaster. The evening event (starting at 8pm) is to be held on Thursday 12th April in the Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire.

The musical tribute will be led by uillinn piper Eamon Galdubh – similar music to that played in the 2nd and 3rd class compartments on the Titanic. The illustrated talk will be presented by well-known deep sea diver Rory Golden, the first Irishman to see the wreck of the Titanic. He was also the first person to touch the ship's wheel since the ship's Captain did in 1912.

Tickets for the event are available at €10 each (concessions €5) from Costello Jewellers, 1 Northumberland Avenue, Dun Laoghaire. In addition tickets can be purchased from the museum which is to reopen to the public next week on Tuesday 3rd April. For more visit www.mariner.ie

#NAVAL VISIT – A sistership of the French Naval patrol vessel that performed 'guardship' duties during last year's La Solitaire du Figaro Race to Dun Laoghaire (click HERE), is due to dock in Dublin Port in advance of St. Patrick's weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.

PSP Pluvier (P678) is a 54m offshore patrol vessel (OPV) that belongs to a trio of the'Flamant' class, the remaining pair are the leadship PSP Flamant (P676) and PSP Cormoran (P677). The latter OPV escorted the race fleet on the second leg between Ouistreham (Caen) to Dun Laoghaire, the only international port of call of the prestigious race.

The naval visitor is the last of the sisters built and was constructed in Cherbourg at Chantier des Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN). She entered service in 1997 and carries out patrols in seas up to 200 nautical miles offshore of the French économique exclusive zone (ZEE).

She is scheduled to arrive on Thursday afternoon and berth at Sir John Rogersons Quay, downriver from the Samuel Beckett swing-bridge.

#FERRY NEWS-A month from today sees the resumption of fast-ferry sailings on the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead route, operated by Stena Line's HSS Stena Explorer, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 120 minute central-corridor route closed in mid-September due to consistent high operating costs in recent years. This led to the withdrawal of the fuel-thirsty HSS craft which is powered by four gas-turbine engines.

In addition most of the route's turnover was generated in the high season months, leaving the remaining months unsustainable. As such the company decided to make the service as a seasonal-only operation. To read a previous report of the closure click HERE.

The ending of the year-round-service was the first major break to the route since the introduction of the pioneering HSS Stena Explorer in 1996 which in turn had replaced conventional tonnage. The Finnish built craft was the first of a trio of sisters commissioned for Stena Line and only this vessel remains in service for the operator.

Also operating on the route in recent years was the smaller fast-ferry craft Stena Lynx III which had served several high and low seasons, though she  will not be joining her larger fleetmate. The Tasmanian built Incat fastcraft was sold last year to South Korean interests as previously reported on Afloat. ie

Meanwhile the company's Dublin-Holyhead route is maintained by conventional tonnage vessels, Stena Adventurer and Stena Nordica which operate the 3 hour 15 minute service.

#FORMER IRISH LIGHTS TENDER -With the Guardian 8 preparing to set sail from her builders homeport of Arklow this month, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, her owners Gardline Marine Services also operate a former Commissioners of Irish Lights tender, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Great Yarmouth based company operate a multi-purpose fleet which includes the survey vessel Ocean Seeker (PHOTO). She was a familiar sight as the ILV Granuaile (1970/1,943grt) while serving for three decades from the Irish Lights marine depot in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Built by Fergusan Brothers of Port Glasgow, she was the last traditional tender for CIL in that her working deck was positioned forward. Apart from the short career of the Gray Seal, the 2000 built successor ILV Granuaile (the third to carry the name of the Mayo pirate queen) was the first custom built tender for CIL to introduce a radical design with an aft end work deck.

#TITANIC-The Maritime Institute of Ireland is to hold a 'Titanic Centenary' event in their maritime museum, Dun Laoghaire on Thursday 12th April (starting at 8pm) noting doors open from 7.30pm.

The first Irish diver to see the wreck from a Russian MIR submersible, Rory Golden will provide an illustrated talk on the latest revelations through an audio-visual presentation. Golden's first Titanic experience was on an expedition in 2000, which yielded hundreds of artefacts.

To ensure a place of the ticketed event, bookings can be made from Linda from the maritime museum's shop Tel: 01 214 3964 (on the top floor of the Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre) as the museum itself is not due to re-open until early April as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Alternatively tickets can be booked at Costello Jewellers, 1 Northumberland Avenue, Dun Laoghaire Tel: 01 230 2311 (messages) and Barney Yourell, Lectures Officer of the institute by calling Mob: 087 900 7466. Tickets cost €10 each and concessions for senior citizens and unwaged etc are priced at €5. For further information contact Mob: 086 074 5402 and by visiting www.mariner.ie

#MARITIME LECTURE - This 'Thursday's Night Talk' organised by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) is entitled 'Round Ireland 2011 Over Two Months'. Tomorrow's talk starts at 8pm and is to be presented by Gary Owens.

None members are also welcome to attend the winter lecture talks, held on Thursdays which will continue until April, noting the theme of the talks are not exclusively marine orientated. For further information Tel: 280 1371 and by visiting www.dmyc.ie

The DMYC is situated on the West Pier, close to Salthill and Monkstown DART station and car-parking is available beside the premises and also at the nearby Coal Harbour.

#DUBLIN BAY NEWS - The annual St Patrick's Day Harbour2Harbour Walk in aid of mental health charity Aware is just a few weeks away.

The 16.2 mile walk around Dublin Bay begins at 10.30am on Saturday 17 March, taking around five hours to complete, and it's your choice whether you begin at Howth Harbour and walk to Dun Laoghaire Harbour or vice versa.

Organisers describe the event as "a great day out for family, friends and individuals, all of whom get a great sense of achievement and a great view of Dublin Bay."

Of course the main aim of the day is to raise funds for Aware, and once registered to take part you will receive a fundraising pack containing letters, information, maps and sponsorship cards. You can also set up your own fundraising page on MyCharity.ie.

The registration fee is €15 per individual or €25 for a group of 2 (children under 16 are free). Advance online registration is now available at the Aware website HERE. Late registration will be available on the morning of the walk itself.

Volunteers are also required to help with late registration on the morning of the walk and act as stewards at various points along the route. If you can help please call 01 661 7211 or e-mail [email protected].

More information about the day can be found at Aware's Harbour2Harbour webpage HERE.

#MARITIME LECTURES – This weeks 'Thursday' Night Talk organised by the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) is indeed about the very strange tale of the "Ouzel Galley".

Not many folk are aware that Dublin had its own maritime mystery that ranks with the Marie (Mary) Celeste saga.

In 1625 the Ouzel Galley sailed out the River Liffey bound for Mediterranean waters. After an absence of five years she returned battered and bruised confounding locals who had presumed she was lost with all hands.

It was not the unexpected return that caused excitement at the time but the contents of her hold!...Tim Magennis shall reveal more of  this extraordinary story on the evening starting at 8pm.

Thursday's (9th February) talk is part of a winter series held at the DMYC and is open to non members who are most welcome. The club located on the West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Harbour is close to Salthill DART station. To contact the club Tel: 280 1371 and visit www.dmyc.ie

#MARINERS WITH MEMORIES – At the weekend representatives of the maritime community, relatives and visitors alike attended a screening of the 'Mariners with Memories' ceremony, which was shown in the Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire.

The ceremony which took place in Bray Harbour last July, is unique in that it recognises to all those lost to sea throughout the world and especially to those whose grave is the sea.

Shot by Colm Fynes, the film documented the day's proceedings with tributes made at the Co. Wicklow harbour and the flotilla that followed with floral tributes carried out close to the shore.

Captain Tony O'Grady who organised the Mariners with Memories ceremony, thanked all those to the museum and the support of the Maritime Institute of Ireland, whose newly renovated museum was a particularly apt venue, being the former Mariners Church.

Some of the relatives who attended the memorial event in Bray were also at the Dun Laoghaire screening and where they gave moving tributes to loved ones.

Commenting on the poignancy of the screening, Captain O'Grady referred to the on-going tragic events in Glandore Harbour and off the Italian island of Giglio.

He added that those involved in the various services off the West Cork fishing harbour would of liked to have attended but given the circumstances, all the resources were required at the scene.

It is hoped that following the inaugural ceremony, that Mariners with Memories will become an annually held event and the close relationship with the museum continues.

The museum which was especially opened for the screening will remain closed throughout the winter months though is open on an invitation only basis. Officially the museum is due to re-open this Easter, to keep posted of further developments visit www.mariner.ie