Historic Boats
After the near gale force racing conditions and white-knuckle sailing experience of 2017, this year’s IDRA 14 Nationals held at Carlingford Sailing Club 9th–11th August proved a more nuanced and tactical racing experience for the 15 boats that competed over…
Tender To Renovate Restored Grand Canal Barge As Office Space For Silicon Docks
25th August 2018 Historic Boats
#HistoricBoats - Waterways Ireland is seeking tenders to restore a legacy canal barge as an office space for Dublin’s Silicon Docks. According to the tender document, Waterways Ireland intends to clean out the vessel, further inspect its structural condition and…
The Chairman of the Galway Hookers Association says that these iconic boats deserve support to ensure their future as part of Ireland’s maritime heritage. Dr.Michael Brogan told me in an interview which you can hear on this week’s Podcast (below):…
The historic 45ft ketch Aigh Vie, built in the Isle of Man in 1916 as an anonymous gift for a fishing skipper who had saved many lives after the sinking of the Transatlantic liner Lusitania in May 1915, is now…
There is a new World Champion following the running of the Crosbie Cup / Heir Island Sloop World Championships in Baltimore Harbour in West Cork at the weekend. David Townend having achieved four race wins and two seconds secured the…
Arklow Sea Scouts & Sailing Club Celebrate Veteran Maybird’s Round Ireland Race Achievement
26th July 2018 Historic Boats
The many strands of Arklow’s maritime life, and its seafaring and boat-building traditions, have been getting together this week to celebrate the achievement of Darryl Hughes’ veteran ketch Maybird writes W M Nixon. Last week, the 1937-vintage Arklow-built Maybird became…
Lough Neagh Stages the Atlantic Challenge, an International Contest of Seamanship
19th July 2018 Historic Boats
11 International teams will make Antrim their home for the International Contest of Seamanship tomorrow. As Afloat.ie reported previously in March, 200 young people from USA, Russia, St Petersburg, Belgium, Ghent, GB, Ireland, Quebec, France, Denmark, Canada and Northern Ireland…
Anthony O’Leary’s 50ft 'Northele' Brings Rare & Classic Style to Crosshaven
18th July 2018 Historic Boats
If you were putting together a pub quiz about classic yachts, “Who was Sandy Balfour?” would be a very handy question to get the elementary section going writes W M Nixon. Dyed-in-the-wool classics aficionados would roll their eyes in amusement…
Naomh Éanna: Former CIÉ Ferry Cargoship to be Turned into €6.6m Luxury Hotel
6th July 2018 Historic Boats
#HistoricBoats - Former ferry cargoship that CIÉ serviced the Aran Islands will writes The Irish Times become home to luxury five-star accommodation berthed at Dublin’s Custom House Quay as its owners plan a significant investment. The Naomh Eanna, acquired by…
There's only four weeks to go until the 2018 Glandore Classic Summer School (21/22 July) which promises to be another excellent event writes organiser Cormac O'Carroll. We hosted the first Summer school in 1992 and this event has been running biennially…
There’s an informal international network of wooden boat adherents - both classic and traditional - which has found in Ireland an increasingly useful source of recognised designs of intriguing boat types to provide many building challenges for skilled craftsmen and…
Today's Crosshaven Traditional Sail pursuit race attracted all types of plus keelboats for a harbour pursuit race, just part of this weekend's line up of attractions in Cork Harbour this weekend. Today's start, at 2pm off ‘the Grassy,’ is a traditional sail race starting point…
Heritage Steamship in the UK Awarded 2018 Regional Flagship for National Historic Fleet
9th June 2018 Historic Boats
#HistoricBoats - Volunteers on the UK heritage steamship, SS Shieldhall, are celebrating having received one of the highest accolades from a national organisation. The Southampton-based vessel has been chosen as the 2018 regional flagship for the National Historic Fleet. (Click…
Historic ketch Ilen Motors Down the Ilen River for Her Celebratory Launch (VIDEO)
5th June 2018 Ilen
A video, by Paul Fuller, features the restored historic ketch Ilen motoring down the Ilen River towards Baltimore for her celebratory launch last week at the Wooden Boat Festival in the West Cork town. Conor O'Brien's famous traditional vessel, that has been faithfully…
On Saturday I was at the relaunch of the Ilen at the Wooden Boats Festival in Baltimore, West Cork. It was a special occasion, one of emotion and memories, but also pride in what determined people can achieve. I have…
Historic Restored Ketch Ilen Returns to Baltimore, Her Birthplace of 92 years Ago
29th May 2018 Ilen
In 1926, Tom Moynihan and his shipwrights on the waterfront in Baltimore built the 56ft ketch trading Ilen to Conor O’Brien's designs at their boatyard in the heart of the West Cork fishing village writes WM Nixon. However, Baltimore nowadays…
