Displaying items by tag: Mariners Church Dun Laoghaire

22nd March 2011

Lecture: 'The Kowloon Bridge & Her Sisters'

The Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.) hosts a Spring lecture series in Dublin city-centre. The next lecture is 'The Kowloon Bridge & Her Sisters' by Paddy Barry and is on this Thursday, 24 March starting at 8pm in the Stella Maris Seafarers' Club, Beresford Place.

The 89,438 tonnes dry-bulk carrier was left to founder at Staggs' Rocks (photo) off the scenic west Cork-coastline in 1986 which resulted in the pollution of those waters. Built in the 1970's by Swan Hunter, Haverton Hill, she measuered 294.13 x 44.19 x 25.01 metres and is the believed to be one of the largest wrecks in Europe. Her sisters were the Furness Bridge (photo) and Derbyshire.

The Stella Maris Seafarers' Club, Beresford Place, is located beside Busaras and faces opposite the rear of the Customs House. Nearby is the Irish Life Center (ILAC) which is convenient for car-parking and buses, the 'Red' Luas (Busaras stop) and DART stops at Connolly /Tara St. stations. All are welcome, bar and refreshments and a voluntary contribution is appreciated.

For further information about lectures and updates on the M.I.I's maritime museum located in the Mariners Church, Dun Laoghaire log on to www.mariner.ie. The museum which is due to reopen this year are looking for volunteers to help, for further details click here.

Published in Boating Fixtures

Tagged under

About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour