The proposed National Watersports Campus for Dun Laoghaire has received a major boost in the form of a €410,000-plus top-up grant under the Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).

Sport Minister Catherine Martin and Minister of State Thomas Byrne made the announcement on Wednesday (6 December) of some €37.6 million in additional funding that will benefit 27 individual projects.

The new funding is being provided in response to delays experienced by grantees arising from the pandemic and construction inflation, following engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.

Dun Laoghaire’s planned watersports campus gets an additional €410,952 on top of its original €441,893 allocation under the LSSIF in 2020 to fund a feasibility study, for a total of €852,845.

In other watersport-related projects, the National Rowing Centre in Inniscarra, Co Cork receives a top-up of €66,562 after its initial allocation of €613,049.

The ministers have also confirmed that a new round of the LSSIF will open for applications in the first half of 2024.

And for the first time there be a requirement for all successful applicants to publish their Similar Access Policies, in respect of men and women having access to the facilities on similar terms, in order to be eligible for a “top-up” allocation drawdown.

A group of three Irish friends have joined together to write and produce a song honouring lifeboat volunteers throughout the RNLI, which they hope will raise vital funds and awareness of the work carried out by the charity that saves lives at sea.

Eamon O’Brien, Bill Shanley and Ed Jackson, known collectively as The Islands Project, wrote “The Shout” after being inspired seeing the work of lifeboat volunteers at home in Ireland and in the UK.

For Eamon O’Brien, originally from Cork but now living in Dublin, songwriting started as a pandemic project which quickly took hold and became a passion. He started writing lyrics in 2020 and when he met with Ed Jackson, sailing on the Shannon, he already had the idea for a song about the work of the RNLI.

Ed, a part-time musician from Mayo living in Dublin, and Eamon took their idea to well-known guitarist and music producer Bill Shanley of Cauldron Music, whose father was a friend of Eamon’s, and between the three of them, the lifeboat song “The Shout” was born.

Taking its inspiration from the term the lifeboat volunteers use for a search-and-rescue call-out, “The Shout” takes the listener on a journey around Ireland and the UK, name-checking many of the institutions’ lifeboat stations including Dun Laoghaire and Castletownbere in Ireland and Cowes, Cromer, Llandudno and Stornoway across the water.

The group launched the song at Dun Laoghaire lifeboat station in Dublin, which is not far from where Eamon lives. The lifeboat volunteers were due to go on their weekly training exercise and showed the group around the busy station. The crew were then presented with CD copies of the single before giving their seal of approval to the song.

Commenting on the project and his hopes for it, Eamon O’Brien said: “This has been a real labour of love. We are all involved with the water in some way, either through where we live or taking part in water-based activities. You see lifeboats in the water and you know they are there to go out when others are seeking shelter and returning to shore.

“The work the volunteers do is incredible and it is replicated at over 200 lifeboat stations throughout Ireland and the UK. Each man and woman is trained to the highest standard and is responsible for saving lives in some of the most challenging conditions.

“Conscious of the fact that 2024 is the 200th anniversary of the RNLI lifeboat service, I would love people who listen to this song to think about the incredible service the RNLI provides and consider donating to the charity to support their work.”

Speaking at the launch of the single, Dun Laoghaire RNLI coxswain Mark McGibney added: “We were delighted to welcome the group to our station to mark the release of ‘The Shout’. You can walk into any lifeboat station and the kit and the training is exactly the same. I’m very proud of our crew here, who give up so much of their time and never fail to turn up when the pagers go off. But it wouldn’t be possible without the support we get from the public and from our fundraisers.

“I hope that the song gives people a little bit of an insight into the work we do and that it helps raise some funds for the charity. Thank you so much to Eamon, Bill and Ed for writing this song — we hope everyone enjoys it.”

“The Shout” is available on all major music streaming platforms.

In July, a new classic boat/yacht parade is planned for Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

This event is being arranged in association with Dun Laoghaire's Coastival Festival, a week-long series of events and activities that culminates in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

"Classic" in this context is any vessel that was designed 50 or more years ago.

Sailing classes invited to participate include the iconic Dublin designs - Water Wags, Dublin Bay 21s, IDRA 14s, Mermaids, and Glens.

Other classic keelboats include Ruffians, Shipmans, Squibs, and Dragons, while there will be a number of classic dinghies, including Fireballs, Lasers and Wayfarers.

Sailing Instructions for the parade of classic sail will be issued in due course.

Further information is in the attached poster and available from Hal Sisk by email: [email protected]

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI lifeboat rescued a woman and her dog who became cut off from the shore by the incoming tide on Sunday afternoon (29 January) at Sandymount Strand on Dublin Bay.

The volunteer crew were alerted shortly after 3 pm by the Irish Coast Guard following a mobile phone call from the woman who was forced to stand her ground on a sandbank while the tide came in all around her and her dog.

The volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat within 10 minutes of receiving the call and arrived at the scene by 3.20 pm.

The lifeboat, helmed by Alan Keville and with two crew members onboard, immediately made its way to the scene. A westerly wind brought choppy sea conditions on the bay with waves of over one metre on the rising tide.

The walker and her dog were out for their beach stroll when they got into difficulty, and the tide came in across Sandymount Strand. Arriving on scene, the helm brought the inshore lifeboat to its minimum depth, and two volunteer RNLI crew Moselle Hogan and Andrew Sykes, waded the short distance to the sandbank and rescued the woman and her dog, bringing them safely aboard the lifeboat and onto the beach at Poolbeg where they were met by the Coast Guard.

Following the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Helm Alan Keville said: ‘We would like to commend the dog walker for doing the right thing by calling 999 and raising the alarm immediately. Time is always of the essence in these situations.

‘We would remind visitors to the coast to always be aware of local tide times before planning a walk. The tide comes in and out twice in each 24-hour period, and while tide times can be predicted, they can also vary at each location and change daily. A beach or coastal area may appear a safe place for a walk, but an incoming tide can quickly leave you stranded.’

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI lifeboat performed a medical evacuation in Dublin Bay last night after a man took ill onboard a ship.

The all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 8.50 pm by the Irish Coast Guard.

The lifeboat launched immediately under Coxswain Mark McGibney and with six crew members onboard.

Weather conditions at the time were good, with flat calm seas and a Force 1-2 wind.

Arriving on scene approximately three nautical miles from the lifeboat station, the crew observed the tanker anchored east of the harbour. The lifeboat came alongside the vessel, where the ship's crew dropped a pilot’s ladder to enable the sick man to walk down. The casualty was then transferred on to the lifeboat.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour RNLI lifeboat Coxswain Mark McGibney

Once inside the cabin, casualty care was administered, and the man was reassured as the lifeboat made its way back to Dun Laoghaire.

On arrival at the emergency berth, the casualty was transferred into the care of Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard and the National Ambulance Service and subsequently brought on to hospital for further treatment.

Speaking following the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI crew member Laura Jackson said: ‘Thankfully, the man was reasonably well on our arrival for him to walk off the ship and we were then able to provide him with the necessary casualty care and reassurance he needed as the lifeboat made the short passage back to the station. We would like to wish the man a speedy recovery and thank our own volunteers and our colleagues in both the Coast Guard and the ambulance service for their co-operation.’

The Coast Guard requested the Dun Laoghaire Harbour lifeboat crew to assist in the rescue of the Labrador who had slipped into the sea while out on a walk with her owners.

The crew were alerted shortly before 9 pm after the dog had paddled from where she fell in over to a ledge at the Baths. The lifeboat helmed by Nathan Burke and with three other crew members onboard.

It was a dark night with moderate visibility, a low sea temperature and a light swell on route, however, at the scene, the waves meant the approach to the dog was not straightforward.

The labrador, pictured left, stuck on the ledge at Dun Laoghaire Baths Photo: Barry O'Neill

Helm Nathan Burke said: ‘Navigating the lifeboat so close to the rocks was challenging, and we were spotting rocks almost everywhere beneath the swell. I decided to manoeuvre onto a rock shelf once I knew the Labrador was not a danger to anyone, and I requested one of the crew to go on to the ledge to rescue her.’

Navigating Dun Laoghaire's inshore lifeboat so close to the rocks at Dun Laoghaire Baths was challenging Photo: Barry O'Neill

The dog was shaken and distressed by her ordeal but quickly comforted and didn’t require medical treatment when brought ashore and into the care of her owners.

‘We were delighted to see the dog safe and well and reunite her with her owners. We would remind anyone walking their dog near the water’s edge to keep them on a lead to ensure not only the safety of the animal but the owner as well,’ Nathan added.

One of the lifeboat crew went on to the ledge to rescue the dog qt Dun Laoghaire Baths Photo: Barry O'Neill

‘Ahead of the festive season, when we know people will want to get out and enjoy the outdoors, we would encourage those on or near the sea to attend to their safety by carefully planning their intended activity. Check weather and tide times before venturing out and always carry a means of calling for help should you need to use it. Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.

There’s a small but sure glow of stardust in Dun Laoghaire Marina at the moment. Rugged stardust perhaps, but unmistakably genuine stardust nevertheless. The Norwegian gaff ketch Sandefjord, the quintessential Colin Archer-created rescue vessel of 1913 vintage which added ocean voyaging and global circumnavigation to her extraordinary life-path after she’d been retired from at-sea support and life-saving work for the national fishing fleet in 1935, is in port primarily to visit a legendary Dublin Bay seafarer who was on her crew when she sailed round the world in 1965-66.

Sandefjord is 15 metres (49ft) hull length and all boat, as her beam of 5 metres gives an unusually hefty 1/3 ratio. Her gaff rig is squat but powerful, while the scantlings of her hull construction are massive. Officially numbered R28 when built at Risor, she was the 28th redningsskoyte constructed for the Norwegian Lifeboat Society to Archer’s designs, and in 22 years of service was credited with saving 117 lives and guiding 258 vessels to safety, while also providing medical assistance as she was a miniature hospital ship.

Sandefjord sailing off Durban in February 1966 before departing on her world voyage

Colin Archer (1832-1921), the Norwegian naval architect and shipwright of Scottish descent, was widely renowned for his successful yachts of which our own Asgard (1905) is now the best-known. But his sailing lifeboats had such a special cachet that even before they were replaced by powered craft in the 1930s, many clients had commissioned cruising yachts based directly on the classic rescue boat hull.

Through several ownerships, Sandefjord inspired special thoughts – this was from the time of Tilly Penso of Capetown, who owned Sandefjord for more than twenty years until his death in 1961

Nevertheless there was something special about seafaring in a genuine retired Colin Archer lifeboat, and they gradually spread across the world. But after thousands of miles of ocean sailing, many ended up in distant places in an abandoned and deteriorating condition.

Tobias Revold, owner of Sandefjord. Nowadays in Norway, ownership of a Colin Archer rescue boat is regarded as a sacred mission. Photo: W M Nixon

Fortunately a movement for their eventually re-patriation to Norway for restoration and active preservation through busily sailing began to develop, but along the way there were many side adventures, and one such - starting in South Africa in Durban in the 1960s - involved Ireland’s Tim Magennis.

We looked at it in some depth on Afloat.ie in 2013 here when Tim was President of the Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association as they were in the throes of organising one of the main events in the international OGA’s Golden Jubilee.

Tim has since very deservedly become an OGA Honorary Member, but this month the circumnavigation he made with his shipmates 56 years ago has been released as a full-length documentary on Youtube 

You’re strongly advised not to watch it if the approaching prospect of an Irish Autumn and Winter seems somewhat gloomily over-powering. However, for those who can’t resist at least thinking of the South Sea escape, it’s a reminder of a time when we all thought the world was a dangerous Cold War-dominated place, and yet life seemed so much simpler, something to be lived to the fullest and very much in the present, with little thought for tomorrow.

Tim Magennis on Sandefjord in the South Pacific in 1966, “being Jack Nicholson before Jack Nicholson was fully formed”

Thus we find that in the South Pacific islands in 1966, our own much-loved Tim Magennis mutated into a sort of prototype of Hollywood superstar Jack Nicholson some years before the complete Jack Nicholson Tinseltown persona had been been created. Since then, Tim has gone on through many successful roles, and yesterday in Dun Laoghaire aboard Sandefjord he was right in character as patriarch, father, grandfather, friend to many and admired by all as someone who has lived at least ten lives, and enjoys it all as much as ever.

Tim Magennis in 2013 as President of the Dublin Bay Old gaffers Association at the time of the OGA Golden Jubilee celebrations. Photo: W M Nixon

Tim Magennis back on board Sandefjord in Dun Laoghaire this week. Photo: W M Nixon

Sandefjord in her restored form has been owned for some years now by Tobias Revold, and it was at the suggestion of Sean Cullen, the captain of Ireland’s national survey vessel and son of one of Tim’s shipmates on Sandefjord’s circumnavigation, that Sandefjord came for her first visit from Norway to Ireland.

Noted ship restorer Paddy Murphy of Renvyle with Sean Cullen

Sean himself has impeccable crewing credentials with the ship, as post-circumnavigation he sailed as a very youthful crewman when Sandefjord was voyaging from South Africa to her base for several years at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. But even so it took some serendipity to get it all together yesterday afternoon, yet it was clear something special was in the air at the entrance to Dun Laoghaire marina when the great Paddy Murphy of Renvyle in far Connemara, restorer of the legendary Manx nobby Aigh Vie and central to many other projects, arrived like me to pay our respects to a very special vessel and celebrate Tim Magennis’s links with her.

 The extensive flush deck was kept as clear as possible in the assumption that it would regularly be swept by heavily-breaking seas. Photo: W M Nixon

With the original tiller steering restored, the only concession to a cockpit is a tiny steering well which is deep enough for the helmsman to crouch down in some shelter if the ship is swept by a really big breaker. Photo: W M Nixon

Aboard, we found former Cruising Association of Ireland longtime former Commodore John Leahy already being bowled over by the Sandefjord presence, for that’s the effect this very special vessel has on anyone who can grasp just what she means. With all due respect to the many fine yachts based in Dun Laoghaire Marina, she makes them seem slightly frivolous.

Despite Sandefjord’s enormous carrying power, Colin Archer took considerable trouble to keep the weight out of the ends, and the heavy anchor chain was led aft……Photo: W M Nixon

…..to a powerful windlass aft of the mainmast, and then lowered into a chain-locker abeam of the mast. Photo: W M Nixon

Meanwhile, the sense of occasion was a-building towards the arrival of the Main Man. If you’re berthed on the furthest pontoon of Dun Laoghaire Marina, you’ve to walk for exactly one kilometre before you reach dry land. But though Sandefjord was berthed opposite the Irish Lights base and by no means as far away as she might have been, we of the osteo-arthritic brigade knew it was plenty far by the time we got there. However, Sean had thought of this for Tim, far and away the most senior of our brigade, and had organised a RIB to convey him from the marina gates to the scene of the action. Marina del Rey, how are you?

While Sandefjord is as authentic as possible above decks, some concessions to contemporary comfort have been made in her accommodation, but there are still signs of her original existence as a mini-Hospital Ship. Photo: W M Nixon

It turned out to be such a stylish mode of access that I couldn’t help but think of the arrival of herself in Antony & Cleopatra - “the barge she sat in, like a burnish’d throne…purple the sails etc etc…”. But you have to understand that for anyone with the slightest knowledge of the Sandefjord story, with its links to Colin Archer and thereby to Asgard and much else, we were all going through a charisma-filled experience which is going to take quite a bit of processing over the next few days.

Tobias Revold and his crew will be preparing Sandefjord for departure through Thursday (August 18th), so Dun Laoghaire’s time with The Presence is limited. But if you happen to see her in the meantime, she deserves a pause for thought and respect.

Sandefjord has real charisma, she deserves a pause for thought and respect. Photo: John Leahy

Dun Laoghaire RNLI had a busy afternoon on Sunday (7 August) with three separate callouts all within a matter of hours. They began with a missing child at the Forty Foot bathing place, followed by a yacht taking on water with a crew of two adults and five children, and finally, a speedboat with engine trouble and a family of six onboard at Salt Hill.

The volunteer crew were first alerted minutes before 1 pm by the Irish Coast Guard, that a child was missing and was last seen in the water by the group of swimmers with them. Thankfully, Dun Laoghaire RNLI, Rescue 116, and local Lifeguards were all stood down when it transpired that the boy had left the water unseen by his companions and appeared on shore ten minutes later. Raising the alarm when you suspect someone is in danger on or near the water is always the correct action to take.

The second callout came in at 5.10pm, for a 36ft yacht with a fouled propeller and no power, which was taking on water. Dun Laoghaire RNLI all-weather lifeboat under the command of Coxswain Mark McGibney with six crew members onboard, made its way to the scene, launching within ten minutes and arriving on scene at 5.30pm. On board the yacht were two adults and five children aged between 10 and 12, all wearing lifejackets and remaining calm. Weather conditions presented a gentle breeze with excellent visibility.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI all-weather lifeboat Coxswain Mark McGibney

When on scene, the Coxswain decided an immediate extraction of all casualties was the safest way to proceed, bringing the lifeboat alongside for the adults and children to come safely aboard the lifeboat, before the lifeboat crew tended to the yacht. A salvage pump from the lifeboat was brought aboard the yacht to assist the onboard bilge pump which was struggling to stem the flow of seawater. Positioning one adult crew member and a RNLI volunteer onboard the yacht, the lifeboat secured a towline and began the journey to shore where all seven casualties’ safety alighted.

Speaking following the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Coxswain Mark McGibney said: ‘We’re delighted we were able to secure the casualties safety within 25 minutes of the alarm being raised. I would encourage anyone setting out to ensure they are completely aware of the dangers of loose and unsecured ropes on deck, and further ensure that in the event of an emergency at sea, a VHF radio be the prime means of communication to the Coast Guard and lifeboat service due to the fact that we can use our radio direction finder as a means of homing in on a casualty’s position. A mobile phone should be a secondary means of communication.”

The third callout of the day came as the lifeboat were dealing with the 36ft yacht and was to a 17ft speedboat which had lost all power. The craft, with a family of six onboard, was unable to proceed and was drifting in the Salthill area. The speedboat owner raised the alarm by calling the Irish Coast Guard, and Dun Laoghaire RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched with volunteer Helm Alan Keville and two crew onboard. On arrival at scene, the Helm assessed the situation, and the crew quickly secured a towline to the speedboat, bringing the casualties safely ashore.

Speaking following the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Helm Alan Keville said: ‘It’s vital that no delay is made in raising the alarm when on board a vessel in trouble, early notice makes all the difference, as too does wearing appropriate lifejackets, which in this instance all casualties were thankfully doing.”

Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s volunteers rescued a dog after he fell off Dun Laoghaire’s eastern marina pier into the rocky breakwater below.

Thor’s owners were enjoying a sunny morning stroll on Thursday (24 March) when the five-year-old black labrador unexpectedly thundered headlong onto the rocks some metres below the walkway.

A bystander called 999 at 9.52am to raise the alarm and the inshore lifeboat, helmed by Gary Hayes and with three other crew members onboard, launched within five minutes.

Weather conditions at the time were good with plenty of sunshine and a calm sea.

Thor was quickly located by the lifeboat crew. However, as he had fallen into a small opening and was almost hidden beneath the rocks, and had injured his head, it made for a challenging extraction for the crew.

Once he was safely retrieved, the Dun Laoghaire RNLI crew brought Thor onboard the lifeboat before reuniting him with his delighted owners.

Speaking following the call out, Hayes said: “We were delighted to see Thor safely returned to his owners yesterday following his ordeal.

“We would remind anyone walking a dog at the coast to keep them on a lead if close to cliff edges, piers, and paths near the sea.

“If your pet does go into the water or gets stuck in mud, don’t go in after them but rather move to a place where you can safely get to and call them as they may be able to get out themselves.

“If you are worried that your pet may be in danger, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.”

Plans are in train for as many as 95 cruise liner calls to Dublin Bay in 2022, according to the Minister of State for international transport.

Hildegarde Naughton was responding to a Dáil question from Galway independent TD Noel Grealish regarding the continued suitability of Dublin Port for tourism traffic.

According to the minister, Dublin Port Company has taken bookings for 28 cruise ships in Dublin Port next year, with a further 67 anchoring in Dublin Bay and tendering into Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

“However, the actual cruise calls to be facilitated will depend on a decision on the resumption of cruise activity,” she said, underlining that such would be guided by any prevailing COVID-related restrictions.

The minister also noted that since the beginning of this year, Dublin Port has seen a “significant increase” in shipping services bypassing the UK land bridge post-Brexit.

“In Dublin Port, these direct services are using the cargo berths that were in the past used by cruise. It is clear that once cruise traffic recommences, Dublin Port will have reduced capacity for cruise ship visits in the coming seasons.

“However, there is spare capacity in other ports particularly with Cobh having a dedicated cruise berth in Ireland. This ideally places them as alternative options for the cruise industry and creates opportunities for tourism activities on a regional basis,” she added.