#INLAND WATERWAYS - A new study on the River Barrow and its environs recommends the development of "activity hubs, tourist trails and new angling and boat facilities", The Irish Times reports.

Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland commissioned the Barrow Corridor Recreational, Tourism and Commercial Identification Survey to find ways to exploit the area's "undeveloped potential" for tourism.

The survey covered the river itself as well as its estuary and the Barrow branch of the Grand Canal. Its findings pointed to a number of areas where development is already being actioned, such as in boating and cruising, nature and wildlife, and angling.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan, who launched the study in Carlow yesterday, hailed the co-operation of the agencies and county councils involved.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

#ISLAND NEWS - Cork County Council has set up a working group to examine the future of the Dursey Island Cable Car.

The group, established with the objective of securing the future sustainable operation of Ireland's only cable car – and the only sea-going cable car in Europe - had its first meeting on Friday 4 November.

The cable car between Dursey Island and Ballaghboy on the mainland is the main method of access to the island. It operates year round, weather permitting.

Featured in the working group are residents of the island and the local farming community, Comhar na nOileán, the Islands Division of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs, Fáilte Ireland, the Bere Island Projects group, West Cork Development Partnership and other island representation.

Cork County Council recently commissioned an expert engineering report on the Dursey Island Cable Car, which the group is now working from.

Take a trip on the Dursey Island Cable Car courtesy of YouTube:

World tourism bosses and cruise line operators will be headed to Galway next month for high-powered talks aimed at transforming the city into a global destination port.

The Connacht Sentinel reports that execuives from Fáilte Ireland, the Galway Harbour Company and Galway Chamber of Commerce will meet a delegation that will include Jamaica's head of tourism and some of the world's largest cruise line operators to discuss attracting business to the redeveloped port.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the proposed €200 million redevelopment of Galway Harbour - which will increase berthing space to accommodate cruise ships - has received approval to submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála.

Galway West Deputy Brian Walsh, who helped push forward the development plan and will also meet the delegation at the end of September, said that the Galway Harbour Company has set a target of 50 cruise ships a year - which could bring in an extra €40 million annually to the local economy.

The Connacht Sentinel has more on the story HERE.

Afloat.ie is looking forward to the results of a new survey on boating holidays in Ireland.

Fáilte Ireland is looking to hear from anyone who has recently enjoyed a boating holiday in Ireland to learn about their experiences, and identify if any improvements can be made.

Those who participate in the survey will also be entered into a draw for a €500 voucher towards a holiday in Ireland.

Visit www.discoverireland.ie/survey for more details.

Funding of more than €200,000 has been announced for new facilities at Lough Rynn in the hopes of bringing a major angling tourism boost to Co Leitrim.

The funding, allocated by Fáilte Ireland and announced by Roscommon/South Leitrim TD Frank Feighan, will provide new fishing pontoons on the lake, as well as a new rowing facility and upgrades to the existing caravan and camping site.

“I’m delighted to confirm this new funding, which will help to make our county even more attractive to tourists," said Depty Feighan. "Co Leitrim is already popular with visiting anglers but we are only just tapping into the potential. These new facilities will help to put us more firmly on the map."

The Leitrim Observer has more on the story HERE.

This weekend's Tall Ships Races in Waterford could bring in up to €35 million to the local economy, according to Fáilte Ireland.

Gerry Breen of Fáilte Ireland also told The Irish Times that the event would complement the new Viking Triangle development in the city, which is hoped to be a major tourist attraction.

Des Whelan, chairman of the Waterford Tall Ships Race 2011, said the official website had registered nearly 200,000 hits, and hotels in the city are almost completely booked out.

Opening the weekend's festivties this evening are a fashion show on board the Russian sailing ship Mir, and a special concert by Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry.

The first of three impressive fireworks displays will also light up Waterford's skies at 10.30pm tonight.

Dublin Bay it set to burst alive with 'joie de vivre' during the only foreign stopover in the world-famous Solitaire du Figaro yacht race.

Dun Laoghaire will be the only international stop in the race, considered the unofficial world offshore solo championship, between 11 and 14 August.

To celebrate the visit of the iconic 3,390km race, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (dlrcoco), the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company and the National Yacht Club have joined forces to create the Festival des Bateaux.

The harbour will be a magnificent tapestry of colour as the boats arrive for this international event. Dun Laoghaire will be resplendent with fireworks, music and the sights, sounds, foods and ‘joie de vivre’ of France.

How Dun Laoghaire will look in August

Fireworks will light up the sky at 10pm on Friday 12 August. There will also be a festival village with public access to visiting boats, a colourful and authentic French market and exhibition, a festival stage at Harbour Plaza and activities throughout Dun Laoghaire, not to mention a spectacular farewell as the boats depart early on Sunday 14 August.

Meanwhile, plans to berth the 45 or so competitors expected are well underway, according to the National Yacht Club.

Funding was secured between dlrcoco and Fáilte Ireland, and the tender for the supply and delivery of 18x11.5m pontoons and associated service bollards was won by McNiven Marine, Irish agents for Ronautica Marine.

The gangway contract was secured by Tynes Gangway, and the last contract for the installation and de-commissioning of the infrastructure is currently underway.

Developing marinas on the Cork coastline is a top priority for county manager Martin Riordan.

Speaking to the Evening Echo recently, Riordan outlined plans to exploit tourism for job creation, focusing on Cork Harbour and the county's 680 miles of coastline.

"We need to develop a honey pot around Cork Harbour," he said. "An in terms of marinas, there is scope for another two or three marinas aroind the coast."

Riordan pinpointed Youghal and Schull as two preferred locations.

"I think Fáilte Ireland shoud be giving funding to get one or two of these marinas started," he added, noting that Cork County Council was prepared to provide council-owned land for the projects.

"If we could get another three marinas in the next four or fives years it would make a big difference to tourism," he said.

4NI reports that tenders have already been invited for a hotel and berthing area in Youghal.

Waterford's business and tourism leaders have demanded "fair pricing" in the city during the Tall Ships Races this summer, The Irish Times reports.

Reports have circulated that local hotels and other businesses were planning to raise their prices for the half-million visitors expected to descend upon the south coast city at the end of June.

But Fáilte Ireland, Waterford Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Mary Roche are backing a fair-price initiative, urging the city's many shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and tourist attractions to offer value for money.

Mayor Roche said the hosting of the Tall Ships Races was "a priceless opportunity" to showcase Waterford on an international stage.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Dublin Port last year had 88 cruisecalls and this number of vessels is to be closely repeated in 2011. One of the calls will be Princess Cruises 3,100 passenger Grand Princess. This was the first cruiseship of over 100,000grt to dock at Dublin which arrived on 31 August 2004 (click for photo on the day) and to read more about the cruiseship industry in Ireland from the IMDO click here.

Outside the capital the following vessels outlined are the first cruiseships to call at other ports in April. The season runs to September, though in recent years occasional calls are still made up to November.

The first cruise-caller at Waterford is Quark Expeditions adventure exploration vessel Ocean Nova. At only 2,118 tonnes the diminutive vessel is only 73m long and equally has the same number of passengers and a crew of 38.

Built in 1992 the polar adventure vessel has an ice-strengthened hull to enable the exploration of the icy waters of Greenland, the Weddell Sea and the Antarctic. A pair of Zodiac craft are provided for shore-landings.

The hosting of the Waterford Tall Ships Race Festival has led to funding of €1.7m from Failte Ireland to upgrade the city-centre's Frank Cassin Wharf. This will allow the large 'A' class tallships to berth and will be a lasting legacy of the festival. The wharf will then be used to berth cruiseships and other marine users. In total the crystal city is to welcome 12 callers to include the Crystal Serenity in July.

Cork is set to welcome 54 cruisecalls to include the return of the Cunard Line's 90,000grt Queen Victoria which made her first call to Cobh last year. The 2007 built vessel has a guest capacity for 2,000. The Cunard flagship Queen Mary is scheduled mid-September.

The deepwater berth at Cobh Cruise Terminal is capable of handling some of the largest cruiseships and which will see the return of the 122,000grt Celebrity Eclipse also in April.

Celebrity Eclipse made her maiden cruise and port of call to Cobh last year following her high profile repatriation voyage from Spain with stranded UK tourists arising from the fallout of the Icelandic volcanic ash-cloud. The 2,850 passenger €500m cruiseship which made an overnight call at Cobh during the May Bank holiday weekend.

From the south to the north at Belfast, the port's first caller on 24 April is the Ocean Nova which makes another appearance on the Irish cruiseship scene.

Belfast Harbour Commissioners have developed the 1km long Stormont Wharf to attract increasingly larger cruiseships to the city. The Ocean Nova's visit will mark over a dozen years since the first cruiseship docked in the northern capital.

In 2011 Belfast is scheduled to accommodate 30 cruise-calls bringing over 50,000 passengers to the city and surrounding environs.