The Lord Mayor of Dublin and Admiral of Dublin Port, Cllr. Emer Costello, today performed the 522 year old "Casting of the Spear" ceremony at Dublin Port.

The "Casting of the Spear" dates as far back as 1488 when the then Lord Mayor, Thomas Mayler set out on his horse to ride the city's boundaries. Historical records show that he rode out onto the strand as far as a man might ride and from there he cast a spear into the sea. At that time, casting the spear demonstrated the extent of the city boundaries eastwards. From that day onwards each year the Lord Mayor of Dublin re-enacts this medieval ceremony.

The ceremony was re-enacted this morning when the Lord Mayor travelled out into Dublin Bay onboard a Dublin Port tug boat and launched a spear deep into Dublin Bay's cold waters, and once again marked the position of the city boundaries eastwards.

Dublin Port, as an organisation, has a long and remarkable history also, dating back over 300 years. There have been many famous moments and famous visitors in that time.

Captain William Bligh (of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame) has left a lasting legacy on the port and city. Bligh conducted a study of the tidal flows in Dublin Bay, which led to the construction of the Great South Wall. This construction has resulted in the formation of the present Bull Island, which did not exist in 1800. This amenity is now home to among other amenities two golf courses and an internationally renowned bird sanctuary.

Another interesting historical link with Dublin Port is the tale of the 'Ouzel Galley', an Irish merchant ship that set sail from Dublin Port in 1695. After failing to return for three years it was presumed lost at sea. In 1698 a panel comprising the city's most eminent merchants was set up to settle the question of insurance. The panel's ruling was that the ship had indeed been lost and that its owners and insurers should receive their due compensation. The galley's complement of thirty-seven crew and three officers were declared dead and the insurance was paid out.

However, after a further two years had elapsed, she mysteriously reappeared with her full complement of crew and a valuable cargo of spices and exotic goods. By this stage the insurance had been paid out on the in some cases the 'widows' of the sailors 'lost' at sea had remarried!
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the tradition of 'Casting the Spear' Lord Mayor of Dublin and Admiral of its Port, Cllr. Emer Costello, said: "It's a tremendous honour, as admiral of Dublin Port, to take part in such a treasured, time-honoured local tradition. Over the course of the last 500 years, Dublin Port has played an instrumental role in the development of our capital city. Having Ireland's biggest port so close to the city, in the heart of our capital, adds a great competitive advantage. As a gateway to European and international markets, Dublin Port continues to play a central role in supporting the country's return to economic growth".

Responding to the Admiral of the Port, Dublin Port Company Chief Executive Mr. Enda Connellan said: "Dublin Port is immensely proud of its heritage, its long links with the City and the contribution it has played in the life of this city and country. This ceremony reminds us of where Ireland's largest city has come from over the last 500 years and how the port has played its role in its development, facilitating €35 billion of trade per year and supporting 4,000 real jobs."

Sea Kayaks were the only things moving on Dublin Bay last night as Dublin Bay Sailing Club cancelled Thursday evening's Club race due to lack of wind.

Afloat.ie reported on the Sigma 33 National Championships earlier in the week and now the class association has provided extra details of the ten race series.The format of the event consisted of ten races with 1 discard   Included in the ten races series were 2 double points races at race 7 and race 10.  There were fourteen entries from six clubs including 3 entries from Northern Ireland and one entry from Kinsale.

The racing was very competitive which was demonstrated by the fact that there were five different boats  winning races. The event was wide open to the last race when ‘Tim Goodbody’ in “White Mischief “ from the Royal Irish produced his third 2^nd of the day on Sunday in the last race ( a double points race ) to clinch victory by seven points from a visiting yacht ‘Seahawk’ sailed by ‘Clem Mc Elligott’ from Kinsale.  In third place, with an excellent performance was ‘Rupert’ Paddy Varian and Dick Lovegrove  from the Royal St. George.

All told, competitors were delighted with the weekend and in particular had great praise for the quality of race management under Peter Craig who provided excellent courses in the ten race series.

Dublin bay's Sutton Dinghy Club is staging its first annual sponsored Sail between 3-6pm on 3rd July, a fundraising venture for a new rescue boat. The sail will follow a 10km route from the Dinghy Club down the creek to Dinghy Supplies on the Dublin Rd. More details on our forum here.

Keith Poole's 'The Gruffalo' made the most of the fact that several of the top Flying Fifteens were sailing the Northern Championships on the Ards Peninsula this weekend when he took a first and second in today's Dublin Bay Sailing Club races. Frank Burgess in Snow White Beat Grufalo in Race one but Poole struck bac k later in the afternoon to win from Tom Leonard's Mellifluence in the second race. Full results for June 12th Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results below:

DUBLIN PORT Dublin Bay Sailing Club Results for 12 JUNE 2010                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
BENETEAU 31.7 - ECHO 1. Legally Blonde (C.Drohan/P.Egan), 2. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 3. Flying Machine (Conor O'Gallagher)                  
                                                                                                                                                     
BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Legally Blonde (C.Drohan/P.Egan), 2. Thirty Something (Gerry Jones et al), 3. Flying Machine (Conor O'Gallagher)                  
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 0 - ECHO 1. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 2. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 3. WOW (George Sisk)                                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 0 - 1. Lively Lady (Derek Martin), 2. WOW (George Sisk), 3. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell)                                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 1 - 1. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al), 2. Powder Monkey (C.Moore/M.Byrne), 3. Xtravagance (Colin Byrne)                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 1 - 1. Powder Monkey (C.Moore/M.Byrne), 2. Jetstream (Peter Redden), 3. Jalapeno (Dermod Baker et al)                                       
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke), 2. Dick Dastardly (B.Cusack et al), 3. Red Rhum (J Nicholson)                                        
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 2 - ECHO 1. Kamikaze (P.Nash/B.McIntyre), 2. Red Rhum (J Nicholson), 3. Jawesome 11 (V.Kennedy/M.Dyke)                                           
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 3 - ECHO 1. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle), 2. Carrabeg (D.Martin/R.Deasy), 3. Pamafe (Michael Costello)                                          
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 3 - 1. Two Step (Ross Doyle), 2. Asterix (J.Counihan/F.Meredith), 3. Papytoo (M.Walsh/F.Guilfoyle)                                          
                                                                                                                                                     
CRUISERS 4 - 1. Rascal (K.Burke/S.Milner), 2. Ghrazel (Charles Pearson), 3. Maranda (Myles Kelly)                                                    
                                                                                                                                                     
DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al), 3. Zu (P.Dee et al)                                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
DRAGON – Race 2 1. Zu (P.Dee et al), 2. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 3. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al)                                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
FIREBALL - 1. Goodness Gracious (Louise McKenna), 2. Incubus (S Oram)                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                     
FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Snow White (Frank Burgess), 2. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 3. Gekko (S & P Nolan)                                                
                                                                                                                                                     
FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole), 2. Mellifluence (Tom Leonard), 3. Snow White (Frank Burgess)                                         
                                                                                                                                                     
GLEN - 1. Glendun (B.Denham et al), 2. Glenshesk (L.Faulkner et al), 3. Glenluce (D & R O'Connor)                                                    
                                                                                                                                                     
IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 2. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan)                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                     
IDRA 14 FOOT - 1. Sapphire (Lorcan O'Sullivan), 2. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton)                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                     
MERMAID - 1. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan)                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                     
MERMAID - 1. Lively Lady (G O'Neill & M Hanney), 2. Jill (P.Smith/P.Mangan), 3. Tijuana (David Creedon)                                              
                                                                                                                                                     
SHIPMAN - 1. Kelema (N.Blake/Z.Grace), 2. Euphanzel lll (Louis McSherry et al), 3. Ruadh (J.O'Connor/J.O'Callaghan)                                  
                                                                                                                                                     
SQUIB - 1. Buzz Lite (G.O'Connor/B.Foster), 2. Lola (Frank Whelan), 3. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans)                                                     
                                                                                                                                                     
SQUIB - 1. Lola (Frank Whelan), 2. Ladybird (M.Muldoon/B.Stevens), 3. Anemos (Pete & Ann Evans)                                                      
                                                                                                                                                     
WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - ECHO 1. Finnegans Wake (T.Rowlands et al), 2. Afternoon Delight (Michael Bennett et al), 3. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney)         
                                                                                                                                                     
WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Windshift (R O'Flynn et al), 2. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al), 3. The Great Escape (P & D Rigney)

The Dublin Bay Sailing Club Commodore's yacht Gringo was the Class one winner of Saturday's Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club Regatta.Tony Fox beat John Hall's Something Else for the top result on IRC handicap.No results are available for Class Zero yet according to the DMYC website.  The regatta was sailed in 8-10 knot southerly winds and the event replaced the normal Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) Saturday race. Other class results from the event are published here.

A 670-foot cruise liner, one of the most luxurious in the world, arrived in Dublin Port this morning. The six star Seven Seas Voyager is the world's second all-suite, all-balcony ship and the second to feature a restaurant operated by Le Cordon Bleu of Paris, following sister ship Seven Seas Mariner. There are four main dining venues, surprising for a ship her size. The ship sailed from Belfast overnight. More details here.

Cruiser Racer visitors to Dublin for this weekend's Cruiser Nationals aren't the only ones to be put off by Dublin's Bay foul smells it appears. Residents in Dublin have in recent days reported sewage like odours in the north and south of the bay. The smell is reported as far inland as Stillorgan. Diggers have been seen removing brown slude from city beaches but a City council spokesman says it is a naturally occurring algae. More on the matter in this morning's Irish Times here.

A Cruise liner berthed on the river Liffey this morning will draw a smile from Dubliners because of the giant red lips and eyes painted on the ship. The Aida Aura is a 203m long vessel carries 1400 passengers and is operated by the German unit of P&O Cruises.

We've added more photos from today's opening races of the ICRA Championships to the Afloat Gallery. Click here to see more from photographer Bob Bateman.