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Displaying items by tag: Irish maritime museums

#MARTIME MUSEUM AT EASTER - Earlier this week Dun Laoghaire's maritime museum re-opened its doors to the public after a €4m renovation project was carried out on the apt venue of the former Mariners Church, which incidentally closed on this Easter Day forty years ago, writes Jehan Ashmore.

With a new lease of life the extensively renovated and upgraded museum can look forward to a future. Visitors enter the museum at a new entrance, where in the reception foyer there is a souvenir shop, beyond that in the main body or nave are exhibits displayed, each telling a story and for children there is a Knott Station. To view the initial exhibits on display, click HERE.

In addition there is new facility in the form of a café, which was much needed and where two new stained -glass windows by Peadar Lamb feature, they were sponsored by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. As for the original stained-class windows they were restored to their full glory.

The renovation began in 2006 and was funded by the Government which led to a three-phrased project that involved work carried out from the re-roofing right down to the floorboards. Walls were re-plastered, electric systems modernised and wheel chair-lift and ramps installed.

Work also took place to clean the exterior of the stone-cut granite building hewn from Dalkey Quarry and which led to the consecration of the Kingstown Episcopalian Mariners Church in 1843.

After many generations of mariners and their families, parish numbers dwindled and its use as place worship ended on Easter Sunday 1972. The Maritime Institute of Ireland which runs the museum relocated two years later having had a smaller museum sited along the town's harbour waterfront.

For the next three decades the museum which has attracted locals and visitors from home and overseas, eventually had to close due to deteriorating conditions of an aging building.

Now that the museum is up and running, the M.I.I. which is staffed by volunteers has in recent years also had the support of a FAS scheme of workers, which according to the institute have been invaluable.

The museum is open 11am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday and every Bank Holiday, for further information visit: www.mariner.ie


Published in Dublin Bay

#MARITIME MUSEUM-The much awaited re-opening of the Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin is to take place in April, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The museum which is near to Dun Laoghaire Harbour's East Pier, is to reopen on Tuesday 3rd April between 11am t- 5pm. Throughout the season, these same visiting hours apply Tuesdays to Sundays, though the museum will be closed on Mondays.

To read more about the initial exhibits on display (click HERE) in the apt surroundings of the former Mariners Church, where major and essentail renovation work took place over several years. The museum which is run by the Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.) celebrated its 70th anniversary last year and with the reopening they can now look forward to a new and exciting era.

Located on High Terrace,  a Cul-de-Sac that links the town's main shopping thoroughfare on Georges Street Upper to The Metals, the pedestrian walkway –is only minutes away from the Dun Laoghaire DART station.

Car parking is limited in the immediate vicinity though there are car-parking facilities nearby in the Pavilion which is accessed along the harbour waterfront (Queens Road) and the Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre approached from Marine Road.

In addition to visiting the museum the M.I.I. also welcome members and volunteers to assist in hosting lectures, producing newsletters, journals, a library, hosting and supporting commemorations in addition to conducting research and highlighting Irelands maritime heritage. For further information click HERE.

Published in Dublin Bay
# LECTURE-A lecture titled 'French Naval Expeditions to Ireland' presented by Edward Bourke is to take place tomorrow (17th Nov) at 8 p.m. at the Stella Maris Seafarers Club, Dublin. This is the second lecture of the Autumn /Winter series, which are organised by the Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.).
The Stella Maris Seafarers Club on Beresford Place (behind the Customs House) is where the lectures are usually held and on the third Thursday of each month. The club is between the Irish Life Mall car park (ILAC), the Customs House and Busaras. It is convenient to the LUAS (Busaras stop) and the DART (Tara Street station). For more information on visit www.mariner.ie/lectures
Published in Boating Fixtures
Something to do with the kids!....head off to Dun Laoghaire Harbour tomorrow for the 'Family Funday', an event full of activities held on the Carlisle Pier, writes Jehan Ashmore.
There will be bouncing castles, a bottle-stall, clowns, face-painting, fortune-teller, goldfish, magic balloon man, music, pet-corner, puppet show and a wheel of fortune. In addition there is a 'Pirates and Princess' competition, a raffle and a hot-food stall.

Opening times are 11am to 5pm and the entry fee is €3 for adults and children go free. The Funday is to help raise funds to support the local national maritime museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire. The Maritime Institute of Ireland is a registered charity, which run the museum through volunteers. In addition they host lectures, represent maritime interests and operate a museum and library.

The museum is housed in the former Mariners Church and is currently closed due to renovation and improvement works. There will be a 'soft launch' or 'preview' of the museum from October to mark the M.I.I.'s 70th anniversary.

Next year the museum is due to be officially re-opened during the Easter. The M.I.I. welcomes new members, volunteers and donations. For further information visit www.mariner.ie

Published in Dublin Bay
The Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire is organising a 'Family Fun Day' this Sunday 21 August, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The event will be held on Carlisle Pier between 11am-5pm where various stalls will be selling their wares in addition there is to be a 'Pirates and Princess' Competition. Entry fee is €3 is for adults and free admission is for children.

Funds raised will go to the maritime museum which is housed in the former Mariners Church, which is run by the Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.). The museum is currently closed due to continued renovation and improvement works.

There will be a 'soft launch' or 'preview' of the maritime museum from October to mark the M.I.I.'s 70th anniversary. Next year the museum is due to be officially re-opened during the Easter. The M.I.I. welcomes new members, volunteers and donations to assist in the museum. For information visit www.mariner.ie

Published in Boating Fixtures
Two new stained glass windows were unveiled in the Maritime Institute of Ireland's (M.I.I.) maritime museum in Dun Laoghaire this week, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The windows which are located in the former Mariners' Church, are the work of artist Peadar Lamb and were sponsored by the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company. Attending the unveiling ceremony was Councillor Jane Dillon Byrne, President of the Maritime Institute, Peadar Ward and Peadar Lamb.

For several years the museum has been closed for vital repair and extensive renovation work. In October the M.I.I. will celebrate their 70th anniversary which will be marked by a 'soft launch' and in the following year the museum is to be officially re-opened in Easter 2012.

Published in Dublin Bay

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award

This unique and informal competition was inaugurated in 1979, with Mitsubishi Motors becoming main sponsors in 1986. The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs. 

In making their assessment, the adjudicators take many factors into consideration. In addition to the obvious one of sailing success at local, national and international level, considerable attention is also paid to the satisfaction which members in every branch of sailing and boating feel with the way their club is run, and how effectively it meets their specific needs, while also encouraging sailing development and training.

The successful staging of events, whether local, national or international, is also a factor in making the assessment, and the adjudicators place particular emphasis on the level of effective voluntary input which the membership is ready and willing to give in support of their club's activities.

The importance of a dynamic and fruitful interaction with the local community is emphasised, and also with the relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level. The adjudicators expect to find a genuine sense of continuity in club life and administration. Thus although the award is held in a specific year in celebration of achievements in the previous year, it is intended that it should reflect an ongoing story of success and well-planned programmes for future implementation. 

Over the years, the adjudication system has been continually refined in order to be able to make realistic comparisons between clubs of varying types and size. With the competition's expansion to include class associations and specialist national watersports bodies, the "Club of the Year" competition continues to keep pace with developing trends, while at the same time reflecting the fact that Ireland's leading sailing clubs are themselves national and global pace-setters

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award FAQs

The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs.

A ship's wheel engraved with the names of all the past winners.

The Sailing Club of the Year competition began in 1979.

PR consultant Sean O’Shea (a member of Clontarf Y & BC) had the idea of a trophy which would somehow honour the ordinary sailing club members, volunteers and sailing participants, who may not have personally won prizes, to feel a sense of identity and reward and special pride in their club. Initially some sort of direct inter-club contest was envisaged, but sailing journalist W M Nixon suggested that a way could be found for the comparative evaluation of the achievements and quality of clubs despite their significant differences in size and style.

The award recognises local, national & international sailing success by the winning club's members in both racing and cruising, the completion of a varied and useful sailing and social programme at the club, the fulfilling by the club of its significant and socially-aware role in the community, and the evidence of a genuine feeling among all members that the club meets their individual needs afloat and ashore.

The first club of the Year winner in 1979 was Wicklow Sailing Club.

Royal Cork Yacht Club has won the award most, seven times in all in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2015 & 2020.

The National YC has won six times, in 1981, 1985, 1993, 1996, 2012 & 2018.

Howth Yacht Club has won five times, in 1982, 1986, 1995, 2009 & 2019

Ireland is loosely divided into regions with the obviously high-achieving clubs from each area recommended through an informal nationwide panel of local sailors going into a long-list, which is then whittled down to a short-list of between three and eight clubs.

The final short-list is evaluated by an anonymous team based on experienced sailors, sailing journalists and sponsors’ representatives

From 1979 to 2020 the Sailing Club of the Year Award winners are:

  • 1979 Wicklow SC
  • 1980 Malahide YC
  • 1981 National YC
  • 1982 Howth YC
  • 1983 Royal St George YC
  • 1984 Dundalk SC
  • 1985 National YC (Sponsorship by Mitsubishi Motors began in 1985-86)
  • 1986 Howth YC
  • 1987 Royal Cork YC
  • 1988 Dublin University SC
  • 1989 Irish Cruising. Club
  • 1990 Glenans Irish SC
  • 1991 Galway Bay SC
  • 1992 Royal Cork YC
  • 1993 National YC & Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreannain (Dingle) (after 1993, year indicated is one in which trophy is held)
  • 1995 Howth Yacht Club
  • 1996 National Yacht Club
  • 1997 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 1998 Kinsale Yacht Club
  • 1999 Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club
  • 2000 Royal Cork Yacht Club (in 2000, competition extended to include class associations and specialist organisations)
  • 2001 Howth Sailing Club Seventeen Footer Association
  • 2002 Galway Bay Sailing Club
  • 2003 Coiste an Asgard
  • 2004 Royal St George Yacht Club
  • 2005 Lough Derg Yacht Club
  • 2006 Royal Cork Yacht Club (Water Club of the Harbour of Cork)
  • 2007 Dublin Bay Sailing Club
  • 2008 Lough Ree YC & Shannon One Design Assoc.
  • 2009 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2010 Royal St George YC
  • 2011 Irish Cruiser Racing Association
  • 2012 National Yacht Club
  • 2013 Royal St George YC
  • 2014 Kinsale YC
  • 2015 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 2016 Royal Irish Yacht Club
  • 2017 Wicklow Sailing Club
  • 2018 National Yacht Club
  • 2019 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2020 Royal Cork Yacht Club

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