#tallships – Sail Training Ireland host its third Annual Launch and Prize Giving Event in the Mansion House in Dublin, courtesy of Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke tomorrow. Master of Ceremonies is Afloat.ie's William M. Nixon who recently blogged on the topic of a New Tall Ship for Ireland.
Having formed in 2011 to replace Coiste an Asgard as Ireland's umbrella organisation for Sail Training Activities, the charity is now on firm ground going into the 2015 voyage season and is supported jointly by Dublin Port Company and Dublin City Council. See programmes and timetables as attachments downloadable below as pdf files.
Since their foundation Sail training Ireland has facilitated well over 500 young people to undertake voyages at sea on Tall Ships and other Sailing Vessels. President Michael D. Higgins is Patron.
Tomorrow there will be some significant award winners listed here:
Trainee of the year award: Andrew Crowley:
Volunteer of the year award: Jonathan O'Brien
Special Contribution Award: Turlough Kennedy:
Special Achievement Award: Fiona Armson
Watch-leader of the Year: Sara Mason
Perpetual Asgard Award: For an outstanding contribution to, or achievement in Sail Training by an individual or group: Atlantic Youth Trust Foroige Trainee Group: Michael Collins, Dean Mc Keon.
The 2015 season looks to be very active due to the International Tall Ships Races Festival taking place in Belfast from July 2nd-5th. This results in a lot of activity in the Irish Sea and many ships and voyages taking place in the area. During the Mansion House event, Sail Training Ireland will announce a voyage programme with capacity for near 300 trainees and a number of very exciting funded programmes.
The most exciting funding schemes for the charity are:
EU Commission "Youth Exchange" projects, under the new Erasmus + scheme- in partnership with Merseyside Adventure Sailing Trust. These take place over 2 x 2 week voyages in June. One for 16-17 year olds and the other for over 18s. On the Dutch Tall Ship Morgenster.
Peace and Reconciliation Funded "Sea-Connections" voyages (North-South) in Partnership with Atlantic Youth Trust. This will create 6 voyages, with 5 trainees from each side of the border on each voyage. The 6 voyages together will result in a circumnavigation of Ireland.
A project which is under development in collaboration with An Garda Siochana and The Irish Naval Service using Lottery Funding through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. This is aimed at young people in the City of Dublin.
The Drogheda Sail Training Bursary Scheme is in its third year and will fund 20 young trainees from the area with the support of a number of local sponsors, through Drogheda Port Company.
The Belfast Tall Ships Races Festival will also support almost 100 young people to undertake a voyage to Norway as part of the Races. There will also likely be many other young people partaking in this race by their own means.
Many of the above voyages take place on Spirit of Oysterhaven, Ireland's only operational non-naval Sail Training Vessel. This beautiful 70 foot Classic Schooner was completely refit for purpose and is in it's second full season. This year the vessel looks likely to reach full capacity, which raises the question about the need for further Sail Training vessels in Ireland. A
Outside of the very exciting Belfast Tall Ships Races Festival, which expects record numbers of ships and at least 15 or 20 of the Large Square Riggers (Class A's), there are a number of other local Maritime Festivals which will host Tall Ships and with whom Sail Training Ireland work closely. Namely The Dublin Port River Festival (May 30th - June 1st) and The Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda (June 19th-21st). Each of these will have a fleet of 6-8 Small and Tall Ships visiting during the Month of June. Ships visiting Dublin can be seen in the attached document.
Further to this, Sail Training Ireland is working closely with The Merseyside Adventure Sailing Trust in Liverpool (MAST) to develop an annual programme of Tall Ship Voyages around the Irish Sea, connecting the various cities and festivals and creating an "Annual Irish Sea Initiative".
Noted Guests:
Chairman is Seamus McLoughlin (Former Head of Operations of Dublin Port Company)
Previous Chair: Kalanne O'Leary (Trustee of Sail Training International)
Amongst our Directors present will be Commodore Hugh Tully, Flag Officer Commanding The Naval Service Brendan Kenny, Assistant Chief Executive of Dublin City Council may attend
Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey may attend Charlie Murphy, Communications Manager of Dublin Port Company will attend Sean Flood – Retired Director and International Sail Training Ambassador
Speakers
William M. Nixon Master of Ceremonies
Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke
Seamus McLoughlin Chairman, Sail Training Ireland
Andrew Crowley Spirit of Oysterhaven Trust / Trainee of the Year.
Introducing a video of Spirit of Oysterhaven.
Foroige Trainees Introducing a Video
Neil O'Hagan Atlantic Youth Trust
Announcing the Peace and Reconciliation Voyage Scheme
Carolanna Foley Drogheda Voyage Scheme Account
Oliver Hart Spirit of Oysterhaven Trust
