#OceantoCity – The winner of this year's 10th Ocean to City Rowing Race 'An Rás Mór' went to the brand new Dalkey community built currach Naomh Beagnait which was only launched at the start of June, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Naomh Beagnait (see photo) was competing in the event which attracted 500 rowers amongst some 120 craft including overseas entries in a celebration of Cork's maritime heritage.

The Dublin Bay based currach was constructed in Dalkey over the month of May and is based on the racing currach design from Inishbofin Island.

"To each person who sawed, sanded, steamed, donated money, encouraged, baked cakes, publicised, wrote articles, followed us on facebook, blessed the boat, you were a winner on Saturday in Cork" said Liz Murray who had the vision behind the Begnet's Boat Project.

She added "especially thanks to Dalkey Rowing Club who came to our rescue only a fortnight before Mark Redden who led the boat-building trainee team which used their boatshed. A true community effort by all involved".

Redden who is based in Barcelona and his Catalan rowers led the 7m (22ft) currach to victory with the 1st Ocean Race but also taking honours in the 1st Currach Ocean category representing Base Náutica de Barcelona (Repararems).

Naomh Beagnait will take centre-stage next Saturday (15 June) at The Inaugural Dublin Currach Regatta (2.30pm - 7pm) at the East Wall Water Sports Group in Clontarf and where the free event is sponsored by the Dublin Port Company.

Take in the sights and sounds of this most traditional of boating events at the Tolka Estuary, off the Alfie Byrne Road. Presentations will take place in the Poolbeg Boat and Yacht Club, Pigeon House Road, Ringsend on the south side of the Liffey.

Currach racing at National League Level are to be held on the previous day, Friday (14 June) for details visit this link.

#OneYearOn – The National Maritime Museum of Ireland in Dun Laoghaire yesterday celebrated its first anniversary after last year's 'official' re-opening ceremony by President Michael D. Higgins following a €4m renovation, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Earlier this year the museum which is run by the Maritime Institute of Ireland were delighted to receive an award from the Industrial Heritage Association for 'Best Museum / Restored Site 2012'.

Among the most popular exhibits is the old optic of the Baily Lighthouse, Captain Halpin and the Great Eastern and the story of the RMS Leinster torpedoed on the Kish Bank.  For more abou the exhibits visit the Video Virtual tour click HERE noting to click on map to begin. Better still make a visit to the museum in person!.. which is open 11am-5pm everyday until the end of July.

Currently on is display is the 'Bratacha Flags & Emblems Exhibition' which certainly adds a splash of colour with many nations represented amongst the museums existing shipping company house-flags that are draped around the contrasting dark timbered balcony.

Originally the building completed in 1836 was home to the Church of Ireland Mariners Church built of granite quarried from Dalkey that of course built the nearby harbour. The museums exhibits are surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows and the timber ceiling.

Such surroundings make a visit apt considering the building with its past to worshipping mariners is one of the last such structures left in the world.

The restored museum featured in a lavishly illustrated publication 'NEW LIFE for Churches in Ireland – Good Practice in Conversion and Reuse' which is available for sale in the museum's Gift Shop.  Also stocked are a wide range of nautical-related merchandise including framed print scenes of the harbour, greeting cards and much more.

There's also a café serving hot snacks and where stain-glass windows which were also installed during the renovation plus a Wi-Fi hot-spot. Noting, the museum is mostly wheelchair accessible.

There are plans to reintroduce the library with its impressive range of historical books including the Lloyds Register of Shipping collection in the Lawlor Room, named after Col. Anthony Lawlor, the founder of the Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.) in 1941.

Another notable leading figure of the institute, was the late Dr. John de Courcy Ireland, who was widely regarded as the father of Maritime Ireland.

A group of volunteers from the institute as well as a team funded by the Community Employment Scheme of the Department of Social Protection provide staff duties that include guided group tours.

The museum welcomes new volunteers, so if can you assist in any way?... even if it's just a few hours a week call the museum on (01) 2800 969. For further information visit: www.mariner.ie

#MaritimeMovies - As part of the Ocean to City Festival (1-10 June), this Thursday there is a Maritime Movie Night starting at 19:30 in Cork's Half Moon Theatre.

The theme of the cinematic evening is oceanic adventures and stories from the sea. So sit back, have a drink, and watch the old classic Moby Dick (1956) as well as a series of archive shorts. Swap tales of seafaring and get inspired by the weird and wonderful world of maritime filmmaking.

The Irish Film Institute (IFI) is proud to work with Ocean to City to present a specially tailored programme of oceanic delights from the institute's national film archive, including: animated films, documentaries and newsreels dating from the 40s to 70s which celebrate man, the sea, and other bodies of water.

Among them there is a fascinating selection made in and around Cork.  B & I - Motorway to Ireland (1968), Baid Solais - Light Ships (1957), 2000 Miles of Peril (1974), Blackwater Holiday (1963) and Moby Dick (1956)

An entry of €8 (available on the door) and pre-sales are also available from the Cork Opera House.

#DalkeyCurrach – A brand new currach Naomh Beagnait named after the patron saint of Dalkey, made a surreal sight as she was held aloft along the main street of the south Dublin suburb and taken on a ceremonial procession to Coliemore Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 7m (22ft) Naomh Beagnait is a Connemara racing currach which was built locally by trainees under the Begnets Boats Project led by Liz Murray and boat-builder Mark Redden.

She was built to highlight the inherent value and craftsmanship of the ancient Irish techniques of boat-building. Equally important the project was to foster and strengthen the creative, spiritual and maritime links between Dalkey town and Dalkey Island.

As Naomh Beagnait was laid onto the slipway at Coliemore Harbour, it should be noted that the small granite stone harbour completed in 1868, was where in medieval times the main landing point for vessels bringing cargoes to and fro to Dalkey, which was the principle port for Dublin until the 17th century.

Naomh Beagnait was accompanied by another currach which had rowed from Ringsend to attend the maiden voyage proceedings and where a blessing ceremony of the new boat was performed.

As the currachs set off from the slipway a crowd of well-wishers gave a rousing send-off and where Naomh Beagnait sped out of the harbour's narrow mouth and into Dalkey Sound.

A pair of kayakers greeted the Naomh Beagnait as she made her way to the island where the craft was beached on a sandy stretch close to the island's harbour.

#DalkeyCurrach – Along with all the Tall Ships and Old Gaffers heading for Dublin Port, there's another treat in store this June Bank Holiday weekend, when a brand new currach is to be launched from Dalkey, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Coliemore Harbour is where the locally built currach is to be launched this Saturday 1 June, (late afternoon).

The month-long construction period is the culmination of the Begnet's Boat Project which involved trainees building Naomh Beagnait, (see photos) and with the support of the community.

Measuring 7m (22ft) long, the craft is based on a Connemara racing currach and its construction was under the supervision of boat-builder Mark Redden.

The project is the vision of Liz Murray who undertook the task with fundraising efforts that continue tomorrow evening (Friday 31 May) when the currach is to be put on public display for the first time at the Dalkey Tramyard.

Naomh Beagnait is named after the local Saint Begnet, where there are two churches in her name, one is located on Dalkey's main street (Castle Street) and the other on Dalkey Island.

The new currach is to highlight the inherent value and craftsmanship of the ancient Irish techniques of boat-building. Equally important the project is to foster and strengthen the creative, spiritual and maritime links between Dalkey (the former principle medieval port for Dublin) and the island.

The currach will be carried aloft as in the traditional manner with a procession starting from the ruins of Saint Begnet's church on Castle Street to Coliemore Harbour.

A flotilla involving Dalkey Sea Scout boats from neighbouring Bulloch Harbour and currachs from Ringsend will be 'dressed overall' when they accompany Naomh Beagnait on her maiden voyage across Dalkey Sound.

#Oil&Gas - Fastnet Oil & Gas has been awarded a new licensing option in the North Celtic Sea off the Cork coast.

The East Mizzen option covers a number of blocks in the Mizzen Basin, plus the western end of the North Celtic Sea Option, covering a tittle area of 1,155 sq km and contiguous with the previously awarded Mizzen option.

The 18-month option requires the reprocessing of a minimum of 400km of existing 2D seismic data, which has indicated the presence of light oil in some areas.

Fastnet managing director Paul Griffiths commented: "We are delighted to have added to our inventory of material prospective structures in the Mizzen area ... This has allowed us to capitalise on the interest being shown by the industry in our farm-out process in this particularly under-explored, yet highly prospective, basin.

"It has also allowed us to maximise the value of our on-going 3D seismic acquisition by creating 'running room' for potential farminees that have identified the Mizzen Basin as a new emerging shallow water exploration province offshore Ireland."

Earlier this year, as reported on Afloat.ie, Fastnet executed its exclusive option agreement to farm into its nearby Deep Kinsale Prospect, with plans to drill the prospect in 2014.

#CoastalNotes - More than 97% of Ireland's bathing areas meet the EU's minimum standards for water quality in new figures announced today 2 May - though 21 waters have been stripped of the top ranking.

The latest figures for 2012 were released today in a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whose director general Laura Burke said that the "quality of Ireland's bathing waters remained very high despite remarkably wet summer weather in 2012".

As reported last year on Afloat.ie, water runoff from heavy summer flooding led to elevated levels of E.coli in many coastal areas, causing the temporary closure of beaches in Cork, Galway and North Dublin.

It's this rise in levels of harmful bacteria above mandatory EU safety levels that resulted in the poor performance of some perennial bathing favourites in the 2012 figures, as The Irish Times reports.

The number of beaches meeting the EU's stricter 'good' bathing quality standards fell from 112 in 2011 to 91 waters last year.

EPA senior scientific officer Peter Webster told The Irish Times that the fall "is disappointing but I'm surprised it was not more".

And despite the drop, three local authorities - Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Sligo and Leitrim - managed to achieved 'good' status for all of their designated bathing areas.

The worst performing beaches were Clifden in Galway, Fountainstown in Cork, Ballyheigue in Kerry and Rush in North Dublin, all of which were ranked as 'poor' for water quality.

Remedial water treatment works are planned for Clifden, while it's reported that no cause was found for a single "uncharacteristically high" sample taken from Ballyheigue.

#IrishSeaForum – The second Irish Sea Maritime Forum Conference will be held at the Tall Ship at Riverside, Glasgow on 21 May. The success of the forum follows last year's inaugural conference held in Belfast last June.

The organisers invite all with an interest in the Irish Sea to attend the conference which is a free event and which is being jointly organised by the Scottish Coastal Forum.

The conference includes a roundup of marine planning and management developments covering all 6 administrative areas around the Irish Sea.

They include the forthcoming National Marine Plan for Scotland and goes on to explore a range of EU-supported developments that are significant for all Irish Sea stakeholders including the Atlantic Strategy and the draft Directive on Marine Spatial Planning and Integrated Coastal Management.

The day also includes an overview of ISMF activities in its first year of operation, the launch of the Irish Sea Issues and Opportunities report, and an opportunity for delegates to contribute to the planning and delivery of the ISMF's 2013/14 programme.

For further information including programme for the day and bookings (no later than 15 May) can be made via the North West Coastal Forum by clicking this website link.

#CoastalNotes - Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring today (23 April) unveiled the final route for the Wild Atlantic Way, a new coastal tourism route running from Donegal to Cork.

The minister joined Fáilte Ireland to present the final route to 300 top overseas tour operators attending Meitheal 2013, Ireland’s largest tourism trade fair.

The Wild Atlantic Way will be Ireland’s first long-distance driving route, stretching from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in Co Cork, and offering future visitors an opportunity to discover the west coast.

The 2,500km final route was unveiled following a comprehensive public consultation process and includes 156 strategically placed discovery points for tourists along the way. 

While the route unveiled today comprises the main spine of the Wild Atlantic Way, a series of looped itineraries off the spine are also planned to further develop the experience for visitors.

Speaking today, Minister Ring said: “The Wild Atlantic Way is a very exciting project and I’m certain it will be a major tourism attraction. But to make it happen we all need to get on board.

"There has been a great response so far and I’m encouraging tourism operators, local authorities, business people and residents to stay involved to get this over the finishing line."

Overseas tour operators were given an advance ‘sneak-peek’ of the route last night at a Fáilte Ireland welcome event in the Convention Centre Dublin when they were treated to the premiere of the video trailer above to show them just what their clients can expect along the route from next year on.

Paddy Mathews, manager of destination development with Fáilte Ireland, believes the project will be a great addition to what Ireland has to offer visitors.

“Developing a route like this is an important part of ensuring Ireland is able to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience," he said. "It will open up a huge number of towns and attractions to them and showcase the scenery and unique culture of the West Coast of Ireland providing easy access to a range of experiences along the route.

“Now that the route has been finalised we will be focusing our efforts on turning all this preparatory work into a reality – an international driving route to rival the best in the world.”

Fáilte Ireland has been working with all the local authorities along the West Coast as well as the leader companies, Údaras na Gaeltachta and the Western Development Commission.

Full details of the Wild Atlantic Way are available on the Fáilte Ireland website HERE.

#SeismicSurvey - The Irish Times reports that the European Commission has demanded an explanation from the State regarding the absence of environmental impact assessments for seismic surveys off the west coast.

The action comes following a complaint lodged in Brussels by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) in the wake of the recommencing of seismic surveys over the Corrib gas field last month.

As Irish waters are a designated whale and dolphin sanctuary, the IWDG's position is that the State must comply with the EU directive to conduct an environmental impact assessment when licensing such ocean-bound surveys.

The group says it received word from the EC that the issue has been raised with the Department of Energy, and reiterated the need for "strict protection" of cetaceans in Irish and all EU waters.

Last December the IWDG expressed concerns over the potential impact of a 2D seismic survey on harbour porpoises in the Kish Bank Basin in Dublin Bay.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Providence Resources subsequently suspended its licence to explore for oil and gas at what was termed the Dalkey Island Prospect.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.