Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.
Irish sailors are set to make a strong showing in the high-performance owner-driver one-design racing R44 fleet as it debuts in Baiona, Spain next week. The 44Cup's second event of the year will take place from May 8 to 12…
The Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat was called to action on Friday 3 May, after a power boat suffered engine failure just south of Ballycotton Island. The Austin Lidbury was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard at 5.11pm, following a request…
Howth RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Family of Six from Stranded Powerboat off Lambay Island
3rd May 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
A family of six was rescued by the Howth RNLI, a volunteer crew, after their powerboat suffered engine failure and ended up on rocks at Lambay Island, off the north Dublin coast on Friday 3 May. The Dublin Coast Guard…
The community of Greencastle in County Donegal, Ireland, has celebrated the official opening of the Greencastle Harbour Breakwater. The breakwater, which measures 270 metres, is expected to improve the safety and effectiveness of the harbour for all users, including tourism…
Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Coastguard Cottages Refurbishment Features on RTE One Nationwide
3rd May 2024 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News
The RTE Nationwide TV programme visits Dún Laoghaire Harbour on the south side of Dublin Bay to hear about a project supported by Local Government, which has given a new lease of life to some old harbour cottages. As previously reported…
European Election Candidate and Former Port of Cork Chairman John Mullins Calls for Fair Share of EU Fisheries Quotas for Ireland
3rd May 2024 Fishing
Ireland must fight for its fair share of EU fisheries quotas as what is unfolding is a travesty for the industry. This is according to John Mullins, a former Chairman of the Port of Cork, who is running for the…
North Mayo's Sea Cliffs and Stacks Celebrated in Guided Walk This Weekend
3rd May 2024 Coastal Notes
North Mayo’s spectacular cliffs, marked by imposing sea stacks, emerged from some of the island’s oldest geological formations. These and other facts will be imparted on a free guided walk of the Binn Bhuí (Benwee) Head loop in the Dún…
La Grande Motte International Regatta 2024 Marks Final Dress Rehearsal for Cats and Skiffs Before Paris 2024
3rd May 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
The Nacra 17 World Championship along with the 49er and 49erFX European Championships are attracting 148 teams to La Grande Motte in the south of France for six days of racing from next Tuesday 7 to Sunday 12 May. Of…
Port of Cork Welcomes Government's Future Framework on Offshore Renewable Energy
3rd May 2024 Port of Cork
The Port of Cork Company says it welcomes the Government’s publication this week of the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy. As already reported by Afloat, the framework sets out 29 actions to secure Ireland’s potential as a world leader in…
Ryan Rejects Claims He Is Impeding Floating Wind Development off West Coast
3rd May 2024 Power From the Sea
Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan has rejected claims that he is impeding development of floating offshore wind and criticised “false promises” made by politicians As The Irish Independent reports, Ryan was responding to comments by Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers…
Dublin Bay Sailing Club's (DBSC) Thursday evening racing was cancelled tonight due to very light winds. Winds measuring just over one knot meant the second Thursday race of the 2024 AIB summer season was scrubbed in all classes at Dun…
The Dublin Bay Twenty-One class that was restored after a 35-year hiatus now has a new website. The fleet, designed by Alfred Mylne in 1902 for the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC), was revived in 2021. The new website portal…
Water Safety Ireland, Irish Coast Guard, and RNLI Urge People to be Safe and Summer Ready on or Near Water
2nd May 2024 Coastguard
Ahead of the May holiday weekend, Water Safety Ireland, the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI are jointly appealing to people to be safe and summer-ready when planning an activity on or near the water. The organisations are urging people…
Top Irish Match Racers Prepare for National Yacht Club Hosted Championships
2nd May 2024 Match Racing
Royal St. George's top Irish match racer, Tom Higgins, will confront March's Student Match Racing National Championships winner, Jamie McMahon of Howth Yacht Club, among others, when the National Yacht Club (NYC) hosts the Irish Match Racing National Championships (IMRA)…
On Wednesday evening, 22 boats turned out for the second Water Wag race of the AIB DBSC 2024 season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Race Officer Tadgh Donnelly set a three round windward/leeward course in a six-knot ESE’ly breeze. The strong…
Royal Cork’s Admiral Annamarie Fegan & Nieulargo Crew are Sailors of the Month (Inshore) for April
1st May 2024 Sailor of the Month
The Royal Cork YC’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo is always a busy boat, and usually successful too. But things are in over-drive for 2024 and 2025, as co-owner-skipper Annamarie Fegan - aka Mrs Denis Murphy - is also the RCYC’s…
Most offshore sailors would be well pleased to have notched their season’s start with a win in April, but Howth’s Simon Knowles goes into May with two bullets already in the bag for the J/109 Indian in the first races…
Dun Laoghaire’s Clementine van Steenberge and Jessica Riordan are Sailors of the Month (Youth) For April
1st May 2024 Sailor of the Month
The nuclear fusion generated by the focus of elite 29er training in Dun Laoghaire – currently centred on the National YC with Thomas Chaix – meant that the class was one of those that elected to have a four-day series…
'Frustrated' Mid-Fleet Tom Dolan Seeks Strong Offshore Race Finish at the Solo Maître CoQ
1st May 2024 Tom Dolan
Irish offshore solo sailor Tom Dolan is currently sitting in 14th place (results downloadable below as a pdf) from 34 starters at the Solo Maître CoQ Figaro circuit event in France’s Vendée region. Dolan expressed his 'frustration' after the second…
Bronze Famine Shoes Set to Embark on Historic Journey to Canada Aboard the Marine Institute’s Research Vessel Celtic Explorer
1st May 2024 Marine Science
The Bronze Famine Shoes, an iconic representation of Ireland’s historic Famine Heritage Trail will soon be making their way across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada aboard the Marine Institute’s Research Vessel Celtic Explorer. The symbolic sculptures, crafted by artist Alannah…