Lorna Siggins
Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award
Extension of North Atlantic Marine Protected Area to Seafloor Welcomed by Birdwatch Ireland
3rd July 2023 Marine Planning
Birdwatch Ireland has welcomed a decision to extend marine protection for a North Atlantic sea area outside of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone. The seafloor of the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Sea Basin (NACES) has been given marine protected area…
Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Events Director Paddy Boyd On a Harbour Transformed (Podcast)
2nd July 2023 Wavelength Podcast
If it’s July, it must be the return of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, along with Coastival, the new festival celebrating the rich maritime heritage of the south Dublin waterfront. Over 370 boats have registered for the regatta, opening on…
Calculating the Weather - Met Éireann's Recently Retired Evelyn Cusack
29th June 2023 Wavelength Podcast
Did you know that Met Éireann calculates the weather every 2.5 kilometres, whereas the global models accessible on mobile phones are calculated every nine or every twelve kilometres? The one exception to that is the Norwegian forecasting service, used by…
Two Aran island fishing vessels which were approved for Ireland’s decommissioning scheme, recently completed their last trip before being broken up. The 17-metre Connacht Ranger and the 20-metre Conquest were photographed on their journey from Ireland to Denmark. Skipper-owner John…
Unreported costs of biological invasions have been calculated at €26.64 billion (US$28.0 billion) in the EU, according to a new study. The study's Lead researcher, Morgane Henry from McGill University in Canada, says there has been a “shocking underestimation of…
As the North Atlantic is beset by a marine “heatwave”, a new climate dataset project aims to inform adaptation to changing weather in Ireland. The “Translate” project involving Met Éireann combines all previous climate projects “of relevance” for Ireland to…
A team of three Donegal brothers have won the Three Island currach rowing challenge in Skerries, Co Dublin, this weekend. Simon, Ronan and Michael O Dómhnaill from Gaoth Dobhair had won the race for traditional currachs in 2021, and were…
CHC Ireland has confirmed that it has initiated a High Court challenge to the validity of the tender procedure for the Irish Coast Guard’s new search and rescue contract. Earlier this month, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that Bristow…
Coastal and Riverbank Walkers Asked to Help With National Otter Survey
10th June 2023 Marine Wildlife
Kayakers, anglers, seashore, and riverbank walkers have been invited to participate in a national otter survey. The survey is being run by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with researchers at Queen’s University Belfast and the National Biodiversity Data…
A new ten-year national policy for islands promises to give increased grants to turn vacant or derelict buildings offshore into long-term homes. The plan, entitled “Our Living Islands”, includes 80 commitments to improve housing and water infrastructure and better access…
Lifeboat Coxswain and Whale The Theme of Artist's Project With Rosslare Schoolchildren
7th June 2023 Irish Ports
The story of Ned Wickham, a 23-year-old lifeboat coxswain and the 25-metre Blue whale he captured at the mouth of Wexford harbour in 1891 is the theme of a project created by south-east artist David Begley. Now known as the…
Diverting streams and rivers to irrigate crops or provide drinking water may “significantly extend” the time microplastics spend in river catchments, new research states. Diverted water from rivers disperse tiny plastic particles across farmland from where they may be flushed…
Two white-tailed sea eagle chicks have hatched in a successful pairing of two adults under Ireland’s re-introduction programme. A male white-tailed sea eagle released in 2008 which had lived alone in east Clare for the past four years, has bonded…
New York Yacht Club Among The Entries for Wednesday's Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race
3rd June 2023 Wavelength Podcast
“They are missing a lot of berths down there, but we’ll get everybody in by hook or by crook! The words of Adam Winkelmann, chairman of the Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race, speaking about Dingle’s marina. A collision by a French fishing…
ESB and Danish Renewables Company Ørsted Sign Joint Agreement for Irish Offshore Wind
2nd June 2023 Power From the Sea
The ESB and Danish multinational energy company Ørsted have signed an agreement to jointly develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio. Ørsted becomes a 50/50 partner in a “pipeline of offshore wind development projects off the Irish coast”, the ESB said…
Sand Fencing Installation at Galway Beach As Part of "Living Lab" Project
2nd June 2023 Marine Wildlife
Galway’s Grattan Beach is to become a “living lab” for the city this month, as part of a pilot project. Sand fencing is to be installed during the month of June as part of research on “nature-based solutions” for managing…
Leonie King's Memories of Her Late Father Solo Sailor Commander Bill King
31st May 2023 Wavelength Podcast
“There’s a Japanese man coming, it’s probably revenge..would you just go away, I’m old; I don’t mind dying “ “I came back three hours later and they were on their third bottle of white wine..” That’s one of many memories…
Sea Creature Used to Research How Stem Cells Function in an Intact Animal
28th May 2023 Marine Wildlife
A relative of corals and jellyfish, which can live for thousands of years, has been used to study the developmental potential of adult stem cells. A research team in the Centre for Chromosome Biology, University of Galway, selected the cnidarian…
Galway Bay Sailing Club Plan Exhibition Marking Golden Jubilee of Commander Bill King’s Solo Sail Around the World
23rd May 2023 Solo Sailing
An exhibition this autumn marking the golden jubilee Commander Bill King’s solo sail around the world is one of a number of events planned by Galway Bay Sailing Club (GBSC) commodore Johnny Shorten to pay tribute to an “unsung hero”. It…
On this day half a century ago, solo sailor Commander Bill King was still becalmed on board Galway Blazer II in the final stages of his global circumnavigation. This was his third – and first successful - attempt to sail…
