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
Conservation of Ireland’s coastal machair habitats will benefit from some €7.4 million in funding, Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan has said. Some €5.7 million of the total sum of €7.4 million will be drawn from the new EU…
Workplace Relations Commission Rules Egyptian Fishing Crewman Due over €20,000 in Compensation for Breaches of Work Time & Wages Legislation
23rd November 2021 Fishing
The Workplace Relations Commission has directed that over 20,000 euro in compensation be paid to an Egyptian fisherman employed on an Irish vessel for breaches of his working time and payment of wages legislation. Egyptian national Ali Rezk (63) was…
Economic Assessment of South-East Galway Bay Finds it Supports 550 Jobs
23rd November 2021 Galway Harbour
A one-year economic assessment of the southeast Galway Bay catchment has found it generated revenues of €105 million and supported about 550 jobs. The report was commissioned by Cuan Beo, a community based coastal organisation working in south-east Galway Bay,…
Earlier today (Friday 19 November) the Port of Waterford received its new pilot vessel from Cork’s Safehaven Marine. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the port invested some €1 million in the 15m Interceptor 48 named Port Láirge, the Irish for…
TDs Call for State to Run Search & Rescue Aviation During Dáil Debate on Rescue 116 Final Report
18th November 2021 Coastguard
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has said the next contract for search and rescue aviation services should not be awarded to CHC Ireland. Such services should be operated by the State, Ms Smith said. She was speaking in the…
Sketchbooks with images recording island life and landscape over the last 30 years form the basis of a new exhibition by Connemara artist Pádraic Reaney. Entitled Oileán, it comprises 49 paintings and graphics from Irish and Scottish islands and from…
'In the Eye of the Storm': McConalogue Presents Memo on Seafood Task Force Report to Cabinet
16th November 2021 Fishing
Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue is expected to present a memo on the Government’s seafood task force report to Cabinet this week. Mr McConalogue is requesting that the Cabinet notes the report, while he awaits a review on its recommendations.…
Ireland Signs up to Inter-Government Alliance Phasing Out Oil & Gas Production
11th November 2021 Power From the Sea
Ireland has joined a new alliance of governments that aims to phase to out oil and gas production in line with the existing Paris agreement on climate change. Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan confirmed Ireland’s support for…
Galway Harbour 'Nordlyset' Shipwreck Anchor Should be Retrieved as Part of City’s Maritime History
12th November 2021 Wavelength Podcast
There’s rarely a weekend when there isn’t some activity in and around Galway’s Claddagh basin. Earlier last month, the Galway Hooker Sailing Club and Port of Galway Sea Scouts launched the 96-year old gleoiteog, Loveen, which was refurbished during the…
Valentia Island's Transatlantic Cable Among Six Irish Nominations for UNESCO World Heritage Status
11th November 2021 Island News
Valentia island’s transatlantic cable ensemble and Iniscealtra or Holy Island in Co Clare are among six locations included in Ireland’s latest application for UNESCO world heritage status. An expert advisory group appointed by Minister of State with Responsibility for Heritage…
Met Éireann Collaboration on New Supercomputer to Advance Short Term Weather Forecasting
10th November 2021 Weather
Met Éireann is collaborating with Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands on a new supercomputer designed to advance short-term weather forecasting. The new multimillion high-performance computer built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will also be used to advance climate science research…
The life and times of Dublin Bay and glimpses of its wildlife against the backdrop of the capital and major port is the theme of a new series beginning on TG4 this week. Filmed over four seasons, An Cuan is…
Rescue 116 Final Report Critical of Management & Organisational Systems
5th November 2021 Coastguard
The "probable cause" of the Rescue 116 Irish Coast Guard helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of four air crew off the north Mayo coast in March 2017, has been identified as a combination of poor weather, the helicopter's altitude…
New antibiotics in the world’s oceans and the curative properties of marine animals like sponges will be explored in a European project involving researchers at University College Cork (UCC). The EU has awarded a total of €7.5 million under its…
Irish whale experts have contributed to the identification of a new species of whale which is so deep diving that it has rarely been recorded before. A global network of researchers including Prof Emer Rogan of University College Cork/Environmental Research…
Ashes of Brazilian who Died in Galway Scattered at Sea by Badóirí an Chladaigh
31st October 2021 Galway Harbour
When Brazilian Paulo Sergio Soares da Paixão became involved with traditional boats in Galway, little did he expect that his ashes would be scattered by fellow crew members at sea. Musicians and members of Galway group Badoirí an Chladaigh took…
MCIB Report into Kayaking Incident Last Year off Dalkey Critical of Organisational Factors
29th October 2021 MCIB
An investigation into an incident where a party of 15 kayakers encountered difficulties during a round trip from Bulloch harbour to Dalkey island on Dublin Bay last September has found that “disregard for Met Éireann forecasts” contributed to a decision…
Saturday's Shackleton Autumn School Has Packed Line Up of Speakers on Adventurer's Expeditions (Podcast)
28th October 2021 Wavelength Podcast
A century ago, a ship called The Quest was at sea between Lisbon and Madeira on what was to be Ernest Shackleton’s final expedition. This coming January, the centenary of the adventurer’s death in Antarctica will be marked with a…
Shackleton's "Crow's Nest" from his Last Ship Loaned to Irish Museum For His Centenary
27th October 2021 Historic Boats
When Irish adventurer Sir Ernest Shackleton was asked to give his expertise at the inquiry into the sinking of the Titanic, he singled out the need to slow down through the ice and the value of a ship’s lookout or…
Aran Island of Inis Oírr Finally Gets Resumption of 24-hour Water Supply
24th October 2021 Island News
Night-time water restrictions on the Aran island of Inis Oírr have finally been lifted after six months of rationed supplies. Irish Water said the restrictions from 11 pm to 7 am initiated last May have been eased as of this…
