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Displaying items by tag: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre

Marine Minister Charlie McConalogue today (Thursday 2 March) officially named the new €10m ‘Fishing Pier’ at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre, one of the six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres.

The works comprised the construction of 134 metres of new quay wall, dredging, stabilisation and infill of subsea material which covers a greatly enlarged area of 6,500 sqm.

The additional berthing space created relieves vessel congestion issues and enables greater segregation between the activities of fishing vessels and the marine tourism and leisure activities which are mainly concentrated on the West Pier.

Works on the site commenced in October 2020 and were completed in April 2022 at a cost of €10 million.

Howth's new fishing pier - The works comprised the construction of 134 metres of new quay wall, dredging, stabilisation and infill of subsea material which covers a greatly enlarged area of 6,500 sqmHowth's new fishing pier - The works comprised the construction of 134 metres of new quay wall, dredging, stabilisation and infill of subsea material which covers a greatly enlarged area

This major redevelopment project was funded through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme.

Officially opening ‘The Fishing Pier’, the minister said: “It is an integral part of my department’s overall strategy to provide dedicated, stand-alone fit for purpose facilities for the fishing industry in Howth.

“The newly redeveloped ‘Fishing Pier’ facilitated the moving of vessels from the West Pier onto this redeveloped pier. I must also acknowledge our main contractor, John Sisk, and consulting engineer Malachy Walsh and Partners who overcame COVID-19 restrictions and supply chain delays to deliver a first-class structure.”

Bird’s eye view of the new Fishing Pier at HowthBird’s eye view of the new Fishing Pier at Howth

In 2021, almost 90% of all fish landed into Ireland was into the six State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres. At Howth, these landings were valued at c.€12.9 million.

Minister McConalogue noted: “The six Fishery Harbour Centres are critical infrastructure for our seafood industry. By attracting increased fish landings, we will deliver the raw materials to drive and maximise the opportunities for primary and secondary processing and ensure a strong Irish seafood processing industry. The importance of these primary and secondary food production activities is reflected in the Government’s Food Vision 2030 policy“.

The new pier adds extensive and much-needed quay space of 6,500m2 in a seasonally very busy harbourThe new pier adds extensive and much-needed quay space of 6,500m2 in a seasonally very busy harbour

HOWTH DREDGING PLANS

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine says it has plans for further significant investment with a dredging and reclamation project for Howth Fishery Harbour Centre and planning permission for this project is currently under consideration by An Bord Pleanála.

After unveiling the plaque, Minister McConalogue said: “In addition to the fisheries and seafood production industries, the Fishery Harbour Centres are accommodating an ever-increasing amount of diverse marine commercial business, including commercial cargo traffic, cruise liners, restaurants and other leisure, tourism, and social activities.

“All of these activities complement the critical economic activity generated by our fishing industry and help to maintain the vitality of these coastal communities.”

Published in Fishing

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has launched a public consultation on developing a policy for passenger vessel licensing at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre.

The number of licences issued by the department has remained unchanged for many years. Some existing licence holders have expressed an interest in acquiring additional licences, while other vessel owners have shown an interest in operating from the harbour.

There is a facility for vessel owners to apply to operate a passenger service from a Fishery Harbour Centre (FHC) but there is no policy to guide how to manage the current licences, or how to award additional licences, the department explains.

A review has been undertaken by harbour management on the capacity of the passenger pontoon at Howth FHC and the nature of potential additional activity it could accommodate. The review indicates that there is scope for a small increase in the number of passenger vessel licences that are currently in place.

The next step in the process towards developing a policy is to hold a public consultation with interested parties and members of the public. Views are sought from stakeholders on the following areas:

  • Renewal of existing licences
  • Issue additional licences
  • Timeslots & Scheduling
  • Changes to Vessel Sizes
  • Change of Ownership
  • Operation of Single-Entry Vessels

The public consultation is open now Friday 16 September. All relevant and necessary documents can be found on Gov.ie.

Published in Irish Harbours

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine invites tenders for a 35-year lease of 6 West Pier in Howth Fishery Harbour Centre.

The lease for the site is offered for a term of 35 years with five-yearly rent reviews. The tender documentation is available from the Harbour Office and can also be viewed or downloaded from Gov.ie.

Applicants should contact the Harbour Office, Howth Fishery Harbour Centre by phone on 01 832 2252 between 9am and 5pm on workdays to view the tender documentation or to make an appointment to view the site.

The closing date for receipt of tenders is noon on Thursday 29 September.

Published in Irish Harbours

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is inviting suitably qualified contractors to submit a tender package to re-construct a boat shed destroyed by storm action in 2018 at Howth Fishery Harbour Centre.

This tender also includes roof repairs and waterproofing works on the adjacent department buildings located on the East Pier. Tenders are to be submitted in one lot via eTenders.

The main structure is a single-storey infill build between two existing buildings The tender calls for construction work in reinforced concrete to rebuild the existing combination masonry/concrete/timber-roof structure.

Subject to available funding, this tender award is expected in August with works required to commence no later than September.

The RFT can be viewed on the eTenders website under reference RFT 216175.

Published in Fishing

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine invites suitably qualified contractors to submit a tender package to construct up to two reinforced concrete boatyard repair bays within the existing DAFM Boatyard located on the West Pier of Howth Fishery Harbour Centre.

The repair bays will be around 500 sqm each, with works to include surfacing, installation of draining pipework, gullies and manholes (of a depth not greater than 2m) and more.

The successful contractor will also be expected to excavate and dispose of existing life-expired asphalt surfacing off-site at a licensed facility.

This tender award is expected in late May or early June with works to commence in June or July, and is awarded subject to available funding.

The RFT is in one lot and can be viewed on the eTenders website under reference 210774. The deadline for responses to this tender is noon on Wednesday 4 May.

Published in Irish Harbours

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Information

Dun Laoghaire Harbour is the second port for Dublin and is located on the south shore of Dublin Bay. Marine uses for this 200-year-old man-made harbour have changed over its lifetime. Originally built as a port of refuge for sailing ships entering the narrow channel at Dublin Port, the harbour has had a continuous ferry link with Wales, and this was the principal activity of the harbour until the service stopped in 2015. In all this time, however, one thing has remained constant, and that is the popularity of sailing and boating from the port, making it Ireland's marine leisure capital with a harbour fleet of between 1,200 -1,600 pleasure craft based at the country's largest marina (800 berths) and its four waterfront yacht clubs.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour Bye-Laws

Download the bye-laws on this link here

FAQs

A live stream Dublin Bay webcam showing Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance and East Pier is here

Dun Laoghaire is a Dublin suburb situated on the south side of Dublin Bay, approximately, 15km from Dublin city centre.

The east and west piers of the harbour are each of 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) long.

The harbour entrance is 232 metres (761 ft) across from East to West Pier.

  • Public Boatyard
  • Public slipway
  • Public Marina

23 clubs, 14 activity providers and eight state-related organisations operate from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that facilitates a full range of sports - Sailing, Rowing, Diving, Windsurfing, Angling, Canoeing, Swimming, Triathlon, Powerboating, Kayaking and Paddleboarding. Participants include members of the public, club members, tourists, disabled, disadvantaged, event competitors, schools, youth groups and college students.

  • Commissioners of Irish Lights
  • Dun Laoghaire Marina
  • MGM Boats & Boatyard
  • Coastguard
  • Naval Service Reserve
  • Royal National Lifeboat Institution
  • Marine Activity Centre
  • Rowing clubs
  • Yachting and Sailing Clubs
  • Sailing Schools
  • Irish Olympic Sailing Team
  • Chandlery & Boat Supply Stores

The east and west granite-built piers of Dun Laoghaire harbour are each of one kilometre (0.62 mi) long and enclose an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2) with the harbour entrance being 232 metres (761 ft) in width.

In 2018, the ownership of the great granite was transferred in its entirety to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council who now operate and manage the harbour. Prior to that, the harbour was operated by The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, a state company, dissolved in 2018 under the Ports Act.

  • 1817 - Construction of the East Pier to a design by John Rennie began in 1817 with Earl Whitworth Lord Lieutenant of Ireland laying the first stone.
  • 1820 - Rennie had concerns a single pier would be subject to silting, and by 1820 gained support for the construction of the West pier to begin shortly afterwards. When King George IV left Ireland from the harbour in 1820, Dunleary was renamed Kingstown, a name that was to remain in use for nearly 100 years. The harbour was named the Royal Harbour of George the Fourth which seems not to have remained for so long.
  • 1824 - saw over 3,000 boats shelter in the partially completed harbour, but it also saw the beginning of operations off the North Wall which alleviated many of the issues ships were having accessing Dublin Port.
  • 1826 - Kingstown harbour gained the important mail packet service which at the time was under the stewardship of the Admiralty with a wharf completed on the East Pier in the following year. The service was transferred from Howth whose harbour had suffered from silting and the need for frequent dredging.
  • 1831 - Royal Irish Yacht Club founded
  • 1837 - saw the creation of Victoria Wharf, since renamed St. Michael's Wharf with the D&KR extended and a new terminus created convenient to the wharf.[8] The extended line had cut a chord across the old harbour with the landward pool so created later filled in.
  • 1838 - Royal St George Yacht Club founded
  • 1842 - By this time the largest man-made harbour in Western Europe had been completed with the construction of the East Pier lighthouse.
  • 1855 - The harbour was further enhanced by the completion of Traders Wharf in 1855 and Carlisle Pier in 1856. The mid-1850s also saw the completion of the West Pier lighthouse. The railway was connected to Bray in 1856
  • 1871 - National Yacht Club founded
  • 1884 - Dublin Bay Sailing Club founded
  • 1918 - The Mailboat, “The RMS Leinster” sailed out of Dún Laoghaire with 685 people on board. 22 were post office workers sorting the mail; 70 were crew and the vast majority of the passengers were soldiers returning to the battlefields of World War I. The ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat near the Kish lighthouse killing many of those onboard.
  • 1920 - Kingstown reverted to the name Dún Laoghaire in 1920 and in 1924 the harbour was officially renamed "Dun Laoghaire Harbour"
  • 1944 - a diaphone fog signal was installed at the East Pier
  • 1965 - Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club founded
  • 1968 - The East Pier lighthouse station switched from vapourised paraffin to electricity, and became unmanned. The new candle-power was 226,000
  • 1977- A flying boat landed in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, one of the most unusual visitors
  • 1978 - Irish National Sailing School founded
  • 1934 - saw the Dublin and Kingstown Railway begin operations from their terminus at Westland Row to a terminus at the West Pier which began at the old harbour
  • 2001 - Dun Laoghaire Marina opens with 500 berths
  • 2015 - Ferry services cease bringing to an end a 200-year continuous link with Wales.
  • 2017- Bicentenary celebrations and time capsule laid.
  • 2018 - Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company dissolved, the harbour is transferred into the hands of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council

From East pier to West Pier the waterfront clubs are:

  • National Yacht Club. Read latest NYC news here
  • Royal St. George Yacht Club. Read latest RSTGYC news here
  • Royal Irish Yacht Club. Read latest RIYC news here
  • Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club. Read latest DMYC news here

 

The umbrella organisation that organises weekly racing in summer and winter on Dublin Bay for all the yacht clubs is Dublin Bay Sailing Club. It has no clubhouse of its own but operates through the clubs with two x Committee vessels and a starters hut on the West Pier. Read the latest DBSC news here.

The sailing community is a key stakeholder in Dún Laoghaire. The clubs attract many visitors from home and abroad and attract major international sailing events to the harbour.

 

Dun Laoghaire Regatta

Dun Laoghaire's biennial town regatta was started in 2005 as a joint cooperation by the town's major yacht clubs. It was an immediate success and is now in its eighth edition and has become Ireland's biggest sailing event. The combined club's regatta is held in the first week of July.

  • Attracts 500 boats and more from overseas and around the country
  • Four-day championship involving 2,500 sailors with supporting family and friends
  • Economic study carried out by the Irish Marine Federation estimated the economic value of the 2009 Regatta at €2.5 million

The dates for the 2021 edition of Ireland's biggest sailing event on Dublin Bay is: 8-11 July 2021. More details here

Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Offshore Race

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down the East coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry. The latest news on the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race can be found by clicking on the link here. The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

The 2021 Race will start from the National Yacht Club on Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

Round Ireland Yacht Race

This is a Wicklow Sailing Club race but in 2013 the Garden County Club made an arrangement that sees see entries berthed at the RIYC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour for scrutineering prior to the biennial 704–mile race start off Wicklow harbour. Larger boats have been unable to berth in the confines of Wicklow harbour, a factor WSC believes has restricted the growth of the Round Ireland fleet. 'It means we can now encourage larger boats that have shown an interest in competing but we have been unable to cater for in Wicklow' harbour, WSC Commodore Peter Shearer told Afloat.ie here. The race also holds a pre-ace launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

Laser Masters World Championship 2018

  • 301 boats from 25 nations

Laser Radial World Championship 2016

  • 436 competitors from 48 nations

ISAF Youth Worlds 2012

  • The Youth Olympics of Sailing run on behalf of World Sailing in 2012.
  • Two-week event attracting 61 nations, 255 boats, 450 volunteers.
  • Generated 9,000 bed nights and valued at €9 million to the local economy.

The Harbour Police are authorised by the company to police the harbour and to enforce and implement bye-laws within the harbour, and all regulations made by the company in relation to the harbour.

There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire:

  • No 1 berth (East Pier)
  • No 2 berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 3 berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
  • No 4 berth  (St, Michaels Wharf)

Berthing facilities for smaller craft exist in the town's 800-berth marina and on swinging moorings.

© Afloat 2020