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Displaying items by tag: Waterways Visitor Centre

#DUCKING DOCKS - Who will have the best looking duck swimming in the Duck Race?...at the Duck Your Duck Workshop this Saturday 25th August (between 11am-5pm –both Sat. & Sun). The children's creative workshop will be held at the Waterways Visitor Centre, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin.

There will be glitter and glue, paint and polish. So come on down and give your duck some character before it joins the Duck Race. Plus radio controlled boats, Watery Stories and the Darklight Kids' Programme.

In addition there will be plenty of other events and activities for all ages, organised as part of National Heritage Week, for more click HERE.

Also of course to boarding the tallships, with more than 40 such majestic vessels lining both sides of the Liffey quays. Also laid on are shored based  events at both the Grand Canal and Spencer Docks. To see the free family festival programme over the four days click visit www. dublintallships.ie/

Published in Coastal Notes

#PEG PEOPLE - This weekend's (18-19 August) children's arts and craft morning workshop is as usual been held in the Waterways Visitor Centre located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock. Noting the centre has also organised other events and activities as part of National Heritage Week and with the Tallships (23-26 August) coming to town!

The theme of the creative morning is 'Peg People-Create Your Own Character With Textiles and a Wooden Peg! The activity is part of an on-going Children's Summer Workshop Programme, held every weekend until late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings), the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

Art & craft workshops are to cater for two age groups with the first workshop (5-7 year olds) starts at 11:00 and the second session for those (aged 8-10) begins at 12 noon.

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed-Sun 10.00am- 6.00pm and by visiting www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

#WEAVING WAVES -This weekend (4-5 August) there is to be an arts and craft morning workshop for children held in the Waterways Visitor Centre located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock.

The theme for this weekend's activity is ' Weaving Waves: Will your water be flat calm or very stormy? The wave-themed activity is part of an on-going Children's Summer Workshop Programme, held every weekend until late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings), the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

Art & craft workshops are to cater for two age groups with the first workshop (5-7 year olds) starts at 11:00 and the second session for those (aged 8-10) begins at 12 noon.

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed-Sun 10.00am- 6.00pm and by visiting www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

#TOWERS FOR KIDS -This weekend (28-29 July) there is to be an arts and craft morning workshop for children held in the Waterways Visitor Centre located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock.

The theme for this weekend's activity is 'Tall Towers: How High will your tower be? which is part of an on-going Children's Summer Workshop Programme, held every weekend until late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings), the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

Art & craft workshops are to cater for two age groups with the first workshop starting at 11:00 (5-7 year olds) and the second session begins at 12 noon (8-10 year olds).

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed-Sun 10.00am- 6.00pm and by visiting www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

#CHILDREN'S CRAFTS- This forthcoming weekend (21-22 July) there is to be an arts and craft morning workshop for children held in the Waterways Visitor Centre located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock.

This weekend's theme is 'Otter Hand Puppets' where children can make cute otter characters!

The event is part of an on-going Children's Summer Workshop Programme, which is held every weekend until late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings) the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

All of the art & craft workshops are catered for two age groups, with the first workshop starting at 11:00 (5 – 7 year olds) and the second session begins at 12 noon (8 – 10 year olds).

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed – Sun 10.00am – 6.00pm and by visiting www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

#JUNE JAZZ JETTY – The Waterways Visitor Centre in the heart of the Grand Canal Dock, Dublin is the place to be with the venue buzzing to the sounds of the 'Jazz on the Jetty in June'. The free event this Wednesday (27th) is between 12.30 - 2.00pm.

Gavin Kerins will be entertaining those on the jetty in the inner basin which is close to the DART station at Grand Canal Dock. Also on the quayside there will be an Irish Village Market with a wide variety of food stalls, giving an option to buy your lunch during the musical event.

For further information and about the visitor centre click HERE.

Published in Boating Fixtures

#MAKING MAGICAL MOSAICS - This forthcoming weekend (23-24 June) there is to be an arts and craft morning workshop for children held in the Waterways Visitor Centre located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock.

The theme for this weekend's activities is 'Magical Mosaics' where all things shiny, sparkly, colourful and glittery make these arts of work turn into magical mosaics!

The event is part of an on-going Children's Summer Workshop Programme, which is held every weekend until late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings) the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

Art & craft workshops are to cater for two age groups with the first workshop starting at 11:00 (5 – 7 year olds) and the second session begins at 12 noon (8 – 10 year olds).

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed – Sun 10.00am – 6.00pm and by visiting www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

#BUILDING BARGES IN THE BOX – This forthcoming 'Bloomsday' there will be an arts & crafts workshop for children at the Waterways Visitor Centre, otherwise affectionately known as the 'Box' which is located in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock.

The theme for the Bloomsday weekend is 'Building Barges', what will your barge carry? which is part of a Children's Summer Workshop Programme, held at weekends till late August. On each of the weekends (both mornings) the theme of the art & craft workshop will change.

Art & craft workshops are to cater for two age groups with the first workshop starting at 11:00 (5 – 7 year olds) and the second session begins at 12 noon (8 – 10 year olds).

Admission is €3.00 per child, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Places are limited so booking is advisable. For further details contact: (01) 6777510, Wed – Sun 10.00am – 6.00pm and www.waterwaysirelandvisitorcentre.org/events.aspx

Published in Inland Waterways

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!