#WSSlecture – The Cobh branch of the World Ship Society (WSS) is to resume its 2014-2015 meetings programme with its first lecture this year on 20 January. The topic been 'Tall Ships Down the Years' is to be presented by Capt. Michael Coleman.

Starting at 20.00, next Tuesday's talk takes place in the Commodore Hotel, Cobh (and other presentations are held on the third Tuesday of each month), between September and June.

Cobh's WSS branch was established in 2005 and is the only branch of the society in the Republic of Ireland. The branch albeit still in its infancy, provides an interesting programme of activities for members.

Presentations are made during the winter months while in the summer period is spiced with visits to ships in the port. Cobh WSS have also engaged in foreign travel , including a visit to Poland, Sweden and the UK.

For further details about the organisation founded in 1946, click HERE.

#HolidayWorlds – The Belfast Telegraph Holiday World Show 2015 returns to the city at the King's Hall Pavillons.

For three days, the annual event held in January, starting this Friday 16th and continues over the weekend of Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th respectively.

The event will cover a myriad of holiday travel options with many stands to visit. Among the exhibitors at the Belfast show are those from Ferry Companies & Cruise Lines, for a list click HERE.

So to ask all those important questions and discounts visit the stands to discuss ferry travel plans and cruise holidays.

For information on times, ticket prices and more visit the website, in addition for details on Holiday World Dublin (23-25 January) held in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavillon, Ballsbridge.

#Race&Waves- Baltimore Maritime Centre will have two presentations for The Glenua and Friends lecture series in 2015 at the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend, Dublin on Thursday 8 January.

Starting at 20:00hrs, the admission for both presentations is €5 which is in aid of the RNLI.

The evening's opening presentation is: Solo Transit Race 2015, which will be given by Tom Dolan, Les Glenans sailing manager in Concarneau.

Tom will give a short presentation on his bid to race solo in a 6.5m boat for 4,000 miles from Brest to Guadeloupe, starting 15 September 2015. He has acquired a Pogo 2 but, apart from his winter training, is actively seeking sponsorship.

Dolan has been sailing professionally in Ireland, France and the Caribbean since 2007 and originally a volunteer sailing instructor with les Glénans in Ireland. More on the Tom Dolan Solo Sailor story here. 

The second presentation is titled: Extreme Waves in Ireland - Their Observation and their Generation

This presentation is from Frédéric Dias, Professor of Mathematics at UCD where he leads a team of 15 people working on wave energy converters.

In 2012, he received a prestigious Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to work on the understanding of extreme wave events, followed in 2014 by a Proof of Concept Grant from the ERC to work on wave measurement.

Also in 2014 Professor Dias was awarded the Emilia Valori prize for applications of science by the French Academy of Sciences.

During this illustrated talk, Professor Dias will provide some evidence of extreme wave events and describe the main mechanisms for their generation.

There will be a special focus on the west coast of Ireland and on the winter of 2013/2014. The study of extreme wave events on the ocean is a rapidly expanding area of research worldwide.

Although much work in this area is based on modelling and experiments in controlled wave tanks, the starting point of all studies is of course observation in the natural world.

#Conference - 'A Safe Place for Ships': Cork, Ireland, Europe and the Sea is the title of a two-day maritime history conference to be held on 28-29 November in University College Cork.

The free admission conference which requires no registration is to be hosted in UCC's main campus in the Electrical Engineering Building (L‐1). The opening hours are: Friday (1:30pm – 8pm) and on the Saturday (10am – 6pm).

To download a repeat of the conference details which includes a painting of a paddle-steamer heading upriver on the River Lee in Cork city quays, click HERE.

Ireland is an island nation, with a rich maritime heritage and the conference will explore its sea-going past and culture, along with that of its European neighbours.

Among the topics to be discussed are the Vikings, piracy, the Spanish Armada, international trade, the Napoleonic War at sea, island nations, emigration, port cities, Lusitania and WWI submarine warfare.

Speakers include: Prof Eric Grove (Liverpool Hope Univ.); Prof Donnchadh Ó Corráin (UCC); Prof Michelà D'Angelo (Univ. of Messina); Dr Simon Mercieca (Univ. of Malta); Prof Claire Connolly (UCC); Prof Jürgen Elvert (Univ. of Cologne); Dr Susan Flavin (Trinity College Dublin); Dr Connie Kelleher (Nat. Monuments Service/UCC).

Conference was organised by Dr Hiram Morgan ([email protected]) and Dr John Borgonovo ([email protected]), School of History, University College Cork.

Funding for the Cork conference is from the Irish Research Council's New Foundations Scheme with assistance from the Port of Cork Company.

#Lectures- A lecture: The History of Asgard, from Launch to Gun Running to Conservation by Pat Murphy as previously reported on Afloat.ie is to take place tonight (8pm) in the National Maritime Museum of Ireland (NMMI), Dun Laoghaire.

This lecture is a ticketed event –admission is €10.00 (payable at door from 7.30pm) for further details, click HERE.

In addition to this lecture, the NMMI are holding another lecture tonight (in the Stella Maris Seafarers Club, Beresford Place, close to Busaras Bus Station). The lecture (starting at 8pm) titled: History of the Irish Naval Service is to be presented by Terry Cummins of the Irish Naval Association.

As usual these monthly held lectures are organised by the Maritime Institute of Ireland and held in the city-centre venue of the Stella Maris Seafarers Club. Entry is by voluntary donation to help meet overheads of the M.I.I. which runs the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire.

For further information contact Barney Yourell, Lectures Officer of the Institute on 087 900 7466 or (01) 847 6118

Public transport: The nearest DART stations are Connolly Station and at Tara Street in addition to the LUAS (Red) line stop at Busáras. Car parking is located in the Irish Life Mall (ILAC) on Lower Abbey Street.

For further information in general about the National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire which has a gift shop and café: visit www.mariner.ie

#Lecture&AGM - The Rothsay Castle Shipwreck, 1831: the Rathmines Connection is the next Old Dublin Society lecture which takes places on Wednesday, November 26th.

The lecture presented by Séamas Ó Maitiú will be held in the Dublin City Library & Archive, 138 - 144 Pearse Street, Dublin, at 6.30pm. All are welcome-admission free.

Following the lecture, the Annual General Meeting of the ODS is to take place.

For more about the OLD visit: www.olddublinsociety.ie

#AgriFoodSeminar - Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is to launch a seminar next week on the importance of supply chain and logistics in the Agri-Food sector.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland (CILT) seminar at the Port of Cork Customs House takes place on Thursday November 27th from 20:00-22:00.

The port's Commercial Manager Captain Michael McCarthy, will chair the discussion.

To attend the free seminar which is to comprise a panel discussion and networking opportunity for 3PLs, experts, manufacturers, retailers and training/education in the South of Ireland.

To register email: [email protected], stating your name and company.

Source: www.imdo.ie

#SeafarersCommemoration- The annual National Commemoration Services for Irish Seafarers will start at 12.30pm next Sunday 23 November 2014.

This year's commemoration has a new schedule to proceedings as there will be an ecumenical service held in City Quay Church (close to Tara DART station). The service is to be conducted by Father Pierce Walsh and Rev William Black, Hononary Port Chaplin.

The company will then proceed the short distance to the Seafarers Memorial, where representatives will lay wreaths.

Following the ceremony, tea, coffee and scones will be availavle in Jury's Inn, Custom House Quay located on the far side of the Liffey.

In previous years, the commemoration started with Mass at City Quay and concluded with Evensong in St Patrick's Cathedral.

#Lecture - The Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association's (DBOGA) next lecture "Ireland, How Stand Our Island nation? is to be presented by Tom MacSweeney on Tuesday November 18th at the Poolbeg Yacht Boat Club & Marina, Dublin.

The talk which forms part of the winter lecture programme, starts at 8 pm but the organisers are encouraging those wishing to attend to assemble at 7.15 pm for a socialable drink in advance.

All are welcome to the Poolbeg clubhouse which overlooks the marina and faces the entrance to Alexandra Basin. From here all sorts of shipping activities of the commercial port can be viewed in closer detail.

To reach the clubhouse if travelling from the southside along the Merrion Road take the connecting Sean Moore Road that leads onto the South Bank at Pigeon House Road, Ringsend. Or if travelling from the northside cross the Liffey via the East-Link Toll Bridge.

For further information on the lectures programme and in general about the DBOGA, click HERE.

To contact the Poolbeg Yacht Boat Club & Marina (PYBC) Tel: (01) 668 9983

#RarePhotographs - Peter Pearson will present 'A Magic Lantern Show' of glass slides taken of Old Dún Laoghaire Harbour.

The collection of rare photographs dating 1880-1920 will be accompanied by a lecture from the historian held in the National Maritime Museum of Ireland (NMMI).  The museum located close to the new Dun Laoghaire Lexicon Library is run by the Maritime Institute of Ireland.

Tickets for the one-evening show on Tuesday 11th November cost €8.00. Doors open 7.30 pm and the lecture begins at 8.00 pm
To make a booking email: [email protected] or contact the NMMI on (01) 2143 964

For more details about the museum which has a gift shop and café visit:www.mariner.ie