The annual Baltimore Wooden boat Festival this weekend (full dates are Friday 26th to Sunday 28th May) provides the perfect setting for a remarkable range of craft of all shapes, sizes and rigs writes W M Nixon. It brings with it all sorts of celebrations and activities afloat and ashore to match an occasionally – indeed, frequently – eccentric gathering of traditional and wooden boat fans.

Scroll down this story to read the full programme below.

In fact, there’s noting quite like it on sea or land anywhere in Ireland, as it’s a heady mixture of craft of types sometimes half as ancient as time itself, testing themselves afloat and against each other, with all of it including the inter-boat banter which is so much part of the sport.

Best of all, the meteorological portents are good - it looks as though it is going to happen in what might well be a weekend of better than reasonably good summer weather, so we can expect the hospitable sea-minded West Cork port to be totally en fete afloat and ashore.

They’ll be coming from all over Ireland and beyond, and a significant presence will be the Ilen Boat Building School from Limerick. Not only is their 57ft ketch Ilen nearing restoration near Baltimore at Oldcourt, but they will be bringing a collection of craft built by trainees in the school, where they also built the deckhouses and spars for the Ilen.

A focus of close attention will be one of the smallest boats of all, the 10ft Valentine Punt, which is assembled from a laser-cut kit based on marine plywood. The basic design used is a 10ft dinghy built in the 1920s in Passage West on Cork Harbour for John Valentine Sisk, and it his grandson, maritime historian Hal Sisk, who vividly remembers what a special pleasure it was to row this elegant yet practical little boat.

The new Valentine Punt built by Elan Broadley in the Ilen Boatbuilding School in Limerick is remarkable for its lightness. Photo Gary MacMahon

Thus he got the idea of making building kits available, using edge-glued (with epoxy) plywood “planks” to emulate the original’s traditional clinker construction, thereby providing a boat which is lighter yet more durable with much less maintenance.

When Hal heard the Ilen people were looking for a dinghy to act as tender for their vessel, he donated one of the kits to the school. And this newest Valentine Punt, which will debut in Baltimore at the weekend, has been built in the Limerick school by Elan Broadley from Donegal.

With edge-glued “clinker” construction, the new Valentine Punt is easily maintained – unlike a traditional clinker boat as the bilges can be cleaned in seconds. Photo: Gary MacMahon

He had no experience of boatbuilding when he started, yet with patience he has learned as he worked, under instruction when needed. It may have taken 500 hours in all for him to complete the job, but the result is a lovely little boat. Among those there to celebrate with her proud builder at Baltimore this weekend will be his mother down from Donegal, and Hal Sisk, who learned to row in the original boat more than sixty years ago.

So in Baltimore this weekend, the mood in the sunshine will be of nostalgia and anticipation. Soon, the Ilen will launch. And once she is in full commission, the focus will turn to building a re-creation of Conor O’Brien’s famous world-girdling 40ft ketch Saoirse, originally built in Baltimore 95 years ago. Her re-birth comfortably in advance of her Centenary in 2022 is a very worthy target.

Ilen on her first commissioning day at Baltimore in 1927

#RNLI - A week of engine troubles around the Irish coast continued yesterday morning (Tuesday 9 May) when Baltimore RNLI went to the aid of a fishing boat on passage from France to Kerry.

The lifeboat launched to the vessel at 7.10am, taking it under tow to Baltimore where it was brought alongside the pier at 10.40am.

The crew on the lifeboat call were coxswain Aidan Bushe, mechanic Cathal Cottrell, Colin Whooley, Don O’Donovan, Jerry Smith, Kieran Collins and David Ryan.

Yesterday’s callout came after Skerries RNLI launched to a motor boat in difficulty off Rockabill on Sunday, and the Rosslare Harbour lifeboat assisted a motor yacht off the Wicklow coast last Wednesday.

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched on Saturday night (29 May) to assist a boat that had broken from its moorings in Baltimore Harbour.

Concerned for the safety of a person seen trying to access the boat from a rowing dinghy in strong southerly winds, a member of the public raised the alarm, and the ILB was tasked to assist, quickly returning the boat it its morning and its occupant back to shore.

On return to station, the lifeboat was tasked to investigate a possible flare sighting in the area.

After conducting a search in strong wind, rain and darkness, nothing was out of the ordinary was found and the ILB was stood down.

The Baltimore lifeboat crew on this callout were Mícheál Cottrell, Ryan O’Mahony and Colin Rochford, with Seamus O’Driscoll, Rianne Smith and Jerry Smith on shore and Brian McSweeney also in attendance.

Baltimore Sea Safari in West Cork have posted this photo of a Humpback Whale breaching off the West Cork coast. 

#Baltimore - A verdict of accidental death was returned at Clonakilty courthouse today (Tuesday 26 April) in the deaths of a Penney's retail scion, his son and his son's girlfriend, all three of whom drowned off Baltimore in West Cork last summer.

According to RTÉ News, the inquest heard coroner Frank O'Connell describe Barry St John Ryan (51) as an "extremely brave and courageous man" for entering the water to attempt to rescue his son Barry Davis Ryan (20) and Niamh O'Connor (20) after they were swept into the sea from the rocks by an unexpected wave on 30 June last.

The bodies of Ryan Sr and O'Connor were recovered soon after, while Ryan Jr was found by divers 10 days later, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

The court heard an emotional statement from Ryan Sr's daughter Charlotte, who was 12 years old at the time, and who recalled how an afternoon out fishing from the shore at a popular beauty spot suddenly turned to tragedy.

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

It may have had a breezy conclusion but last Monday and Tuesday were amazing days in Baltimore for the IODAI Optimist training week with sunshine, light winds and as this drone footage shows beautiful West Cork boating scenery.

Baltimore RNLI received an an alert from Valentia Coastguard at 09:29 this morning when a young boy in urgent need of medical attention required immediate evacuation from Cape Clear Island.

Coxswain Aidan Bushe along with 5 volunteer crewmen were launched within minutes of the alert. They proceeded in poor weather conditions to the North Harbour of Cape Clear Island against a swell of 3 metres and force 6-7 northwest winds.

When the lifeboat crew arrived at the pier the little boy was unresponsive. He was immediately stretchered aboard the the lifeboat where he was constantly monitored on the journey back to Baltimore. The lifeboat arrived at Baltimore pier at 10:30, from where the boy was transferred to Skibbereen for medical attention.

The evacuation was successfully completed in one hour, a remarkable achievement given that current weather conditions have meant frequent cancellation of local ferries.

On board were ; Coxswain Aidan Bushe, Mechanic Cathal Cottrell, crew Sean McCarthy, Jerry Smith, Ronnie Carty and Don O'Donovan

Baltimore RNLI Tamar class Lifeboat Alan Massey launched last night to go to the assistance of a fishing vessel which ran aground in Glandore Harbour. The Lifeboat was tasked at 2125 and arrived in Glandore Harbour where the Union Hall Inshore Lifeboat was evacuating the crew from the stricken vessel. The fishing vessel subsequently drifted off the rocks and was taken in tow by the Baltimore Lifeboat towards the safety of Union Hall.

Weather conditions are force 7 to 8 with a 4 metre swell offshore but the vessel grounded in the more sheltered waters of Glandore Harbour. On board the Baltimore Lifeboat were; Coxswain Kieran Cotter Mechanic Jerry Smith. Crew Pat Collins, Kieran Collins, Don O’Donovan, Ronnie Carty and Colin Whooley

#MarineWildlife - Whale Watch West Cork have shared this incredible video of one of a humpback whale breaching off Baltimore this week.

The whale is one of three of the ocean giants seen feeding off Baltimore and nearby islands in recent days, and caught in some stunning shots by photographer Simon Duggan, among others.

Meanwhile, some no less impressive sights have been seen of Donegal, new video shows basking sharks - the second biggest fish in the sea - breaching off Malin Head.

Bren Whelan of Wild Atlantic Way Climbing told Independent Travel that it's been an "outstanding week" for marine wildlife watching on the North Coast, saying he himself had witnessed "over 300" basking shark breaches.

Basking sharks have been seen in big numbers the area all month long, with 15 spotted during the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group's Whale Watch Ireland 2015 event on the afternoon of 23 August alone.

Baltimore All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) 'Alan Massey' was launched today to act as back-up for Baltimore inshore lifeboat, which was tasked to go the aid of a boat that went onto rocks on the island at Tragumna.

The male occupant of the 18ft punt managed to scramble ashore onto the island. When the ilb crewed of Youen Jacob, Kieran Collins and Jason Pavrey arrived on scene they dropped an anchor, so that they could safely veer the lifeboat through a heavy swell and a wave washed shoreline to rescue the boats occupant.

The casualty was then passed over to Baltimore alb for his comfort and safety on the journey back to his departure point. The lifeboats were aided by Toe Head CG who assisted in recovery of the boat, which was then towed by Baltimore ilb to its mooring in Trá na mBhó.

The alb was crewed by Aidan Bushe coxswain, Cathal Cottrell mechanic, Sean McCarthy, Don O' Donovan and Ronnie Carthy.