#MARITIME ON TV - Be sure to tune in to RTÉ One tomorrow night (Tuesday 16 October) for a special one-off TV documentary following three very different artists on a voyage of inspiration along the Grand Canal.

A Grand Experience, produced by Mixed Bag Media, joins writer Eugene O'Brien, photographer Veronica Nicholson and musician Wayne Brennan on board a historic 68m canal boat from Shannon Harbour to Edenderry in the Midlands.

Offaly County Council arts officer Sinead O'Reilly told the Offaly Express: “Our intention with commissioning this film, was to demonstrate how beautiful the canal in Offaly is and what an inspiration it can be."

The hour-long film is one of a number of projects from A Very Grand Canal, the scheme commissioned under the Per Cent for Art programme by Offaly County Council earlier this year that collects a variety of artistic responses to the Grand Canal. Some of these projects were exhibited during the recent Tall Ships Races Festival in Dublin.

A Grand Experience will be broadcast Tuesday 16 October at 10.15pm on RTÉ One, and will hopefully be available to view online later via the RTÉ Player.

#LUSITANIA - The millionaire owner of the Lusitania shipwreck has rejected the findings of the recent TV documentary investigating the mystery of its sinking.

The Irish Independent reports that Gregg Bemis is seeking permission from the Government to mount another dive to the wreck site to "pursue the truth".

On 7 May 1915 the cruise liner RMS Lusitania was hit by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the coast of the Old Head of Kinsale in Co Cork, with the loss of 1,198 lives.

A second explosion was reported minutes later, and within 20 minutes the vessel was underwater. Only 761 people survived.

Last summer Bemis launched what was expected to be the last dive expedition to find out what really happened to the former Cunard passenger liner.

However, Bemis argues that the National Geographic documentary team behind 'Dark Secrets of the Lusitania' used "insufficient data" when they concluded that the second explosion on the vessel following a torpedo strike was from a boiler blowing up in the bowels of the ship.

He remains convinced that a secret cargo of Allied munitions was responsible for the devastating explosion that sealed the ship's fate.

"They did not have all the information they should have had," said Bemis. "They used a computer analysis to get their theory and a computer is only as good as the garbage you put in. You put garbage in, you get garbage out."

The American said only a second dive with complete access to the hull could uncover what he believes really happened - a project he hopes will take place before the Lusitania centenery.

#LUSITANIA - M3 TV Productions will be holding a special event in the Port of Cork on 14 September to mark the worldwide release of Dark Secrets of the Lusitania.

The TV documentary, which premiered last month on the National Geographic Channel, follows what might have been the last expedition to the wreck of the ill-fated cruise liner.

On 7 May 1915 the passenger liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the coast of Cork, with the loss of 1,198 lives. But theories abound that there was more to the disaster than the torpedo strike, and that the ship's cargo hold contained precious art and illegal munitions.

The documentary attempts to uncover what really happened, using the latest submersible technology to see further into the shipwreck than ever before.

Gregg Bemis, the US owner of the shipwreck of the former Cunard cruise liner, will be flying in for the worldwide launch event.

Other guests include representatives from the marine industry, Minister for Arts & Heritage Jimmy Deenihan, Sean Kelly MEP, Senator Deirdre Clune and representatives from the Irish Coast Guard and Naval Service.

Actors will be dressed in First World War period costume to create a special atmosphere on the evening. The Irish Examiner will also display a digital exhibition of photos on the Lusitania, while UCC's Professor Dermot Keogh will give anoverview of that tumultuous period of world history.

#ESOF – This Thursday, 12th July, will see ALIEN DEEP, the brand new National Geographic Channel series have its world premiere in Ireland at the Euroscience Open Forum  (ESOF) 2012. The IT'S ALIVE episode of this five-part series will be screened ahead of its global broadcast premiere this autumn, to delegates attending the biennial event in Dublin.

ALIEN DEEP features Dr. Robert Ballard, the famed National Geographic explorer who discovered the wreck of the Titanic at its final resting place. The series takes viewers into an underwater world 3000m deep along the mid-Atlantic ridge, north of the Azores, where no man has gone before.  The Moytirra vent field, named after a mythological Irish battlefield (meaning plain of pillars) reveals gigantic rock formations, 10m + lava vents, and unusual species that call the ocean-bottom home.

"The Euroscience Open Forum is a wonderful opportunity to premiere this episode of Alien Deep," said Terry Garcia, Executive Vice President, Mission Programs at the National Geographic Society.  "Working with organisations such as the Marine Institute, we will continue to inspire people to care about the planet, including our oceans."

Working with some of the world's most talented scientists from Ireland and the UK, the National Geographic team and scientists led by Dr. Andy Wheeler, University College Cork, together with the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, Geological Survey of Ireland and University of Southampton and National Oceanography Centre in the UK pushed the threshold of exploration to its limit bringing back images of objects and life forms from places that other scientists long ago deemed impossible.

The discovery and footage of the first deep-sea vent field was captured by the (remotely operated vehicle) ROV Holland 1 which was deployed from the Marine Institute's Research Vessel, Celtic Explorer, in which the discovery of a field of hydrothermal vents was filmed last August.  "Only a few countries have the capacity to launch such a challenging expedition, and it is therefore a great testament to the work of Ireland and the UK's scientists who have both the technology and the expertise to do ground breaking deep-ocean exploration," said Dr. Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute.

As part of the ESOF symposium, The Atlantic – A Shared Resource (4-6pm) in which Dr. Heffernan will be chairing, key speakers will further highlight the importance of such discoveries through historical, cultural and scientific challenges, and opportunities of cross Atlantic collaboration, particularly in the areas of science, technology and innovation.

The premiere ALIEN DEEP – It's Alive will take place at the Convention Centre Dublin at 1.30pm on Thursday 12th July and will be introduced by the ALIEN DEEP series producer, Gary Johnstone. The Marine Institute will also be showcasing the ROV Holland 1 during the ESOF event.

#CLIPPER COVERAGE - To mark the stopover in Londonderry of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, BBC 1 Northern Ireland will present an hour-long programme tomorrow evening at 7pm.

The show presented by Claire McCollum and Gavin Andrews, will bring viewers a flavour of the north-west city where celebrations are expected to attract thousands of families and sightseers.

The homecoming celebration is one of the biggest events to be held in preparation for Derry-Londonderry's year as UK City of Culture in 2013, as the city welcomes the racing yachts to the Foyle including a very special boat bearing the city's name.

#VOR ON NATIONWIDE – In addition to coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race on TG4 as previously reported, the prestigious global yachting event will also feature in tomorrow's edition of Nationwide on RTE 1 at 7 p.m.

Tens of thousands of visitors will travel to the City of the Tribes to welcome the Volvo Open 70 boats the formula one cars of the ocean and enjoy the festivities.

Nationwide meets the people responsible for bringing the event to Galway for the second time and how the people of Galway have come together to make this spectacular a reality. The programme will also take a closer look at the iconic Galway hooker boats.

#LUSITANIA - A new TV documentary on the National Geographic Channel follows what might be the last expedition to the wreck of the Lusitania, in a bid to get to the bottom of the century-old mystery surrounding the ill-fated vessel.

On 7 May 1915 the passenger liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the coast of Cork, sending 1,198 lives to their doom.

But theories abound that there was more to the disaster than the torpedo strike, and that the ship's cargo hold contained precious art and illegal munitions.

Dark Secrets of the Lusitania attempts to uncover what really happened, using the latest submersible technology to see further into the shipwreck than ever before.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Gregg Bemis - the elderly American who owns the wreck of the former Cunard cruise liner - hoped last year to discover once and for all what secrets the ship really holds in what may be the last major dive to the wreck site.

Dark Secrets of the Lusitania premiers on Sunday 15 July at 7pm on the National Geographic Channel, available on Sky and UPC.

#Maritime TV Programmes – A new series Life Patrol: On The Banks Of The Foyle starts tomorrow night at 10.35pm on BBC 1 Northern Ireland.

The series gets exclusive access following the work of the Foyle Search and Rescue, the Derry/Londonderry based charity run by volunteers as they patrol the banks of the Foyle, one of the fastest flowing rivers in Europe.

Life Patrol was filmed during the Christmas/New Year period of 2011/12 and the one-hour documentary brings viewers out on patrol with the volunteers who are trained in suicide intervention. They need to call upon all their training as they are faced with highly charged emotional situations.

Des Henderson, who produced, filmed and directed the programme said: "Foyle Search and Rescue is a remarkable organisation. Sometimes you can forget these are unpaid volunteers. To see first hand what they do and the positive part they play in the local community makes you realise the important role they play in keeping people safe and saving lives on the Foyle".

He added: "I hope the programme will give viewers a real insight into the invaluable work they do and highlights their contribution when coming face-to-face with a social problem felt by many communities."

#ON THE TV-It's just over a year ago to when filming took place for parts of the TV Movie "Treasure Island" off Dalkey Island, as previously reported on Afloat.ie. Fans of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson 18th century tale can look forward to this new two-part adaptation starring Eddie Izzard as the one-legged pirate, Long John Silver, on New Year's Day on Sky 1 HD at 7pm and also at the same time on 2nd January, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Joining the Emmy award winning Izzard is BBC TV series Spooks actor Rupert Penry-Jones and Hollywood stars Donald Sunderland and Elijah Wood.

The nautical scenes where set on board Square Sails tallship, the barque Earl of Pembroke which used Dun Laoghaire Harbour as a base. During the Irish scenes, the production crew and members of the cast had to endure the bitterly artic-like conditions of last winter's big freeze as the 174-tonnes barque was off The Muglins Lighthouse with a camera-equipped helicopter whirling above.

Following the shoot in Ireland which involved Dun Laoghaire based Parallel Film Productions and the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) which provided marine co-ordination services for the drama commissioned by Sky 1 HD TV Chanel, the shoot re-located to Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

To watch a first look-official trailer of the long-awaited swashbuckling adventure click HERE and for more about the drama including a Q&A with the cast click HERE.

An exciting new six-part T.V. marine wildlife series 'Farraigí na hÉireann' (Seas of Ireland), the first to be dedicated entirely within our shores and also produced at home is to be broadcast by TG4 next Tuesday (20th Sept) at 8pm.

'Farraigí na hÉireann' explores the fascinating journey through the beautiful underwater world around Ireland encountering an enormous diversity of wild and colourful creatures. From playful dolphins, giant basking sharks and exotic jellyfish to the recently discovered cold water coral reefs in deep Atlantic waters.

It also examines the changing nature of our relationship with the sea and it's creatures from the original subsistence coast folk of 9,000 years ago and the traditions they have handed down, to the 'super-trawler' fishing fleet and the current state of our oceans.

To read more about the series visit www.seafeverproductions.com and www.tg4.ie