Kick off your St Patrick’s Weekend at the National Yacht Club’s Cruising Club Boat Show on Saturday 16 March from 11am.

See a live demonstration on life-raft deployment and entering presented by Solas Marine Services.

The RNLI’s sea safety team will be on hand with advice and instructions.

And local chandlery Viking Marine will be showing a number of key safety products and their advantages.

The club looks forward to seeing you on Dun Laoghaire’s waterfront in the morning!

Dún Laoghaire Harbour this Friday is to welcome the Naval Service OPV LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64) ahead of the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations.

The Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) is named after the renowned playwright George Bernard Shaw, who had a significant influence on Western theatre, culture, and politics, the naval ship will be open to the public for guided tours on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th March. The crew will also be taking part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade, Dún Laoghaire on Sunday at 11am.

The 90m (OPV) will be berthed at Carlisle Pier, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, with tours by the crew available from 12-3pm on Saturday and 1.30-4pm on Sunday. This is a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the ship, learn about its capabilities, and gain insight into its role in defending Ireland's interests at sea. Tours are free of charge, no booking required and last approximately 20 minutes.

"Dún Laoghaire harbour has a well-established connection with the Irish Naval Service for over 100 years and we continue to build that relationship through our shared maritime heritage. We are honoured to welcome the captain and crew of the LÉ George Bernard Shaw to Dún Laoghaire Harbour this weekend. This is an opportunity for a new generation to visit and see this incredible Offshore Patrol Vessel, which has the endurance and capability to defend Ireland's interests at and from any sea in the world” said Councillor Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Dún Laoghaire Harbour has a strong connection with the Irish Naval Service, highlighted by the yearly visits and the naming of the Irish ship L.É. James Joyce (P62) during an official ceremony at the harbour. In 2017, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council bestowed the Freedom of Entry to the County on the Irish Naval Service in recognition of its humanitarian service on behalf of the people of Ireland, recognising the shared maritime connection between the Irish Naval Service and Dún Laoghaire Harbour. The Dublin built gun boat HMS Helga frequently stationed in Kingstown and shelled Dublin city during the Easter Rising, was later bought, and renamed Muirchú, the first fishery protection principal vessel of the Irish Coastal & Marine Service in 1923 which subsequently became the Irish Naval Service in 1946. HMS Helga was also responsible for rescuing 90 passengers after the RMS Leinster was torpedoed off Dublin Bay in 1918.

Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said: “Dún Laoghaire Harbour is embarking on an exciting transformation that will pave the way for a vibrant and inclusive future. The Harbour Master Plan and the establishment of a National Watersports Campus will revolutionise the harbour, turning it from a traditionally industrial port into a people-focused space that benefits the entire community and the Irish Naval Service visits to Dún Laoghaire will be an important consideration within that plan. This transformation aligns with the town’s vision of becoming a premier maritime, tourism, and economic destination”.

If you are interested in finding out more about Dún Laoghaire’s maritime heritage, why not visit the National Maritime Museum located beside the dlr LexIcon that is housed in a 180 year old Mariner’s church and is only one a of few custom built places of worship for seafarers that remains intact in the world today or discover the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Trail which brings to life the stories of how the pier was built and why it is so historically important.

Operator Dublin Bay Cruises excursion vessel St. Bridget has completed an annual overhaul at Howth Boatyard and returned to the capital’s Grand Canal Dock this morning in preparation for the forthcoming season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

St. Bridget was observed off the Baily Lighthouse, on the Howth Peninsula, where the feature is one of many prominent coastal landmarks that line the beautiful expanse of Dublin Bay. The operator of boat trips and cruises is to resume service on the day preceding St. Patricks Day which this year falls on a Sunday.

In addition to made-made structures, there are wonderful opportunities to take in the marine life-life based on seven excursions, with embarkation available from Dublin City Centre, Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Howth Harbour. There are also tours from Howth around Ireland’s Eye, and from Dun Laoghaire circling Dalkey Island and into Killiney Bay along with the backdrop of the Wicklow mountains.

In the meantime, this morning the St. Bridget arrived to Dublin Port which involved the busy scene of shipping activity, before the 26m vessel reached the Tom Clarke (East Link) Toll-Bridge. At that stage, the bridge's opening-span of 45m was raised to enable the vessel to transit through into the Dublin ‘Docklands’ stretch of the River Liffey.

No sooner had St. Bridget passed under the bridge, the vessel turned into the nearby loch gate (Ringsend Gut) of the Grand Canal Dock basin on the south side of the city. This is where the vessel routinely occupies a berth during the winter months, however it won’t be long before its’ role will see excursionists embark in eagerness to take in the wonderful sights of the capital’s distinctive horse-shoe shaped bay.

Afloat tracked Irish Ferries high-speed craft (HSC) Dublin Swift to Holyhead on Friday, having departed last month from Belfast Harbour on the repositioning voyage to north Wales, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The HSC which had been at Harland & Wolff for annual dry-docking, completed the Irish Sea passage in four hours, in preparation for this year’s return to seasonal service on the Dublin-Holyhead route

Dublin Swift as previously reported, is set to sail from its namesake port this Friday, 10 March, one week prior to the busy St. Patrick’s Day bank holiday weekend with capacity available for 900 passengers and 200 cars. 

The high-speed sailings which also handle 16 lorries, takes just over 2 hours on the Ireland-Wales route. Whereas conventional cruiseferry crossings by Ulysses and by the more freight oriented (ropax) vessel Epsilon take 3 hours 15 minutes.

Dover-Calais disruption

Also on Friday is when an engine-room fire on board Isle of Innisfree took place and was contained with no injury to crew nor passengers having disembarked safely at Calais.

The incident however led to cancelled sailings which currently remains in place on the Irish Ferries UK ‘landbridge’ service on the Dover-Calais route.

Other sailings, however are been maintained, albeit by just one ferry, the Isle of Inishmore, though the 'Innisfree' is set to return to service on Wednesday, 8 March. 

This reduction in sailing frequency has also been compounded as a third route ferry, Isle of Inisheer is also off-service due to dry-docking  at Harland & Wolff, Belfast.

Afloat also notes that according to the operator's sailing updates, the 'Inisheer' is listed for sailings on Thursday, 9 March, however on that day, the company regrets that all sailings have been cancelled due to technical reasons. Customers will however be accommodated on other sailings. 

Sailings take 1 hour 30 minutes on the service which Irish Ferries began in July, 2021.

For the latest sailing updates on the Strait of Dover route, along with Ireland-Wales routes and connecting Ireland-France, they can be consulted here.

In addition to the link above is a 24hr pre-recorded telephone information service.

#FERRY NEWS - Celtic Link Ferries have announced their best ever ferry deal between France and Ireland to coincide with The Gathering 2013.

On Friday 15 March 2013 - in time for the St Patrick's Weekend festivities - all vehicles will sail from Cherbourg to Rosslare Europort for just €1 each.

The fantastic deal is inclusive of a vehicle, cabin and the people in the cabin - but act fast, as this 'next to nothing' offer is available for this one day only.

“Celtic Link Ferries are simply bringing in as many passengers as they can - for as little price that they can,” says passenger manager Rory McCall.

Bookings for this day can be made at www.celticlinkferries.com.