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Displaying items by tag: Sea Salt

Oriel Sea Salt, a Co. Louth-based sea salt harvesting business, has launched the world's first deep sea liquid magnesium health supplement. The company extracts magnesium and minerals from deep seawater for use in health, well-being and skin care products. Oriel Sea Salt CEO and co-founder, Brian Fitzpatrick, said that the magnesium-based liquid food supplement will soon be available online across the USA, Canada and the Middle East, giving consumers access to this unique form of liquid magnesium, minerals and trace elements vital to good health.

The company started as a sea salt harvesting business in 2013 and was the brainchild of Brian Fitzpatrick and his business partner, John Delany. The journey to becoming a global leader in liquid magnesium production began when the company discovered that a by-product of its sea salt production were minerals with exceptional qualities and benefits for health and nutrition. Oriel Sea Salt has invested in and developed technology, which has now been patented in Ireland, UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The company has been supported by various agencies, including Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), in developing its patented technology and acquiring new equipment vital to seeing its business grow. A grant under the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme, implemented by BIM, has been a great support to Oriel.

Oriel is now the only company globally to harvest magnesium, minerals and trace elements in this unique free ion form directly from deep seawater. It is also the only company to hold Protected Designation of Origin status (PDO) from the EU Commission for its Minerals and Sea Salt.

Magnesium connects and impacts health, immunity, sleep, and energy, said Brian. It is used in nutrition supplementation, medical devices and many high-street skincare and cosmetic brands.

Oriel has worked with scientists at DCU over the last several years to develop this unique form of liquid magnesium, with research published in medical, science and skincare journals. The company's blue-chip clients in skincare include Neals Yard Remedies, ESPA, GOSH and Pestle & Mortar.

Oriel Sea Salt is harvested underwater using a special process. It has significantly less sodium than other salt and allows a reduction of 25% sodium without impacting on flavour. It is used by Ireland’s top chefs and has many accreditations, including four Blas na hEireann awards and four Great Taste awards. Oriel products have Organic Certification and Gold Standard Origin Green status for Sustainability and are used by many major brands, including Coca-Cola, Ballymaloe, East Coast Bakehouse, Waterford Blaa and O'Donnells Crisps.

“This is true diversification as the company evolves from being food-based (sea salt) to being a supplier of products to health, wellbeing and life science sectors. We anticipate that up to 75% of our products will be exported by the end of this year,” said Brian.

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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has welcomed the European Commission’s recent publication for a three-month member state/third country opposition procedure of the application for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Achill Island Sea Salt.

Achill Island Sea Salt is the name given to a hand-harvested sea salt from the waters around Achill Island in Co Mayo.

Minister McConalogue said: “I am delighted that the European Commission has finalised its scrutiny of the PDO application for Achill Island Sea Salt and that the application has reached this stage of the procedure. The publication is a requirement under EU rules.”

The publication of the application represents the next phase of consultation on the application for PDO status for Achill Island Sea Sal”.

It is now open to other EU member states and third countries having a legitimate interest to make submissions on the application with the Commission, within a three-month period from the date of publication.

The minister added: “The PDO application for Achill Island Sea Salt indicates the preservation of traditional production methods, promoting heritage and supporting local economies. I commend all those who have been involved in bringing the application to this stage.”

PDO status was previously granted for Oriel Sea Salt harvested at Clogherhead in Co Louth, as reported on Afloat.ie in August 2016.

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#SeaSalt - Marine Minister Michael Creed has welcomed the European Commission's approval of the addition of Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals to the quality register of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO).

“This is great news for the producers of two special products from the bay of Port Oriel in Co Louth," said the minister. "Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals join the list of recognised and protected EU food names with a unique link to a particular locality in terms of quality, characteristics and tradition.”

The PDO register is a geographical indication, or GI, system that recognises quality foods with traditional connections to places and regions within Europe, such as Champagne in France and feta cheese in Greece.

"The Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals names will enjoy the same protection recognition as Imokilly Regato PDO, Connemara Hill Lamb PGI and the Waterford Blaa/Blaa PGI," the minister added.

Following national consultation, two further applications had been submitted to the European Commission this year: a PDO application for Sneem black pudding and a PGI application for Wexford blackcurrants.

Acknowledging what's described as a rigorous application process, Minister Creed said that his department was actively engaging with a number of producers with a view to progressing applications to national consultation stage.

“I think that there is real prospect that this engagement could result in Ireland doubling its PDO/PGI products," he said. "I really would also like to see a successful Irish application for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status so that Ireland would feature in each of the three food GI regimes.

"This emphasis on quality recognition is entirely consistent with national policy for the development of the food sector and builds on Ireland’s already strong international reputation as a producer of world class food."

Oriel Sea Salt is harvested from the bay of Port Oriel at Clogherhead in Co Louth. It is almost powder-like to the touch and is naturally crystal white so it does not need to be washed or rinsed.

Oriel Sea Salt is affected by the deep water currents, cleanliness, mineral content and purity of the water in this location.

Harvesting of sea salt in Port Oriel dates back centuries, when salt was a vital ingredient in preserving fish landed at the harbour for consumption, storage and subsequent transport to market.

Oriel Sea Minerals, which are concentrated sea mineral salts in liquid form, also received PDO status this week.

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Irish Olympic Sailing Team

Ireland has a proud representation in sailing at the Olympics dating back to 1948. Today there is a modern governing structure surrounding the selection of sailors the Olympic Regatta

Irish Olympic Sailing FAQs

Ireland’s representation in sailing at the Olympics dates back to 1948, when a team consisting of Jimmy Mooney (Firefly), Alf Delany and Hugh Allen (Swallow) competed in that year’s Summer Games in London (sailing off Torquay). Except for the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Ireland has sent at least one sailor to every Summer Games since then.

  • 1948 – London (Torquay) — Firefly: Jimmy Mooney; Swallow: Alf Delany, Hugh Allen
  • 1952 – Helsinki — Finn: Alf Delany * 1956 – Melbourne — Finn: J Somers Payne
  • 1960 – Rome — Flying Dutchman: Johnny Hooper, Peter Gray; Dragon: Jimmy Mooney, David Ryder, Robin Benson; Finn: J Somers Payne
  • 1964 – Tokyo — Dragon: Eddie Kelliher, Harry Maguire, Rob Dalton; Finn: Johnny Hooper 
  • 1972 – Munich (Kiel) — Tempest: David Wilkins, Sean Whitaker; Dragon: Robin Hennessy, Harry Byrne, Owen Delany; Finn: Kevin McLaverty; Flying Dutchman: Harold Cudmore, Richard O’Shea
  • 1976 – Montreal (Kingston) — 470: Robert Dix, Peter Dix; Flying Dutchman: Barry O’Neill, Jamie Wilkinson; Tempest: David Wilkins, Derek Jago
  • 1980 – Moscow (Tallinn) — Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Jamie Wilkinson (Silver medalists) * 1984 – Los Angeles — Finn: Bill O’Hara
  • 1988 – Seoul (Pusan) — Finn: Bill O’Hara; Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Peter Kennedy; 470 (Women): Cathy MacAleavy, Aisling Byrne
  • 1992 – Barcelona — Europe: Denise Lyttle; Flying Dutchman: David Wilkins, Peter Kennedy; Star: Mark Mansfield, Tom McWilliam
  • 1996 – Atlanta (Savannah) — Laser: Mark Lyttle; Europe: Aisling Bowman (Byrne); Finn: John Driscoll; Star: Mark Mansfield, David Burrows; 470 (Women): Denise Lyttle, Louise Cole; Soling: Marshall King, Dan O’Grady, Garrett Connolly
  • 2000 – Sydney — Europe: Maria Coleman; Finn: David Burrows; Star: Mark Mansfield, David O'Brien
  • 2004 – Athens — Europe: Maria Coleman; Finn: David Burrows; Star: Mark Mansfield, Killian Collins; 49er: Tom Fitzpatrick, Fraser Brown; 470: Gerald Owens, Ross Killian; Laser: Rory Fitzpatrick
  • 2008 – Beijing (Qingdao) — Star: Peter O’Leary, Stephen Milne; Finn: Tim Goodbody; Laser Radial: Ciara Peelo; 470: Gerald Owens, Phil Lawton
  • 2012 – London (Weymouth) — Star: Peter O’Leary, David Burrows; 49er: Ryan Seaton, Matt McGovern; Laser Radial: Annalise Murphy; Laser: James Espey; 470: Gerald Owens, Scott Flanigan
  • 2016 – Rio — Laser Radial (Women): Annalise Murphy (Silver medalist); 49er: Ryan Seaton, Matt McGovern; 49erFX: Andrea Brewster, Saskia Tidey; Laser: Finn Lynch; Paralympic Sonar: John Twomey, Ian Costello & Austin O’Carroll

Ireland has won two Olympics medals in sailing events, both silver: David Wilkins, Jamie Wilkinson in the Flying Dutchman at Moscow 1980, and Annalise Murphy in the Laser Radial at Rio 2016.

The current team, as of December 2020, consists of Laser sailors Finn Lynch, Liam Glynn and Ewan McMahon, 49er pairs Ryan Seaton and Seafra Guilfoyle, and Sean Waddilove and Robert Dickson, as well as Laser Radial sailors Annalise Murphy and Aoife Hopkins.

Irish Sailing is the National Governing Body for sailing in Ireland.

Irish Sailing’s Performance division is responsible for selecting and nurturing Olympic contenders as part of its Performance Pathway.

The Performance Pathway is Irish Sailing’s Olympic talent pipeline. The Performance Pathway counts over 70 sailors from 11 years up in its programme.The Performance Pathway is made up of Junior, Youth, Academy, Development and Olympic squads. It provides young, talented and ambitious Irish sailors with opportunities to move up through the ranks from an early age. With up to 100 young athletes training with the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway, every aspect of their performance is planned and closely monitored while strong relationships are simultaneously built with the sailors and their families

Rory Fitzpatrick is the head coach of Irish Sailing Performance. He is a graduate of University College Dublin and was an Athens 2004 Olympian in the Laser class.

The Performance Director of Irish Sailing is James O’Callaghan. Since 2006 James has been responsible for the development and delivery of athlete-focused, coach-led, performance-measured programmes across the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway. A Business & Economics graduate of Trinity College Dublin, he is a Level 3 Qualified Coach and Level 2 Coach Tutor. He has coached at five Olympic Games and numerous European and World Championship events across multiple Olympic classes. He is also a member of the Irish Sailing Foundation board.

Annalise Murphy is by far and away the biggest Irish sailing star. Her fourth in London 2012 when she came so agonisingly close to a bronze medal followed by her superb silver medal performance four years later at Rio won the hearts of Ireland. Murphy is aiming to go one better in Tokyo 2021. 

Under head coach Rory Fitzpatrick, the coaching staff consists of Laser Radial Academy coach Sean Evans, Olympic Laser coach Vasilij Zbogar and 49er team coach Matt McGovern.

The Irish Government provides funding to Irish Sailing. These funds are exclusively for the benefit of the Performance Pathway. However, this falls short of the amount required to fund the Performance Pathway in order to allow Ireland compete at the highest level. As a result the Performance Pathway programme currently receives around €850,000 per annum from Sport Ireland and €150,000 from sponsorship. A further €2 million per annum is needed to have a major impact at the highest level. The Irish Sailing Foundation was established to bridge the financial gap through securing philanthropic donations, corporate giving and sponsorship.

The vision of the Irish Sailing Foundation is to generate the required financial resources for Ireland to scale-up and execute its world-class sailing programme. Irish Sailing works tirelessly to promote sailing in Ireland and abroad and has been successful in securing funding of 1 million euro from Sport Ireland. However, to compete on a par with other nations, a further €2 million is required annually to realise the ambitions of our talented sailors. For this reason, the Irish Sailing Foundation was formed to seek philanthropic donations. Led by a Board of Directors and Head of Development Kathryn Grace, the foundation lads a campaign to bridge the financial gap to provide the Performance Pathway with the funds necessary to increase coaching hours, upgrade equipment and provide world class sport science support to a greater number of high-potential Irish sailors.

The Senior and Academy teams of the Performance Pathway are supported with the provision of a coach, vehicle, coach boat and boats. Even with this level of subsidy there is still a large financial burden on individual families due to travel costs, entry fees and accommodation. There are often compromises made on the amount of days a coach can be hired for and on many occasions it is necessary to opt out of major competitions outside Europe due to cost. Money raised by the Irish Sailing Foundation will go towards increased quality coaching time, world-class equipment, and subsiding entry fees and travel-related costs. It also goes towards broadening the base of talented sailors that can consider campaigning by removing financial hurdles, and the Performance HQ in Dublin to increase efficiency and reduce logistical issues.

The ethos of the Performance Pathway is progression. At each stage international performance benchmarks are utilised to ensure the sailors are meeting expectations set. The size of a sailor will generally dictate which boat they sail. The classes selected on the pathway have been identified as the best feeder classes for progression. Currently the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway consists of the following groups: * Pathway (U15) Optimist and Topper * Youth Academy (U19) Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and 420 * Development Academy (U23) Laser, Laser Radial, 49er, 49erFX * Team IRL (direct-funded athletes) Laser, Laser Radial, 49er, 49erFX

The Irish Sailing performance director produces a detailed annual budget for the programme which is presented to Sport Ireland, Irish Sailing and the Foundation for detailed discussion and analysis of the programme, where each item of expenditure is reviewed and approved. Each year, the performance director drafts a Performance Plan and Budget designed to meet the objectives of Irish Performance Sailing based on an annual review of the Pathway Programmes from Junior to Olympic level. The plan is then presented to the Olympic Steering Group (OSG) where it is independently assessed and the budget is agreed. The OSG closely monitors the delivery of the plan ensuring it meets the agreed strategy, is within budget and in line with operational plans. The performance director communicates on an ongoing basis with the OSG throughout the year, reporting formally on a quarterly basis.

Due to the specialised nature of Performance Sport, Irish Sailing established an expert sub-committee which is referred to as the Olympic Steering Group (OSG). The OSG is chaired by Patrick Coveney and its objective is centred around winning Olympic medals so it oversees the delivery of the Irish Sailing’s Performance plan.

At Junior level (U15) sailors learn not only to be a sailor but also an athlete. They develop the discipline required to keep a training log while undertaking fitness programmes, attending coaching sessions and travelling to competitions. During the winter Regional Squads take place and then in spring the National Squads are selected for Summer Competitions. As sailors move into Youth level (U19) there is an exhaustive selection matrix used when considering a sailor for entry into the Performance Academy. Completion of club training programmes, attendance at the performance seminars, physical suitability and also progress at Junior and Youth competitions are assessed and reviewed. Once invited in to the Performance Academy, sailors are given a six-month trial before a final decision is made on their selection. Sailors in the Academy are very closely monitored and engage in a very well planned out sailing, training and competition programme. There are also defined international benchmarks which these sailors are required to meet by a certain age. Biannual reviews are conducted transparently with the sailors so they know exactly where they are performing well and they are made aware of where they may need to improve before the next review.

©Afloat 2020

Irish Sailing Performance Head Quarters

Irish Sailing's base for the exclusive use of its own teams are located on the grounds of the Commissioners of Irish Lights in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

The Irish Sailing Performance HQ houses the senior Irish sailing teams such as Olympic Silver Medalist Annalise Murphy

The HQ plans were announced in May 2018 and opened in March 2019.

The HQ comprises a number of three converted shipping containers and a floating slipway and pontoon

The HQ aim is to improve both training and educational opportunities for them, thereby creating systematic medal potential.

The Performance HQ is entirely mobile and has space for briefings and athlete education, a gym, gear storage and a boat maintenance area.

The athlete briefing room can then be shipped directly to international competitions such as the Olympics Regatta and provide a base for athletes overseas.