Significant changes arrived at Dun Laoghaire Harbour this Summer as the country's biggest marine leisure centre - and Ireland's largest man-made harbour -  gears up for a brighter maritime future under the new ownership of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Outgoing Harbourmaster Simon Coate, who is to retire after more than 30 years of service, hands over a bustling scene both afloat and ashore to Harbour Master designate Harry Duggan. 

An economic report on the Harbour published late last year provides an economic blueprint for the Victorian infrastructure. Its future looks very much tied to marine leisure and a multi-use purpose.

A local trawler arrives with its catch while a visiting cruise liner departs Dun Laoghaire Harbour

On June 14, County Councillors gave the green light for a technology hub at the site of the former Stena ferry terminal. With busy commercial traffic, the harbour's four berths have been active since Springtime, as have the harbour's four waterfront yacht clubs and more than forty watersport organisations operating out of the coal harbour area.

Indecon Economic Report

Dun Laoghaire's future could lie in its potential as a hub to support offshore renewable energy projects. That's one of the conclusions from the €100k report commissioned by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to develop a blueprint for the south Co Dublin harbour's improved use.

Economic consultancy Indecon was tasked last year with preparing a plan for the harbour based on a critical evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses.

A view over the centre of Dun Laoghaire Harbour from September 2018 Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate

Its report — available to download here — comes on the foot of a choppy few years for Dun Laoghaire Harbour's fortunes, from the loss of the cross-channel ferry in 2015 to the tumult of the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020.

Indecon says: "The three main areas which should be given priority are to implement a financial-economic recovery plan for the harbour, to increase linkages with the town and to maximise the economic and social impact of the port.

In July, Local TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill repeated her call on Minister for Defence Simon Coveney to use Dún Laoghaire Harbour as a naval base in response to Brexit, as Afloat reported here.

Quarterdeck Innovation Hub for St. Michael's terminal

As Afloat reported as far back as March 2020, Lapetus Investments Ltd, trading as Quarterdeck Innovation, has envisioned a "co-working innovation space" within the St Michael's Pier terminal building.

It intends "to create a technology hub whereby small and medium-sized businesses can collaborate in a community-based environment that promotes and fosters entrepreneurship, through a spirit of innovation and creativity".

 From Ferry terminal to state-of-the-art innovation campus - plans are in place to transform the old building. The 'Innovation Space' plans could create more than 650 jobs In Dun Laoghaire, say DLRCoCo Photo: Afloat

These plans look a step closer now, thanks to the Councillors' thumbs up at their June meeting. More here.

The project partners have also pledged to "assist and collaborate closely" with the feasibility study team for the National Watersports Campus being proposed for Carlisle Pier to help "improve the harbour's infrastructure resulting in improved access, job creation and strong tourism potential".

Proposals to develop the former Stena ferry terminal were first made in 2017 but later scrapped over licensing issues.

National Watersport Campus

In 2020, the Government awarded €400,000 to the local authority to conduct a feasibility study on the watersports campus, which would be a marine version of the national sports campus in Abbotstown, Dublin.

Under Project 2040, the State's national development plan, the Government set aside €100 million for sports infrastructure.

The National Sports Policy, published in 2018, established the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) to provide exchequer support for sports facility projects.

Dun Laoghaire's Carlisle pier has been proposed as a location and would involve a high-performance watersports coaching centre and a venue for national and international events.

A view over the Eastern side of Dun Laoghaire Harbour with the town library and National Maritime Museum in the foreground, the Carlise Pier left, the National Yacht Club and RNLI base pictured centre and the East Pier right Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate

It would also involve an education centre for schools, community groups and clubs, and a public slipway for recreational craft users who are not members of the harbour sailing clubs.

Currently, Dun Laoghaire has one public slipway in the Coal harbour, which is not accessible at all stages of the tide.

If approved for planning, the campus would complement the Dun Laoghaire baths currently refurbished by the local authority.

Loss of revenue since the cancellation of regular Irish Sea ferry sailings between Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead, a long with increased interest in watersports during the Covid-19 pandemic, are factors influencing the local authority's move.

The campus plan is spearheaded by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Irish Sailing Association, and Irish Diving and has been endorsed by several Irish watersport national governing bodies and clubs and activity providers.

Dun Laoghaire Baths nears completion

Looking north towards Howth Peninsula on Dublin Bay with a visiting cruise liner moored on Dublin Bay, the refurbished Baths site nears completion at Dun Laoghaire in September 2022 Photo: Afloat

While there has been some disappointment locally over construction delays, the refurbishment of the old Dun Laoghaire Baths located at the back of the East Pier will likely be completed by the end of the year. It's been a four-year project that began in June 2018. 

The €9 million redevelopment of the old Dún Laoghaire Baths site that has been derelict for 30 years now looks on the cusp of opening, with some eager kayakers already testing the waters back in May.

A view of the baths site with the Roger Casement pier on the left of picture and the Forty Foot bathing place and Sandycove visible right

Last August, it was promised that 2022's Roger Casement execution commemoration would be on the site of the new statue; that date came and went, but it is hoped the facility will open in 2022.

(Above and below) The baths in June 2022 and (bottom) as it was when demolition and reconstruction work started in June 2018

78 Cruise Liners for Dun Laoghaire in 2022

One of 78 visiting cruise liners to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in 2022 Photo: Afloat

Dun Laoghaire Harbour published a schedule of its cruise liner calls for 2022 with many of the liners anchoring on Dublin Bay and tendering passengers ashore in a successful arrangement that marked the return of the cruise business after covid.

RIBS escorts a cruise liner tender to and from Dun Laoghaire harbour Photo: Afloat

A 'cap' on the number of cruise calls to Dublin Port since 01 January 2020 has consequently seen an increase in the number of bookings of 'tender' calls to Dun Laoghaire, the former ferry port. Dun Laoghaire's cruise calls are listed here

A cruise liner tender brings passengers ashore at Dun Laoghaire harbour Photo: Afloat

As Afloat reported, new pontoon facilities are now in place at the harbour to facilitate embarkation and disembarkation from some 78 expected cruise liner calls running until October.

The newly installed cruise liner docking pontoon at berth number four at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Marine & Coastal agencies hold emergency display

A Coastguard RIB on exercise at Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

On June 16th, a major inter-agency marine and coastal agency emergency services display was held in the Ferry Marshalling Area of the Harbour. 

Dun Laoghaire's RNLI inshore (left) and all-weather RNLI lifeboat

There were static displays and equipment capabilities with Irish Coast Guard - Dun Laoghaire Unit, RNLI Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station, Irish Coast Guard - Rescue Helicopter 116 and DLRCOCO staff from Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Dun Laoghaire Marina. 

A Civil Defence RIB at the Harbour mouth Photo: Afloat

The briefing dealt with emergency landing zones, evacuation procedures, Ambulance access points, Major incident facilities and Port Secure Zones. 

On display was an Incident Command Unit, Mobile units and equipment, an All-terrain vehicle, Dun Laoghaire's Trent class All-Weather lifeboat and D-Class Inshore lifeboat and Rescue heli R116. 

According to one Afloat source, the display's upshot was that the harbour could expect to see R116 in the port more often. 

Dun Laoghaire's Busy ship berths

There are four ship/ferry berths in Dun Laoghaire, and since the withdrawal of Stena ferry services in 2015,  these berths lay idle apart from the occasional visit of the Navy or a one-off cargo ship visitor.

The visiting Baltic Explorer Survey Vessel at the harbour's berth number four  Photo: Afloat

But, happily, more recently, there has been a significant increase in ships, foreign trawlers, cruise liners, survey vessels and the Naval making good use of the relatively deep water berths and convenient access to Dublin city offered by Dun Laoghaire.

A Belgian Beam Trawler arrives to offload her catch. Soetkin from Zeebrugge approaches berth no 2 Photo: Afloat

The four berths are:

• No one berth (East Pier)
• No two berth (east side of Carlisle Pier)
• No three berth (west side of Carlisle Pier)
• No four berth  (St, Michaels Wharf) 

Survey vessels involved in renewable energy projects are frequent visitors to Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat

The popular St Bridget Dublin Bay Cruise boat operates from Dun Laoghaire with trips to Howth, Dalkey Island and Dublin City Photo: Afloat

Superyacht visits are an Aquatic tourism feature

French and Scandinavian yachts are the Summer's most popular visitors to Dun Laoghaire Marina as Ireland's marine leisure capital sees a significant increase in visiting yachts since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

With 800 berths Dun Laoghaire Marina is Ireland's largest marina facility Photo: Tom Coakley/Simon Coate

The visitors included one of the world's biggest' leisure boats', the Cook Islands-flagged forty-metre Phoenix in May, continuing a pre-COVID trend of superyacht visits to the south Dublin town. 

The superyacht Phoenix on its berth at Dun Laoghaire Harbour in May

"French yachts, in particular, are arriving in record numbers, as are the Scandinavians", according to the marina's General Manager Paal Janson. More on that story here

Superyachts visits are a regular occurrence at Dun Laoghaire Marina

Sailing and Marine Leisure boon

The biggest harbour users are the sailing community of over 5,000 that compete in a range of both local, national and international races throughout summer and winter.

Racing at the Dragon Class National Championships at Dun Laoghaire in September Photo: Afloat

Dublin Bay Sailing Club organises local club racing on behalf of the four waterfront yacht clubs comprising a fleet of over 200 racing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the summertime. 

The 30-boat, 100-year-old DBSC Water Wag fleet races every Wednesday evening inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour

The DBSC Race Hut at the West Pier

The harbour is also home to the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA), which competes on either side of the Irish Sea at Pwllheli in North Wales and Dublin Bay. 2022 saw a resumption of cross-channel racing after COVID.

The National Yacht Club on Dun Laoghaire's East Pier is the home of the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association Photo: Afloat

The finale of the waterfront's 2022 regatta season at Dun Laoghaire Harbour was presented on July 3rd by the Royal St. George Yacht Club with its biennial Frank Keane BMW Regatta.

Approximately 150 boats across 30 separate racing divisions competed in the two-race programme.

A visiting J109 yacht from Howth competing off Dun Laoghaire

The Frank Keane BMW George Regatta brought to a close the regattas for 2022 at Dun Laoghaire, which began on June 12 with the DMYC Regatta and was followed a week later by the Davy NYC Regatta.

After a break of four years due to COVID, it's exciting times for the waterfront clubs as they prepare for the combined clubs' regatta known as the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland's biggest sailing event.

The clubs have appointed a new event director for the 2023 edition. Highly regarded international sailor and administrator Paddy Boyd will run the 2023 event that is expected to see greater cooperation with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and a possible new format emerging with greater involvement for the town.

Some of the sponsors range displayed outside the Royal St. George Yacht Club on regatta day Photo: Afloat

The 2022 season didn't end with the club regattas, however. As late as September, the harbour continued to host crucial national championships and international sailing events such as the 56-boat SB20 World Championships at the Royal Irish Yacht Club.  

More than ten nations were represented at the Royal Irish Yacht Club's staging of the SB20 World Championships, including three boats from the United Arab Emirates (below)Photo: Afloat

Coastal rowers

Over 100 coastal rowing crews attended 17 races in July at Dun Laoghaire's St. Michael's Regatta. The event took place on the 17th of July, and it brought together a large community of heritage skiff rowers from all along the east coast. 

Launching a skiff at Seapoint for St. Michael's Rowing Club Regatta

Traditionally held every year at Seapoint at the back of the West Pier, the event drew hundreds of spectators. Heritage rowing is a sport for all ages - from youth rowers as young as 10 to 'vets' in their 50s and 60s.

Unfortunately, Dalkey Rowing Club's annual regatta scheduled to be held in Scotsman's Bay at the East Pier in Dun Laoghaire in May was cancelled due to weather. 

MGM Boats and Dun Laoghaire Boatyard

The MGM Boat Yard and Travel Hoist again experienced a hectic season this year at Dun Laoghaire's Boatyard located at the Coal Harbour.

According to the operators, the 50-Ton Travel Hoist has been working overtime dealing with the increased demand for yard services.

MGM operate the only Marine Travel Hoist of its size in south Dublin, allowing the firm to lift and service its client base using its in-house staff.

The MGM Boats 50 Ton Travel Hoist is in constant use for lifting yachts, fishing trawlers, Pilot vessels, wind farm support vessels and RNLI Lifeboats Photo: Afloat

The company says its customer base increased during Covid, with strong demand to get on the water and growing demand for professional boat services.

"We also experienced a significant increase in the commercial boat sector with Fishing Trawlers, Pilot Vessels and Wind Farm support vessels increasing their requests for annual servicing and out of the water work, "Martin Salmon of MGM said Afloat.

In May this year, MGM celebrated 25 years in business and celebrated this success on the terrace of Dun Laoghaire Marina with over 100 clients and families in attendance.

MGM Boats of Dun Laoghaire celebrate 25 years in business - from left Ross O'Leary, John O'Kane, and brothers Gerry and Martin Salmon 

Several new Jeanneau and Prestige models were also on display for the weekend, and the event was a huge success resulting in several recent boat sales.

The CEO of the massive French boatbuilder, Jeanneau, Mr Paul Blanc, along with its Sales Director, Mr Antoine Chancelier and the CEO of Prestige Motor yachts, Mr Erwin Bamps, travelled to Dublin to celebrate the Irish firm's success and to further strengthen MGM's long-standing 23-year relationship with these French brands. 

As Afloat reports here, MGM is showcasing these brands at September's Cannes and Southampton boat shows.

Irish National Sailing School trains 3,000 youngsters

Learning to sail with the INSS in a 1720 Sportsboat off Dun Laoghaire Harbour

At the country's largest sailing school at the Harbour's West Pier, the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) reports that children's programmes are back to pre-pandemic levels, with over 3,000 children attending sailing courses this Summer.

Junior training in an INSS Optimist

The Autumn and Winter Saturday Sailing programme has started again on Saturdays, and already there are over 250 sign-ups.

Adult sailing and powerboat course attendances are growing again, and the INSS's Glyn Williams says, "we're expecting that approximately 8,500 people will have taken to the water in Dun Laoghaire with the school by year-end on sailing, powerboating, kayaking, school groups and other watersport programmes". 

•Check out Afloat's Dun Laoghaire Harbour news page and harbour webcam pages too

Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s new D-class lifeboat was named Joval in a ceremony held on Sunday (12 June) at the bandstand on the town's East Pier. The unusual name comes from a request by the late donor, Mrs. Valerie Staunton, that an inshore lifeboat be funded by her legacy and that the vessel be named after both her and her late husband, John. The couple, both from London, fell in love with Ireland when visiting the country in the 60s and settled here in their later years.

For the ceremony, the station turned the iconic bandstand on the East Pier into a stage with music provided by both Kilmacud Crokes Choir and musicians from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.

The donor, the late Mrs. Valerie Staunton, was well represented by friends and former neighbours who were delighted to see the lifeboat that bore John and Valerie’s name and to meet the lifeboat crew who would be carrying out rescues in the new craft. Amber Craughwell, daughter of Mrs. Staunton’s Executor attended with her husband Manus Hingerty and neighbours and friends of the couple from Offaly, Maria McGarry Curley and Jacqueline Duffy, named the lifeboat.

L-R RNLI Visiting the new lifeboat ‘Joval’ at the inshore boathouse before the ceremony, Trustee and Irish Council Member Paddy McLaughlin with friends and neighbours of the late Mr and Mrs Staunton; Amber Craughwell, Manus Hingerty, Maria McGarry Curley and Jacqueline Duffy Photo: Nick Leach

Master of Ceremonies was Dun Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Ed Totterdell.

For the lifeboat naming ceremony, the RNLI station turned the iconic bandstand on the East Pier into a stage Photo: Nick Leach

The lifeboat was accepted into the care of the Institution by RNLI Trustee and Irish Council member Paddy McLaughlin, who himself is a lifeboat Coxswain from Red Bay in county Antrim. In accepting the vessel Paddy said, "I know how special these events are to a station. This isn’t just an occasion but rather an acknowledgement of an incredible lifesaving gift that a donor has given us, a gift that will go on many journeys with the lifeboat crew and one which will save many people over its lifetime."

"The power and the responsibility of the D-class can’t be denied. It was designed and built for a very clear purpose, it’s speed and efficiency making it so effective in saving lives. A highly manoeuvrable, inflatable lifeboat, it generally operates close to shore, coming into its own for searches and rescues close to cliffs and shores, something very familiar to this lifeboat crew."

Dun Laoghaire RNLI's newest lifeboat Helm, Ms. Laura Jackson Photo: Nick Leach

The honour of accepting the lifeboat into the care of Dun Laoghaire RNLI fell to the station’s newest lifeboat Helm, Ms. Laura Jackson. Speaking on behalf of the crew she added, "It is a very proud and memorable day for us all. Unfortunately, we do have to say goodbye to our last D class lifeboat Realt na Mara. It served the station faithfully for twelve years but we are very excited to start a new chapter on Joval."

Laura continued, "The D-class lifeboat is the smallest in the fleet, but it saves the most lives. Here is Dun Laoghaire it is put to the test. The lifeboat could be called multiple times a day to a range of different scenarios. From people being cut off by the tide at Sandymount Strand to a swimmer that urgently needs to be rescued. The versatile and adaptable lifeboat is well suited to Dublin Bay and its surrounding shoreline. The lifeboat has been part of the harbour’s history since the 1800s and it remains so to this day."

A Service of Dedication was then held with Rev Gary O’Dowd, Deacon Kellan Scott, and Father Paul Tyrell.

Before the naming of the lifeboat, Maria McGarry Curley and Jacqueline Duffy, friends and former neighbours of Valerie and John Staunton, who had both made the journey from Offaly, shared some details of the couple’s life with the crowd. They came from London and fell in love with Ireland on their first trip here, cruising on the Shannon in the late 1960s. They made many trips to the country and toured the island before they bought their own boat for fishing in the 1980s which they moored in Lusmagh, County Offaly. It was here they retired to in 1993 and their motivation to fund a lifeboat came from their love of the water. The couple also had a great awareness of the dangers of the water and the need for lifesaving equipment. The lifeboat they have funded is the manifestation of that wish, and the couple would be very proud to see to see where their legacy has gone.

The new lifeboat was helmed for the occasion by Nathan Burke, with crew members Chris Watson and Hazel Rea Photo: Nick Leach

The new lifeboat was helmed for the occasion by Nathan Burke, with crew members Chris Watson and Hazel Rea. The champagne for the naming had been carefully stored aboard the lifeboat at the time of its launch and with the signal given, the lifeboat was officially named Joval, and the champagne was poured over the bow by the Helm.

The final Vote of Thanks was given by Deputy Launching Authority Robert Fowler and refreshments were provided at the National Yacht Club. Guests who attended the ceremony included An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Councillor Lettie McCarthy, and members of Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard. The station would like to extend their thanks to everyone who attended and made the day one to remember.

Well known Dun Laoghaire Harbour sailor Liam Owens of Sandycove in County Dublin has died.

A former Commodore of the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, Owens also served as the Convenor of the Dun Laoghaire Combined Yacht Clubs. 

Owens led a successful campaign in 2016 against the threat of supersized cruise ships coming into the Harbour.

In 2016, An Bord Pleanala limited any proposed cruise liner development to accommodate a maximum size of cruise ship to 250m.

Owens said the decision 'secured the future of the harbour and its premier location for the benefit of all Dun Laoghaire residents, watersports users, walkers and all those visitors and locals who value this historic amenity'.

He was enjoying sailing his own boat on Dublin Bay this season and continued to be actively involved in harbour affairs. 

Our heartfelt condolences are with his family and his many friends at home and throughout Ireland and the world.

Funeral details are here

Applicants for social and affordable housing may have the opportunity to live within a terrace of mid 19th century Coast Guard “cottages” which are being restored by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county council.

As The Sunday Independent reports, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council plans to refurbish four of the two-storey cottages, which were constructed in the mid-1800s at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

As Afloat reported in December 2020, the aim is to “bring them back into use for social housing”, and the scheme is due to be completed in late 2022.

“Kingstown” was the address and customs officers were among first residents in the two-storey cottages after they were constructed in 1845.

The stone used for the dwellings was largely granite, which had been transported via the “Metals” rail line from Dalkey quarry to build the harbour with its distinctive east and west piers.

The “asylum harbour” was designed to give safe refuge to ships caught by bad weather, sandbars and difficult tides en route to Dublin Port.

The cottages were built next to the Coast Guard station and later passed into the control of the British Army. After independence, the buildings were used by the Army - including the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCA) or Reserve Defence Forces and Naval reserve, An Slua Muirí.

They were then acquired by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, which commissioned restoration of the cottage sash windows and doors in 2014.

The terrace of houses were earmarked for possible restoration in the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Heritage Management Plan of 2011.

The plan highlighted the fine craftsmanship of much of the harbour structure but an “atmosphere of neglect” in the Old Harbour and Coal Harbour quarter.

The architects praised the “fine architecture” and “very high level of craftsmanship” and good stonework found in the “snecked stone boundary walls and also in the fabric of the Coastguard buildings”.

They described the buildings as part of an “important historic and architecturally fine complex” within Dún Laoghaire’s unique cultural heritage.

Independent senator Victor Boyhan, a former member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, welcomed the conversion of the harbour properties to social and affordable housing.

“This is in line with Government policy, putting the real estate of the harbour into good use and putting a new living heart into Dún Laoghaire harbour,” he said.

Read more in The Sunday Independent here

The weekend visit of the ship Greg Mortimer was the first cruise-liner to berth alongside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour in the 2022 season. 

Capable of negotiating the strongest winds and waves, the 104-metre Greg Mortimer is built to polar standards as a purpose-built expedition vessel.

Arriving in Dun Laoghaire on Friday directly from Cartagena, Colombia, the ship specialises in tours of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. 

The expedition Vessel Greg Mortimer alongside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

The Greg Mortimer features a patented inverted bow concept designed to handle challenging ocean waves.

On Saturday evening, the ship departed Dun Laoghaire Harbour bound for Portrush in Northern Ireland.

No sooner had Greg Mortimer departed, than the 466 ft Laustral arrived at the Dublin Bay anchorage in what is a busy weekend for Dun Laoghaire cruise-liner traffic.

The 466 ft Laustral on the Dublin Bay anchorage Photo: Afloat

Live Dublin Bay webcams here

Ireland's largest marine leisure harbour at Dun Laoghaire in County Dublin will receive €3,092,289 in Brexit Investment for infrastructure work.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is one of 13 Coastal Local authorities to be approved for funding under a Government scheme it was announced today.

€1,348M of the funding for Dun Laoghaire Harbour will be used for Berth Fenders and related matters and €1,744M will be for East Pier Revetment Repairs.

Local Senator Victor Boyhan, a former director of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, has welcomed the funding investment stream.

"This is the largest ever funding announcement of its kind for local authority marine infrastructure for piers and harbours right around our coast", Boyhan said in a statement.

Minister Charlie McConalogue T.D.announced the approval of €32.7m in funding for 110 projects around the Irish coast (see table below) which will fund projects worth over €40m in total. The scheme is proposed for funding under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

Announcing the approval for the funding of the projects, the Minister commented “It is fantastic that we received so many great applications in this first call for projects and it is truly heartening to see such eagerness to help support our coastal communities transition to living in a post-Brexit economy. I must acknowledge the co-operation and engagement between local authorities, coastal communities and political representatives to make this happen.

This is the largest ever funding announcement of its kind for local authority marine infrastructure and I am confident that it will future-proof our piers and harbours right around our coast. This announcement is also the next step in the Greencastle Breakwater project which I announced approval for in May 2021 and which will have a significant positive impact on the North West."

The Scheme arose from a recommendation of the Seafood Taskforce, set up in March 2021 to look at the impacts specifically on the fishing sector and coastal communities. The Taskforce recommended that the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) be used to fund rejuvenation of Ireland’s publicly owned coastal and marine infrastructure specifically to address the economic consequences of Brexit arising from the implications to the Irish fishing industry. This investment is intended to help to drive economic diversification and will complement other measures such as Community Led Local Development via the Fisheries Local Action Groups.

The Minister encouraged local authorities to pivot now and focus on delivery of their approved projects: “It is vital that the construction stimulus identified by the Seafood Taskforce is felt as soon as possible in coastal communities, particularly with the other geopolitical challenges currently at play. I ask that all projects with the necessary consents be actioned as soon as possible. The BAR funding is only available until the end of 2023 and this is a unique opportunity to reinvigorate our public marine infrastructure.”

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is administering the Scheme. Each local authority is responsible for governance and delivery of its own projects. A further call for projects will issue later this year to allocate the remaining funding under the Scheme.

Brexit Adjustment: Local Authority Marine Infrastructure Scheme 2022-2023

Download the full allocation list below as a PDF file

Dun Laoghaire Harbour has published a schedule of its cruise liner calls this year with many of the liners anchoring on Dublin Bay and tendering passengers ashore. 

A ‘cap’ on the number of cruise calls to Dublin Port since 01 January 2020 has consequently seen an increase in the number of bookings of ‘tender’ calls to Dun Laoghaire, the former ferry port. Dun Laoghaire's cruise calls are listed below.

Diagram of harbour showing tender route

As Afloat previously reported, new pontoon facilities are now in place at the harbour to facilitate embarkation and disembarkation from some 78 expected cruise liner calls running until October.

Pontoon from the east with typical tender  (of 15m length overall) alongside at St Michael's Wharf

The next ship to arrive at Dun Laoghaire will be the 300-metre long MSC Magnifica that arrived in Cork Harbour today (Tuesday, April 19th) as pictured by Bob Bateman above.

The 3,000 passenger ship is expected into Dun Laoghaire on the Irish east coast on Wednesday, April 20th where she will anchor in the bay and tender passengers ashore. 

Dun Laoghaire Harbour 2022 Scheduled Cruise Calls

Dun Laoghaire Harbour's newly installed 'primary passenger ship tender pontoon' was put to immediate use this weekend to facilitate the second cruise-liner visit of the season to the east coast port.

Tenders from the Viking Venus Cruise Ship were the first to use the facility that brings cruise passengers to awaiting coaches in the harbours' compound which means no disruption to harbour car parks.

As Afloat reported previously,  the new 40m x 4.5m floating pontoon is now located at No 4 berth on the east side of St Michael’s Pier. The pontoon was assembled at the nearby Carlisle Pier and towed to the berth.

The Viking Venus Cruise Ship Tender disembarks passengers at the new pontoon berth at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Sunday

Tender operations for the visiting ships, (anchored in the bay) will now take place from No 4 berth using the nearby compound for awaiting coaches. 

The move has the added benefit of freeing up the town's Carlisle Pier for sailing events and boat storage.

And the newly installed glass wall at the plaza overlooking the berth means the visiting ship at anchor and the tendering operation itself is now visible from the quayside.

The next liner to use the new dock will be the MSC Magnifica on Wednesday, April 20th.

The new pontoon comes complete with gangway, mooring bollards, ramps and steps for the safe disembarkation of passengers

Dun Laoghaire Harbour will have a newly installed 'primary passenger ship tender pontoon' this weekend in time for its expected cruise liner visits to the harbour this summer. 

It is understood that the whole tender operations for the visiting ships, (anchored in the bay) will now take place from No 4 berth using the nearby compound for coaches which means no disruption to harbour car parks. 

The move has the added benefit of freeing up the town's Carlisle Pier for sailing events and boat storage.

Details are contained in the latest Notice to Mariners (No 10 off 2022) that is downloadable below as a pdf file.

This Saturday (16 April, 2022) the new 40m x 4.5m floating pontoon will be located at No 4 berth on the east side of St Michael’s Pier. Work is currently underway to assemble the pontoons at the Carlisle Pier where they will be put into the water and towed to the berth.

The new pontoon comes complete with mooring bollards, ramps and steps for the safe disembarkation of passengers. 

Alongside calls, however, where smaller cruise liners berth in the harbour will still take place at the No 2 berth. 

The harbour also has a smaller pontoon at No.2 berth installed near the old Coopers Slip at the Carlisle Pier and close to the town's RNLI lifeboat. As regular Afloat readers will know, this facility was used for Dun Laoghaire's first cruise call of the year.

It is expected that this small pontoon will remain in place for use as required.

The National Maritime Museum of Ireland, at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, has opened a revamped exhibition on Wicklowman Captain Robert Halpin and his adventures and achievements at sea.

The exhibition has three strands: Captain Halpin himself and his recently restored naval uniform; the ship he commanded, the SS Great Eastern; and his achievement in laying the first successful trans-Atlantic telegraph cable. Most of the exhibits are part of the “Halpin Collection”, donated to the Museum by the Halpin family.

Maritime legend

Captain Robert Halpin is an Irish maritime legend. He was born in Wicklow town on 17th February 1836 and went to sea when he was 11 years old. After a varied career at sea, in June 1865 he was appointed chief officer of the Great Eastern, the world’s largest ship. She had been unsuccessful as a passenger ship but was altered to lay a telegraph cable across the Atlantic from Ireland to America. Halpin spent many years as a highly respected commander on the Great Eastern, and was also a popular host to the vast number of guests and spectators that the ship carried. When Halpin retired from the sea he bought Tinakilly House in Wicklow, became involved in politics, and finally died in January 1894. Having survived many years of peril on the high seas, he sadly died as a result of gangrene contracted while cutting his toenails.

Largest ship in the world

The Great Eastern was designed by the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and when she was launched in 1858 she was the largest ship in the world. She was designed to carry 4,000 passengers and could travel around the world without refuelling. She was powered by sails, paddle wheels, and a screw propeller, and had six masts named after the days of the week from Monday to Saturday. Eight years after she was launched, she was refitted as a cable-laying ship and, as the only ship afloat that could hold the necessary amount of cable, she laid the first successful telegraph cable across the Atlantic from Ireland to America. She ended life as a floating music hall and gym and one of her masts, “Thursday”, is now the flagpole at Liverpool Football Club.

Cable to North America

In 1866 the Great Eastern laid a telegraph cable from Valentia Island in Co Kerry to Hearts Content in Newfoundland, Canada. The first cable broke after 1660 miles (2670 km), just short of halfway across. Next year they tried again, this time successfully, when Halpin, as First Officer of the ship, really made his name by navigating the ship back to the first broken cable in 2000 feet (610 metres) of water, picking it up, splicing it and finishing the job.

Rare dress uniform and sword

Halpin's Royal Navy Reserve Officers Dress Uniform

The Maritime Museum’s Halpin Collection includes his Royal Navy Reserve Officers Dress Uniform, including tailcoat, epaulettes, and dress sword. President Michael D. Higgins used Halpin’s sword to officially open the newly refurbished Museum in 2012.

The uniform was recently restored to the highest possible standard by an expert textile conservator and is now proudly displayed on a custom conservation/display mannequin. The restoration included cleaning, removal of creases and distortions, and polishing of metal elements. The Heritage Council and Dublin Port Company generously supported the restoration and new display cabinet.

Halpin's sword handle

The Halpin Collection

The Museum’s Halpin Exhibition also includes the uniform, a model of the SS Great Eastern, paintings of Halpin and of the ship, various personal effects of Halpin (including even his teapot!), a short video about his life and career and a fun interactive quiz for all the family.

Open every day

The Maritime Museum is located in the old Mariners’ Church on Haigh Terrace, less than five minutes’ walk from Dun Laoghaire DART Station, and is open every day from 11 am to 5 pm. The Halpin Exhibition is a permanent exhibition included in the standard ticket price. The new exhibition will be officially launched by Eamonn O’Reilly, CEO of Dublin Port Company, on 21st April 2022, but is fully open for visitors now.