Displaying items by tag: Irish waters

2nd June 2023

Activities by US Naval Vessel in Irish Waters Is Cause for Concern Among Defence Force Officials

A US naval ship, Virginia Ann which has been conducting operations in Irish territorial seas for the past four months with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitter turned off is causing concern among Irish defence officials.

The advanced offshore supply ship reports The Irish Times, which is fitted with equipment capable of subsea operations, had departed Cork Harbour in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Afloat adds the 3,518 gross tonnage vessel had berthed at Rushbrooke (near Cobh) to be resupplied and further downriver along the quay the decommissioned Coastal Patrol Vessel (CPV) twins LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara which await disposal.

The US naval ship which features cranes amidships and stern-mounted is currently sailing west offshore of Mizen Head.

Virginia Ann which was built in 2015 is according to the newspaper, operated by the US Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Centre or Navfac-EXWC.

More on the story here on the naval visitor that is understood to be capable of advanced subsurface operations, including the deployment of deep-sea divers from the 86m vessel.

Published in Naval Visits

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MSC Meraviglia: Largest Ever Cruiseship to Irish Waters to Dock In Dublin Port In the Early Hours

Making an impression: MSC Meraviglia, leadship of a new next-generation of 5,700 passenger capacity cruiseships. The giant cruiseship will be the largest to visit Irish waters as the vessel is scheduled to call to Dublin Port in the early hours of tomorrow, Saturday, 5 May

#DublinPort - MSC Meraviglia is set to break a record (in passenger capacity) as the largest ever ship to visit an Irish port with a maiden call to Dublin Port in the early hours of tomorrow, writes Jehan Ashmore.

At 19 decks high and towering 65m above the waterline, the 5,700 people-carrying 'Vista' class leadship of Swiss based MSC Cruises is to depart Scotland this evening. The cruiseship currently in Greenock on the Clyde, is the cruiseport for Glasgow.

The massive ship of 171,589 gross registered tonnes, is ranked as the world's fifth largest cruiseship just after Royal Caribbean's 'Oasis'-class vessels. The latest in that series, Symphony of the Seas at 228,081 (grt) is the world's largest cruise ship.

MSC Meraviglia, is scheduled to dock in Dublin Port in the early hours of tomorrow morning at around 03.45 and remain until Saturday late afternoon. The 2,200 cabin ship will then sail overnight to Cork (Cobh) with an arrival this Sunday, as part of a 12-day European itinerary.

Launched last year at the STX French shipyard in Brittany, MSC Meraviglia is the first of MSC Cruises next-generation ship to come into service almost a year ago. The newbuild made a debut last June as part of a €10.5 billion investment plan. At a christening ceremony held in Le Havre, Normandy, actress Sophia Loren, (godmother to all of the MSC fleet) named the cruiseship.

The first season in Northern Europe saw MSC Meraviglia, designed for all seasons, offers world-class entertainment with Cirque du Soleil at Sea, a wide choice of dining options serving a range of international and Mediterranean cuisines. A promenade has an array of bars, restaurants and shops. Among the notable features is the longest LED Sky Screen ever built on a ship.

At 315m MSC Meraviglina is not the longest cruiseship to visit Dublin Port. That title went to a fleetmate the 333m MSC Splendida which as Afloat previously reported made a maiden call to the capital in recent years.

Today, a slightly shorter cruiseship, the 330m Royal Princess, built by Italian shipyard, Fincantieri, arrived in Dublin Port this afternoon carrying more than 3,000 passengers and crew from Cobh. On the call to the capital today, the 'Royal' class ship entered the port astern with the tugs meeting the cruiseship beforehand in Dublin Bay. The precedure of the ship 'reversing' has occured previously, (see story).

The arrival of the Princes Cruises operated giant of 142,714grt, kickstarts a record cruise season for the capital with 151 cruisecalls confirmed for 2018. In total these calls will bring just over 270,000 visitors to the city.

Last month, another giant in the form of US operator, Celebrity Cruises 'Soltice' class Celebrity Eclipse with 2,850 passengers capacity, became the first major cruise ship to call Dublin a “home port”. Again this 19 deck ship of 121,878grt boosts capacity along its 317m length.

The call of Celebrity Eclipse to Dublin Port marks a growing trend towards home-porting. Also the season features 17 further partial turnarounds, where cruise passengers can either start or end their journey in the capital's port.

Published in Dublin Port

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Killer Whale Pair Spotted Near Kinsale

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Two killer whales have been spotted near Kinsale in recent weeks, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) reports.

Two separate sightings of the orca pair near Barry's Head have been confirmed by the group, via photos provided by John Murphy and Richard Cussen on 5 March, during what is normally the 'low season' for whale watching in Ireland.

The pair comprises one adult male and a smaller whale which is likely an adult female. It is not yet known, however, whether the whales are new to Irish or Scottish waters.

According to the IWDG's Pádraig Whooley, it is "interesting that they have stayed close to their original position and suggests they may have found 'rich pickings'".

In other news, the Whale and Dolphin Roadshow will be at the Galway Shopping Centre from 22-25 March in time for the European Cetacean Society Conference.

The roadshow "is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about whales, dolphins and porpoise of the ASCOBANS region" that encompasses the Baltic Sea, Northeast Atlantic and Irish and North Seas.

Published in Marine Wildlife

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National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

At A Glance - National Yacht Club 2024 Events