Marine Times Newspaper

MARINE TIMES NEWSPAPER

The only publication dedicated entirely to Irish fishing and coastal community interests - make sure you get your copy!

Regular news and views from Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper. The printed June edition will be in all good shops shops later in the week but is available online now exclusively as a digital download, covering all the major developments as reported by Ireland’s leading maritime newspaper. Click on image above to purchase your copy!

MARINE TIMES RADIO PODCAST

Click on the image above to listen to our latest Marine Times Radio Podcast were we highlight some of the main issues which are appearing in our June issue of the Marne Times Newspaper which is available to download or pick up from your local shop.

MARITIME IRELAND RADIO SHOW & PODCAST

From the port of Arklow, a former seafarer tells why he and his brother have composed a ballad about the worst fishing tragedy the famous Wicklow Port experienced. And we’ll play the ballad, “Calling Me Home.” Roddy Cooke, who is now on the Aran Islands ferry from Rossaveal will tell how those who worked for the Bell Lines Shipping Company operating out of Waterford gathered to remember that company and its ships. People who have put the names of deceased relatives on the new lifeboat at Clifden, Co.Galway, will describe their emotion when it arrived and they saw the names on its hull. We’ll go to “small family oriented sailing club run by volunteers with a love for sailing,” who feel the people of Ireland are ready to hear more about the sport of sailing and we hear about the “All Irelands” on the offshore islands. Maritime Ireland is presented by Tom MacSweeney.

The June edition of the new Maritime Ireland Radio Show & Podcast by Marine Times Deputy Editor, Tom MacSweeney, is an hour-long programme providing the most comprehensive and informative coverage of Irish maritime affairs.

News 26th June:
Floating offshore wind project proposed for the North West
Fishing industry and Hexicon unveil historic collaboration

The Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) and Sinbad Marine Services have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with global floating offshore wind developer and technology provider, Hexicon AB. The innovative and historic partnership is predicated on a ‘new approach’ which sees local fishermen engaged and influencing the development process from the onset.

Key decisions, including site selection, cable routing, and land fall, will be collectively analysed and agreed. Similarly, other stakeholders, including environmental organisations will also be given input at an early stage in shaping the location and design of the floating wind farms. In parallel, long-established port operator and marine service provider, Sinbad Marine, will ensure the floating offshore wind project maximises its engagement with local industry and leverages local infrastructure. Full story here

News 20th June:
West Cork Fishermen to take on French Navy over proposed live missile firing exercises off south coast

The Fishermen of the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation based in Castletownbere in Southern Ireland are following up on our previous press release regarding our plan of action to prevent potentially catastrophic environmental damage consequent upon the French Military Live Fire Exercises that we were advised on Friday lunchtime last were due to take place off the Irish coast between the 23rd and 25th of June.

This is no longer relevant given that we were notified at 10.53 AM by the Irish Department of Transport that these Live Fire Exercises have been moved up by the French Authorities and are now due to commence at 2.00 am tomorrow morning, 21st June 2022.

In late January 2022, our West Cork fishermen were successful in having planned Russian Naval exercises relocated outside of the Irish EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) by agreement reached with the Russian Government and we are now URGENTLY calling on the Irish & French Governments to provide a similar outcome to our Fishermens’ concerns. Full story here

News 17th June:
**Union Hall RNLI to name Atlantic 85 lifeboat Christine and Raymond Fielding following local legacy**

Volunteers at Union Hall RNLI will be holding a special ceremony and service of dedication next week (Saturday 25 June) for their Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Christine and Raymond Fielding. The funding for the lifeboat came from the late Dr. Raymond Fielding, a keen mariner who spent many years sailing, particularly around the Cork coastline. In his later years, Raymond became interested in philanthropy and wanted to fund a lifeboat in memory of his late wife, Christine, who often sailed with him. While they did not live to see the lifeboat put into service, Raymond asked that the lifesaving vessel bear both their names.

The lifeboat has been on service since June 2021 but the ceremony had been postponed to allow the community to celebrate together and remember Raymond and Christine and their generous gift. Raymond’s friend Eddie Fitzgerald will hand the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI during the ceremony, which will then be presented to the station by John Killeen, RNLI Trustee and Council Member. Carmel McKenna and Bill Deasy from Union Hall RNLI will have the honour of naming the lifeboat. Music for the event will be provided by St. Fachtna’s Silver Band and The Union Hall and Castlehaven Parish Choir. Full story here

News 16th June:
Dunmore East RNLI to officially name Shannon class lifeboat William and Agnes Wray

An all-weather Shannon class lifeboat for Dunmore East RNLI is to be officially named William and Agnes Wray during a ceremony at Dunmore East Lighthouse at 2pm next Sunday 26 June.

The lifeboat which went on service in September last year is named after William and Agnes Wray from Manchester. The couple were happily married for over 60 years and had three children, all of whom have had a proud connection to the sea. The lifeboat which is now stationed in the popular Waterford fishing village is the first Shannon class in the RNLI fleet to be based in the south-east of Ireland. Full story here

News 15th June:
Department facilitates landings from Russia but imposes sanctions against the landings of fish from Northern Irish Ports!

Brendan Byrne, Chief Executive of the IFPEA has revealed to the Marine Times that Minister for Agriculture Deputy Charlie Mc Conalogue has sidestepped the European Union - Russian sanctions to facilitate the landing of products directly from Russian flagged vessels into Irish ports, while at the same time the Minister for Marine Mc Conalogue presides over a department that imposes sanctions against Irish Fish processors for transporting fish from Northern Ireland to their fish processing plants in Killybegs, as we witnessed first-hand over the past number of weeks.

There is an EU ban on Russian – flagged cargo docking into EU Ports, but Governments are allowed to claim derogations or exceptional circumstances to permit certain cargos to be landed. Full story here

News 14th June:
Lord Mayor of Dublin performs ‘Casting of the Spear’
Lord Mayor continues tradition dating to 1488

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland, took to the waters of Dublin Bay to take part in the annual ‘Casting of the Spear’ ceremony, the first time the tradition has been observed since before the pandemic.

The ‘Casting of the Spear’ is a tradition dating back 531 years for the incumbent Lord Mayor, who becomes Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port. The title of Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port has been bestowed on the Lord Mayor of Dublin for over 20 years. Full story here

News 13th June:
Dun Laoghaire RNLI names new lifeboat Joval in memory of devoted English couple who retired to

Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s new D-class lifeboat was named Joval in a ceremony held on Sunday (12 June) at the bandstand on the 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 60’s 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. Full story here

News 11th June:
Lough Ree RNLI’s new lifeboat station officially opened and Atlantic 85 class lifeboat named Tara Scougall in memory of beloved daughter, wife and mother

At a special naming ceremony and service of dedication held today (Saturday 11 June), Lough Ree RNLI officially opened its new state-of-the-art lifeboat station and named its inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, Tara Scougall, in memory of a beloved, daughter, wife and mother. The event coincided with Lough Ree RNLI’s tenth anniversary on the lake.

The honour of officially opening the station went to the RNLI’s Chief Executive Mark Dowie who was visiting from England, while the privilege of naming the lifeboat went to Eleanor and Edward, children of the late Tara Scougall, who the lifeboat is named after. Full story here

News 9th June:
Fishing Industry Demands Fair Share of Fish from Our Own Waters

Irish Fish Producers have called for a fairer share of the rights to fish in the waters of our 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “Other nations catch about €250m worth of fish a year in our waters - almost twice as much as the Irish fleet catches,” says IFPO chief executive, Aodh O’Donnell.

He says the quotas allocated by the EU to the Irish fishing fleet amount to “a paltry 18% of the volume of fish in our 200-mile Zone every year. Other nations take the balance of the fish, but bizarrely some EU States are unable to catch their annual quota allocations in this EU zone.”

“So, we are calling on the EU to – at the very least – enable reallocation of annual ‘uncaught’ quotas in Ireland’s EEZ to Irish vessels, to give us a more equitable share.” Full story here

News 6th June:
Baltimore RNLI on a 9hr callout to provide assistance to a yacht in difficulty with four people

Baltimore RNLI were called out to provide assistance to a yacht with four people onboard that got into difficulty 52 miles off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork, yesterday (Sunday 5 June).

The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat just before 1pm, following requests from the Irish Coast Guard and the UK Coastguard to go to the assistance of a 36 foot motor yacht, with four people on board, which had encountered difficulties and was 52 miles south of Baltimore. Full story here

First call out for Clifden RNLI’s new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat

The volunteer crew of Clifden RNLI joined Aran Islands RNLI and Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter to carry out a search of the waters around Bunowen Bay on Friday night (3rd June).

A member of the public reported seeing a distress flare in the area around Bunowen, west of Ballyconeely at midnight on Friday 03 June. Shortly afterwards the crew launched the new Shannon class all weather lifeboat St. Christopher, her first call on service since being brought to Clifden three weeks ago. Full story here

News 27th May:
Legacy from British actor funds Fenit RNLI’s new inshore lifeboat ‘Lizzie’

A legacy from a popular British actor has helped to fund Fenit RNLI’s new inshore lifeboat. The lifeboat is being named Lizzie in memory of Liz Frazer this Sunday (29 May), in a ceremony at the Fenit Lifeboat Station with the public being invited to attend. The lifeboat is being named by Jan Bolt, the station’s admin officer and wife to the late station mechanic Bob Bolt.

Liz Fraser, who was born in Southwark in 1930 was a well-known and much-loved British actor, starring in roles on stage and screen over a career spanning decades. From her early TV work in Dixon of Dock Green, and Hancock’s Half Hour to four Carry On films to a final performance at the age of 87, in a role on the popular English crime drama, Midsomer Murders, Liz’s work was loved and seen by many. Her wish to fund a lifeboat in her name will now see a Kerry lifeboat station become the permanent home for her kind legacy. Full story here

News 23rd May:
Achill Island RNLI rescue lone sailor in 14 hour overnight operation to broken down yacht 40 miles west of Achill

Achill Island RNLI were involved in a 14 hour rescue overnight, (Sunday/Monday 22/23 May), to a lone sailor onboard a yacht which had lost power almost 40 nautical miles west of Achill Island.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard to assist the sailor and their racing yacht which was in difficulty almost 40 miles off the west coast, having lost all power. The loss of power meant that the sailor onboard had no means of communication. A fixed wing aircraft located the yacht’s position which was then provided to Achill Island RNLI to assist with planning what became an overnight passage. Full story here

Marine Times