Seascapes

Seascapes tonight reports on the recent Offshore Renewable Energy conference held in the National Maritime College.

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We meet Jim Scofield who recently completed a solo trans Atlantic race on his home-built 19-foot yacht. Jim took part in a race with five other boats and you can follow his blog on the whole adventure and the build here: http://liffeysailor.blogspot.com/ Also, Dr Karen Weekes has just completed a seventy day row across the Atlantic. She speaks to Lorna Siggins and you can read about her trip here: https://shecando2021.org/?cn-reloaded=1

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On Seascapes tonight, Joanna McNicholas is on Cross Beach in Belmullet, County Mayo, with beachcomber Fergus Sweeney. Having solved the mystery of the shotgun cartridges found on an earlier trip, we now hear about some of the other unusual items found on beaches. And we hear how five super trawlers have arrived in Irish waters this week to fish for Blue Whiting. The controversial ships can take thousands of tonnes of fish and stay at sea for weeks. John Hourston of the lobby group, Blue Planet Society, tells how these ships, including the Margiris and the Dirk Dirk, operate. You can trace their progress on the websites: www.marinetaffic.com www.vesselfinder.com

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Seascapes tonight hears about the working conditions of some non-EU fishers in the Irish Fishing Industry. They were speaking as the International Transport Workers Federation was making a submission on their work conditions to the Department of Justice this week. We hear of workers' very long working weeks, little time off, minimum wage or less and living on board their trawlers. The workers and the union want the Atypical Work Permit Scheme they work under changed to allow them to move from employer to employer. The Maynooth University study referred to in the programme, Experiences of Non-EEA Workers in the Irish Fishing Industry can be accessed here: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/sites/default/files/assets/document/Experiences%20of%20Non%20EEA%20Workers%20in%20the%20Irish%20Fishing%20Industry.pdfAnd we hear from Rossaveal Harbour, which is finally going to get an upgrade to a deep-water port after a 20 year wait.

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We get to the bottom of the mystery about all those shotgun cartridges washing up on Irish beaches. Mairead Staunton of Clean Coasts has been finding hundreds of shotgun cartridges while cleaning beaches in Mayo and she doesn't know where they come from. But Professor Ian Jones, Professor of Biology at Memorial University in Newfoundland believes he knows where they originate. Cork TD Christopher O'Sullivan tells us about a €35 million EU fund being made available to local authorities to upgrade small harbours and concerns about the Russian Navy exercise next week. And Seascapes contributor, Norman Freeman, recalls the days of coal fired ships and the life of the men whose job it was to keep those fires lighting. Information on the harbour grant aid can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2f4kjr2c

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On Seascapes tonight, Joanna McNicholas is on Carrowmore Beach in County Mayo to see some of the fascinating pieces of flotsam washed up on our coasts. Joanna meets Mairead Staunton, winner of the individual Ocean Hero of the Year award last month, to hear about her work and the types of things she has found on beaches. And we hear about the industrial dispute in the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority which is due to lead to a 48 hour work stoppage next week. The SFPA is tasked with inspecting fish catches landed in all Irish ports. Ian McDonnell of the Forsa Trade Union explains the background to the work stoppage.

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On Seascapes tonight we visit the historic Old Head of Kinsale lighthouse in County Cork. Noel Sweeney meets former lighthouse keeper, Gerald Butler and gets a tour of the building from resident attendant Alan Boyers. And we hear from artist Eve Parnell about a unique project to mark the 75th anniversary of the Irish Naval Service. Eve went on board the LE James Joyce to oversee the actor Niamh Cusack performing a poem about the Navy which you can watch on the following link: https://youtu.be/5r9voI14ozs Copies of the limited print of the poem are available from the Irish Navy.

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On Seascapes tonight, we hear the latest on the bid by Cork to host the 2024 America's Cup. The proposal became mired in rows over costs in recent weeks, but work is continuing in the background to bring the world's premiere sailing event to Ireland. Eoin English of the Irish Examiner says that the tide may be turning on the proposal and America's Cup could still be held in Cork. Regular contributor, Norman Dunlop, recalls the brutal and inhumane history of the whaling industry. And Matt Molloy, flautist with the Chieftains meets Lorna Siggins and tells of his love of the sea and sailing. Introduced to boats at a young age he always sought out seagoing adventures while on tour with the band. He has also sailed across the Atlantic and to Russia with polar adventurer Jarlath Cunnane. He took his own boat, a Fisher 37 named Eccentric Lady, to Iceland.

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Tonight we are on the banks of the River Inny in Co. Westmeath. Fergal Keane goes winter fishing for pike with renowned angling guide Mick Flanagan. Mick can be contacted on http://www.midlandangling.com/ or on facebook. The pike is a protected species and is the most ferocious predator on our inland waterway system. We also visit the once-thriving Eel Smokehouse in Rathown on the banks of the river and hear from John Rogan who ran the business until a change in government policy forced its closure in 2008. And long time Seascapes contributor Norman Freeman recounts a tale from his seafaring days about the tropical fish species, the Flying Fish.

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We visit the Ernest Shackleton Museum at the Athy Heritage Centre, Kildare. Shackleton was one of the great Antarctic explorers from the early years of the last century. The centenary of his death comes in January of next year and a number of events are planned to mark it. Fergal Keane meets Kevin Kenny from the museum and hears about Shackleton's life, his commitment to his crews and takes a look around a replica of one of his ships, the Endurance. We also hear a piece of music commissioned by the Museum called Shackleton's Endurance. Composed by Brian Hughes it includes readings from Shackleton's diaries by John McKenna. The CD is available from the Museum. https://shackletonmuseum.com/

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