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Irish Examiner
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cork Harbour Festival returns with maritime activities and cultural events — here's what's on
Cork Harbour Festival has returned with a selection of on-the-water maritime activities and music, art, poetry, workshops, talks and seminars. A celebration Cork's unique maritime heritage as the second largest natural harbour in the world, the festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Visitors can explore the history, heritage, and landscapes of Cork Harbour until Monday, June 2. Ireland's premier long-distance rowing race Ocean to City – An Rás Mór will also take place as part of the festival on Saturday, May 31. The festival has collaborated with over 60 event partners from across the region to deliver a more diverse programme than ever before, with festivities in locations including Cobh, Crosshaven, Myrtleville, Monkstown, Ringaskiddy, Whitegate, East Ferry, Passage West, and Cork City sites such as University College Cork, Lapp's Quay, Blackrock, Lee Fields, Crawford Art Gallery and Nano Nagle Place. Here are just some of the events and activities on offer: On the Water Cork Sea Safari is offering a harbour and coastline tour which departs Crosshaven at 2pm frpm May 24 to June 2. Price: €40 for adults & €30 for children - use discount code CHF2025 for 20% off. A wildlife and coastal exploration tour will also depart from Crosshaven at 10.30am from May 24 to June 2. Price: €55 for adults and €40 for children - Use discount code CHF2025 for 20% off Niamh Glavin celebrates the launch of this year's Cork Harbour Festival, marking its 10-year anniversary and the flagship event, Ocean to City – An Rás Mór marking its 20th anniversary. Picture: Clare Keogh Cork Harbour Cruises is running a two-hour scenic boat trip around Cork Harbour, departing Custom House Quay at 10.30am and 2pm from May 24 to June 2. Price: Adults €28, children €12.50 family rates available Cork Harbour Boat Hire is running evening harbour rib tours departing from Cobh at 6pm on May 25 and May 30. Price: €40 Cork Dive Centre is holding introductory scuba diving sessions that will entail some theory, followed by a 45-minute practice in sheltered water from 7pm to 8pm on May 27 and May 30. Price: €95 Phoenix Kayak Club is hosting an introduction to kayaking session from 6pm to 9pm on May 30. Price: €15 Heritage For a taste of local history and maritime heritage, people are invited to explore the Galeon Andalucia, a full-size Spanish galleon with ship tours running until Monday, June 1. Price: €14, adult. €7, chidren aged five to 10 years. Free, children under five years. Visit: The Passage West Maritime Museum will be open for guided tours on several dates between May 24 and June 1. Price: €4 and children under 12 go free People are invited to step back in time at Camden Fort Meagher in Crosshaven daily from May 24 to June 2. Price: €8, adult. €5, child/Student/OAP €5. A guided tour of Elizabeth Fort with Cork City Council will take place at 3pm on Sunday, May 25, Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1. Price: €3 Spike Island is always a favourite for guided tours, and this year, festival goers can also visit Titanic Experience Cobh and the Cobh Heritage Centre from 12pm to 3.30pn from now until June 2. Price: tickets from €27.95 Aerial view of Spike Island. Picture: John Crotty, Spike Island Manager. There are digital self-guided walking trails available from Travella Solutions which allow people to explore the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Cork City and Harbour. Price: Free, use QR code available on For something a bit more active, people can join Beyond the Glass Adventure Tours on their Cork City cycle tours, which take place daily at 10am except on Sundays. Price: €50 - use discount code CHF2025 for 10% off Foodies can get behind the scenes at Hederman Smoke House Lunch Tours in Cobh on May 26, 28 and 30 from 2pm. Price: €85 per person There's also a fun Comedic Dinner Theatre by Hysterical Histories Cork on May 29, 30 and 31 from 7pm Price: €32 – €55 - avail of our special Cork Harbour Festival €5 discount by using the code CHFEST25 when booking Arts On the cultural side of the festival, there's plenty to see and do for everyone. Harry Moore's Celebration of Currach Construction will take place at the Quay Co-op until June 15 and the Tools of the Trade Exhibition at City Hall will run from May 30 to June 13. Price: Free For music lovers, there are three Songs of the Sea sessions taking place — with Cork Singers Club on May 25, Éamonn Ó Ceallaigh on May 26, and another at the Rory Gallagher Music Library on May 29. Price: Free Over at Spike Island, the 'Each Name, a Story' exhibition runs throughout the festival. Price: Included as part of Spike Island Guided Tour (tickets from €27.95) Family Events The Model Boat Project Exhibition at Cork City Library, a collaboration between Cllr Kieran McCarthy and Meitheal Mara, will open until June 11. Price: Free Blackrock Sailing Club will host a fun Harbour Regatta on May 25, and the Circus Factory is offering a cool Knot Tying Workshop on May 30. Price: Free The Cork Cycling Campaign invites people to take part in the Lee to Sea Jamboree from 4pm to 8pm on May 31 Price: Free Education The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) will host a maritime education and training day on May 28. Price: Free event - visitors are asked to consider making a donation at the door to L.A.S.T. (Lost At Sea Tragedies), a charity dedicated to supporting those affected by tragedies at sea. Blackrock Castle Observatory overlooking the River Lee and Loughmahon Estuary at Cork. Picture: Larry Cummin. Blackrock Castle Observatory will have an engaging 'Stellar Seas' event on May 31. Price: Included as part of general admission – booking is essential. The Glucksman is running a street photography masterclass with Brendan Ó Sé at 10am on May 31. Price: €30 Nature Relax with a sauna experience with Swede Sauna at Roberts Cove until June 2, or join beach yoga and pilates with Sacred Body Studio on selected dates, May 25, May 31, and June 1. Price: €20 for a one-hour shared sauna session with others. The Sister Hub is hosting a women's coastal walk and talk on May 29. Price: Free A land and water clean-up will take place on June 2 and Cork Nature Network is leading a wildflowers f Cork Harbour in Passage West on the same day. Price: Free Ocean to City – An Rás Mór Ocean to City, An Ras Mor, is Ireland's largest rowing and paddling race. One of the big highlights is Ocean to City – An Rás Mór, which takes place on May 31. It is Ireland's largest rowing and paddling race, attracting over 500 participants and 200 boats of all shapes and sizes. From 3pm, there will be a live DJ performance by Billy Kennedy at Monkstown, plus a cheerful Ukulele Performance by the Shandon Ukulele Ensemble at Blackrock Pier. A kayak polo match hosted by Phoenix Kayak Club at Lapps Quay West will take place at 3pm. Celebrations at the Ocean to City finish line at Lapps Quay will kick off at 5.30pm, and will include live performances, music, and lots of family activities.
Telegraph
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Birmingham-style bin strikes could spread across Britain, union warns
Birmingham-style bin strikes could break out across the UK as workers demand higher pay, a trade union boss has warned. Clare Keogh, the national officer for local government at Unite, said members were angry that Birmingham city council had failed to surrender in the dispute, which has left the area overrun with rats and triggered comparisons to the Winter of Discontent in the 1970s. She said there was 'massive potential this will escalate' and warned strikes could break out 'up and down the country'. It came as the Tories called on Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, to hand back £10,000 she has been given by Unite, one of the Labour Party's biggest overall donors. Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow local government secretary, said: 'If she were on the side of British people she would think about giving back the money. 'But instead she has refused to take action to take on the bully boy tactics of Unite, as she is a paid-up member and in their pay.' Birmingham city council was forced to declare a major incident after some 400 Unite members launched an all-out strike last month in a dispute over pay and jobs. The industrial action has caused misery for residents, with more than 17,000 tons of household waste piling up in the streets. Some claimed neighbourhoods were being plagued by rats 'as big as small cats' as picket lines blocked bin lorry depots. 'Anger is growing' Another strike involving Unite refuse workers, which has led to recycling sites being closed, continues in Sheffield, and Ms Keogh told the i newspaper that more ballots for strike action in other areas were being considered. She said: 'In Birmingham, and many other councils we've seen over the last few years, our members have been prepared to walk out, saying 'this just isn't good enough and we're not going to take any more cuts'. 'That anger is growing and we're seeing that in the increasing number of strike ballots that we're taking forward. I think if the Government doesn't get a grip on it, that will definitely escalate.' Unions have submitted pay claims for local government workers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the next financial year. Pay talks are continuing in Scotland.
