Latest news with #NationalMaritimeMuseum
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Wreckage of Irish trawler sunk during WWII found off coast of Donegal
One of the first Irish vessels to have been sunk during WWII has been located off the coast of Co Donegal. The trawler, named the Leukos, was sunk by a German U-boat on 9 March 1940, killing all 11 of the young fishermen on board. The discovery of the wreckage was made by diver and submariner, John Kearney, who said they came across the wreckage "by pure chance" while searching for a different vessel. Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, he said that up until last week no one had seen the Leukos in 85 years and it was "incredible to come across it". Several of the fishermen who died were teenagers and Mr Kearney is hoping to make contact with any surviving relatives. "A lot of these young sailors came from Ringsend in Dublin. The oldest was only 28. We would love to reach out to any family members," he said, adding that they have "lots of footage" and images of the Leukos that they would like to share. "They were children but they were brave. They went out in those conditions and it wasn't easy back then to be on a fishing boat." It's not known for certain why the trawler was attacked. Mr Kearney said it would have had an Irish flag on display, indicating it was from a neutral country. He said a number of UK vessels in the area at the time managed to get away. He said anyone who suspects they might be a relative of one of the fishermen can contact the Inishowen Maritime Museum in Greencastle, Co Donegal or the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire in Dublin.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Free and cheap activities for the kids during May half term – from Legoland to splashpads
WHEN May half term comes around, parents across the UK can breathe a sigh of relief knowing there is plenty they can do to keep their children occupied for free. That's because, as the weather warms up, we can make the most of cheap, or free, days out while the kids are off school. 6 It's a good job too, as I often find that this half term costs almost as much as the summer holidays if you want to go away - which is why me and my family like to hunker down at home and enjoy budget-friendly day trips that won't break the bank. Here's how you can do the same. Museum specials According to the Museums Association, there are almost 1,800 museums in the UK are free to enter. Many of these are holding additional special free activities for kids during half term. For instance, in London, the British Museum is hosting a series of free family activities inspired by their new Ancient India exhibition and the National Maritime Museum has free storytelling and workshops on the wonders of the ocean. In Manchester, the Manchester Museum has free dance workshops and storytelling as part of a collaboration with Afrocats. In Edinburgh, the National Museums Scotland is hosting a day of free performances and activities to kick off the Edinburgh International Children's Festival. To find out more about what's happening in a museum near you, head to the Which Museum website. Get hands on with art galleries Many of the country's top art galleries hold child-friendly sessions and workshops during the school holidays, and May half term is no exception. The National Gallery is holding special sessions in the Roden Centre for Creative Learning, showing children how to decode pictures. Parents are scrambling to The Range to nab new kids' toys - there's inflatables, swimming pools and up to 40% off The Tate Modern has a free programme of art and activities for kids as part of its Uniqlo Tate Play sessions. In Liverpool, The Walker Art Gallery is hosting a Big Art special: Art Sparks session, where kids can make their own masterpiece to take home. Head to the big parks Many of the country's top parks are hosting free activities and festivals over half term. In the capital, Brockwell Park is hosting Brockwell Bounce which claims to be London's biggest kids' festival. Free to enter, it has live music, creative workshops, skateboard lessons, theatre and much more. For something a little quieter, St James's Park and Kensington Gardens are hosting nature roadshows, and Greenwich Park is holding a welcome day with London play - inspiring kids through nature-based play. In Manchester, Heaton Park is holding its #sevendaysofstufftodo throughout the entire half term, with craft-making, family-friendly films and traditional games. Splashpads and paddling pools Getting out and about in the fresh air is so much easier if the weather is warm. Pack a picnic and head for your nearest park so the little ones can let off steam. In May lots of councils will be opening up their splashpads and paddling pools for the summer season, so check those out if you feel like you've done all your other local outside spaces to death over the winter. Most are free to access and there's often other facilities like playgrounds nearby, so you can make a day of it. We also love a lido, but you usually have to pay. If you have monthly membership at your local leisure centre or your kids take swimming lessons there, it can sometimes cover taking a dip in the outdoor pool, so it's worth checking. Don't forget the suncream and hats! Start of season offers Lots of visitor attractions want to start the summer in style, so you'll often find some good deals if you keep your eyes peeled. The more visitors they can get through the doors in May, the more their site will appear on social media, so it's worth their while to keep costs low at the start of the season while they build up a buzz. 6 And some seasonal sites are still getting fully up and running after the winter so aren't charging full price yet. One year, we spotted an incredible deal on social media for Legoland Discovery Centre in Birmingham over May half term, which dropped prices to less than £10 per person, compared to more than £20 per person at peak times normally. We had a fantastic day out for less than £50 at a place that would normally be out of budget. Annual passes about to expire May half-term can be a great time to make one last visit to any attractions covered by a pay once, visit all year scheme, particularly if you're planning to go away at the start of the summer holidays. There's nothing more annoying than getting out annual passes and finding they are a few days out of date when you want to use them again. 6 Last summer, we visited the National Space Centre in Leicester at the very start of August and entry tickets are converted into an annual pass if you prebook online. So I need to make sure to use our tickets again in May half term or the start of the summer holidays if I don't want to miss out on a return visit. Launch parties Lots of places will be launching new or refurbished attractions in time for May half term, so it's worth taking a look at whether there's any launch parties you can latch onto or new locations near you that you haven't visited before. The National Trust has just announced that Coventry Charterhouse, which has a children's playground and heritage parkland, will reopen in time for the half term holiday. This former monastic house in the Midlands city had been operating independently but will now be part of the National Trust, so members can get in free and there will be a programme of children's activities provided. Bouncy castles in beer gardens If the sun is out, there's nowhere better to enjoy the great British summer than a beer garden, particularly if it's got bouncy castles, sandpits or games to keep the kids happy. While you might be expected to buy a round of drinks, you can choose how much to spend and the bouncy castle itself is usually free, so the kids can have fun for as long as they like. 6 6 Our local has even gone one step further and opened a small soft play and ballpit for younger children in its outdoor space. You can treat yourself to some pub grub and a drink instead of splashing out on entry fees and parking costs. Even better, if it's within walking distance of home, you haven't got any travel costs either! Having a great half-term doesn't have to cost much at all. It's all about thinking outside the box and making the most of what's on your doorstep. And supporting local sites is a great way to keep them open to all, so it's a win win. How to survive six weeks of school summer holidays IF you are struggling with the six week summer holidays, you've come to the right place... BATTLING BOREDOM: Despite hours of activities and playdates, if your kids are already complaining there's nothing to do, parenting expert Liat Hughes Joshi says: 'Don't feel you have to organise every second of the holidays. Kids benefit from boredom and learn to make their own fun. 'Boredom can trigger creative and imaginative play but you need to encourage kids to get used to not being told how to spend their time. 'Ride out the pleas of boredom. Counter it with comments such as, 'What do you think you could do?' and maybe have a list of 'I'm bored' activity ideas on the fridge.' SCREEN OVERLOAD: It's tempting during the holidays to rely on a digital babysitter but don't let them gawp their whole summer away in front of a screen. Liat says: 'It's unfair to expect older kids to power down but it's important to set some ground rules. 'Set family tech rules together. If you're often distracted by your phone, follow the rules too. Maybe tell the kids they aren't allowed any screen time until they've done set chores, some exercise, or a board game. 'Are there times when you'd like to ban screens completely? Perhaps during dinner or when they have friends over to visit. 'Tech is a battleground for parents, but you have to set boundaries. Stand firm and be prepared to be unpopular.' TOO MUCH TOGETHERNESS: You love your kids, but being with them 24/7 can be exhausting. Do not feel guilty if you need a bit of downtime. Liat says: 'If you're juggling work and household tasks as well as occupying the kids, it's normal to start feeling overwhelmed or jaded and in need of some peace. 'If you can't afford or don't want to send your kids to all-day camps, look for free kids' workshops so you can get on with jobs or have a break for a couple of hours. 'Seeking a spell of quiet every now and then doesn't make you a bad parent — in fact it will probably make you more positive and enthusiastic when you are with the kids.' SCHEDULING CONFLICT: Schedules can go out the window during holidays, but late nights and early mornings can mean tired and unhappy children. Dr Tamara Bugembe, paediatrician and founder of says: 'Children get grumpy, test boundaries and become challenging when routines are broken. 'Sticking to some kind of routine during the holidays is a good idea. 'We release hormones at different times of the day and when regular meal times and bed times are broken, it causes dips and peaks in mood. 'Holidays are about having fun but an early night once or twice a week will make everyone happier.' EXCESS ENERGY: Make sure kids get out in the fresh air to tire them out — and make them healthier and happier. Dr Bugembe says: 'Sunshine also tops up vital vitamin D levels which helps improve bone strength and energy levels in children. Our levels run low in winter so let the kids stock up in warmer weather. 'Letting them run around in shorts and a T-shirt is the best way to top up. Make sure they're wearing sun cream, get outside and have fun. 'Encourage them to try healthy habits such as cycling and walking. They'll hopefully get hooked and want to carry them on when the weather gets colder.'
Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
National Maritime Museum hosts weeklong film event celebrating the sea
The Korea Tourism Organization, the National Maritime Museum and the Korea International Ocean Film Festival are hosting the 2025 Museum Night Ocean Film Week from May 17-25. The 2025 Museum Night Ocean Film Week, held for the first time to promote tourism in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province, offers a unique opportunity to watch films, including full-length, short and animated films related to the theme of the ocean, at the National Maritime Museum in Busan. There will be special talk sessions with the films' directors and writers for in-depth discussions about the movies being screened during the event. On May 24-25, the museum is also holding a special night tour during which visitors can look around the museum with the lights off and watch ocean-related films all night long. Other programs accessible during the 2025 Museum Night Ocean Film Week include singing bowl mediation, book talks and board games. Those wishing to take part in this free event must register online at by May 14. 'We hope people create joyful memories through this special program set against the backdrop of Busan's beautiful sea. Going forward, we will continue to lead efforts in developing travel products based on unique local themes and content, while promoting a sustainable travel culture,' said the Korea Tourism Organization.
The Guardian
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Cosmic visions, Edwardian bling and Middle Eastern monuments – the week in art
Ali Cherri: How I Am MonumentThis Beirut-born artist creates contemporary monuments that echo the archaeology of the Middle East. Baltic, Gateshead, from 12 April to 12 October Richard WrightComplex, beguiling yet ephemeral site-specific paintings by the 2009 Turner prize winner. Camden Art Centre, London, from 16 April to 22 June The Edwardians: Age of EleganceJohn Singer Sargent, Edward Burne-Jones and more capture the bling and complacency of the golden summers before the first world war. King's Gallery, London, until 23 November Astronomy Photographer of the Year ExhibitionRavishing images of the cosmos, mostly taken by amateur astronomers with easily available equipment. National Maritime Museum, London, until 11 August Inventing Post-ImpressionismHow the critic Roger Fry championed the art of Cézanne, Van Gogh and more in early 20th-century Britain. Charleston, Sussex, until 2 November As you let David Hockney's intense blues cascade over you to the strains of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at his new exhibition in Paris, you realise how deep and sustaining a love for life this man feels and can communicate. Read the full review. A retrospective of British artist Ed Atkins follows his quest to 'reimagine life's chaos' Almost 130 years after his death, the work of William Morris has gone viral A giant memorial quilt for people who died of Aids is to show at Tate Modern A LS Lowry painting sold to a Guardian literary editor for £10 could fetch £1m Eco research studio Material Cultures believes nature has the best building materials A new exhibition is showcasing artworks from Californians hit by the recent wildfires Called 'freak pictures', Mainie Jellett and Evie Hone's works transformed Irish art The BBC reinstalled a sculpture by paedophile Eric Gill with a new protective screen A Landscape With Tobias and the Angel by Jan Lievens, 1640-4 As a young painter, Jan Lievens worked in friendship and rivalry with Rembrandt – no less. They were both based in Leiden, possibly sharing a studio. Art lovers who visited them raved about the two youthful geniuses. But Rembrandt went on to sublime highs and lows, his personal disasters only deepening his art. Lievens had a much more ordinary career. It was hard to be exceptional in the market-led art world of 17th-century Holland with its appetite for craftsmanlike depictions of reality. This painting shows how much Lievens has in common with Rembrandt, nonetheless: an appetite for biblical tales and melancholic inner poetry. Lievens depicts the little figures of Tobias, who was sent on a journey by his blind father Tobit, and the angel who helped him catch a fish: making an ointment from its gall, Tobias was able to heal Tobit's eyes. The supernatural encounter is almost banal in its everyday quality. It is the shadowy, cloud-muffled northern landscape that engrosses the artist. Lievens loses himself in dark trees and the shimmering surface of a river. Sombre and strange, his landscape is a romantic poem of rural sadness. National Gallery, London If you don't already receive our regular roundup of art and design news via email, please sign up here. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘I've had seals nibble my toes!' How sunkissed Cornwall became a 422-mile surf paradise
'I had no friends,' says Charlotte Banfield, 'and no interests. I was very depressed. It was all going to end very badly indeed for me.' Banfield – who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism, and was being bullied at school – thought of taking her life. But then, aged 13, she was enrolled by her mum in a six-week surfing course run by the Wave Project, which helps to improve children's confidence and ease their anxiety through riding breakers. It was a pivotal moment, not least because Banfield was about to be excluded from school. Her first surf class was a disaster, though. 'I had a phobia of water. I couldn't stand it on my skin. I ran away and locked myself in the car.' But something – perhaps the sense that there was 'no pressure' – brought her back. 'When I went up on my first wave, I felt free for the first time in my life.' This liberation turned her life around. 'I went back into education and, though I left school with no GCSEs, I got a masters in marine biology. Surfing gave me confidence.' It gave her more than that. Now 26, Banfield is a gold medal-winning world para surf champion, one whose achievement is celebrated in Surf! 100 Years of Waveriding in Cornwall, an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Falmouth, her home town. 'It was an honour when I won a gold and beyond an honour to get mentioned in this museum,' she says as we chat in its cafe. 'I used to come here on school trips. I remember hiding from teachers in the boats on display.' Although surfing dates back thousands of years, and is particularly associated with Polynesians who settled in Hawaii about 400AD, the pursuit has become as much part of Cornwall's heritage as pasties, piracy and painting. There is a Cornish word that helps explain why: 'mordros', meaning the ever-present sound of the sea. You don't get that in Wolverhampton. Then there's the light. 'In Cornwall,' writes geographer Dr Sam Bleakley, 'we are bathed in reflected light from the Atlantic.' Bleakley, a European longboard champion and senior lecturer in cultural tourism at Falmouth University, curated the show at the NMM. He says surfing is different in Cornwall, thanks to the soft sandy beaches that dot its 422 miles (680km) of surfable coastline from Bude to Falmouth. 'You can ride in the shallows in a way that is different from the surf breaks of Polynesia,' he says. What's more, this county is wide open to the Atlantic swell all year round. One of the great pleasures, says Cornish-born former pro Robyn Davies, is rising up on a wave that has travelled 4,000 miles across the ocean before smashing into Porthleven, Porthmeor, Penzance or Perranporth. The history the show tells is of a Cornish surf culture rising on a tide swollen by foreign influences. What Bleakley calls the 'tin-mining diaspora' witnessed surfing in Tahiti, Hawaii, west and south Africa – not least off Muizenberg near Cape Town, where Agatha Christie reportedly surfed in 1922. Boards and the surf bug came back with these travellers and, by 1937, the railways were advertising glorious, sun-drenched surfing holidays in the West Country. During the second world war, US troops stationed at RAF St Mawgan near Newquay reportedly enchanted locals with their daredevil techniques. But it was four Australian lifeguards – Bob Head, Ian Tiley, John Campbell and Warren Mitchell – who revolutionised surfing in Cornwall when they arrived 63 years ago, astounding Newquay locals with their 'hotdog surfing' on fibreglass longboards. To the sound of the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean playing from pirate radio stations, surfing became part of the swinging 60s. Surfboard artisans sprang up, their slick creations now celebrated in the show. Among them is Chris 'CJ' Jones who sculpted boards from wood, carbon fibre, paint and even recycled plastics. 'They were and remain works of art,' says Stuart Slade, NMM's director as he shows me around. By the late 1960s, Newquay was being branded as Surf City – and Cornwall as Britain's California. That said, surfing was once banned after feuding gangs of bodyboarders and longboarders (surfing's equivalent of mods and rockers) brawled on the beaches of Newquay. Ostensibly the most chillaxed of pastimes, surfing became regarded by some as a violent threat to public order. This is one of the many tensions explored in the show. Surfing is both a tourist money spinner and counter-cultural lifestyle. It has also involved the Californication of Cornwall, pitting swinging surfers against strait-laced stuffed shirts. Ever since surfing became an Olympic sport in 2020, another tension has become clear. Is waveriding, like skateboarding or BMX-ing, fundamentally a sport whose essentially rebellious nature can only get lost in the competition for medals or world records? Whatever the answer, Cornwall has become a breeding ground for world champions and industries that recognise surfing's therapeutic benefits and wish to make it a sport for all. On that last point, I am struck by the displays of surf couture in the show, from wet suits so tight they're almost fetish wear, to a loose-fitting, body-covering surfing hijab designed by local firm Finisterre. Bleakley's nicest conceit is to tell the story of the past 100 years through 100 surfboards. One is a coffinboard, so named because in the 1920s the first bodyboards were made by carpenters who specialised in coffins. There's a photo of one being held by a female surfer at Fistral beach in 1926, sticking it to West Country patriarchs who deemed surfing unsuitable for women. By contrast, there's a wall of gleaming lacquered boards, several designed by Damien Hirst, whose former partner, California-born Maia Norman, is a keen surfer. Hirst's designs were auctioned in 2003 for the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage. Nearby, we encounter a surfboard found in a Newquay garden and dusted off for the show. Once the world's longest board, it's 37ft long and looks like the kind of thing Team GB would use if the six-person bobsleigh ever switched to the sea. For all the show's surf positivity, Banfield's rise suffered setbacks, not least in 2021 when a seizure hit during a surf competition in California. 'It was so humiliating,' she says. 'I was underwater for a minute and couldn't move. My body felt so heavy. I had to be helped by another surfer.' Worse was to come. 'I was banned from competition until I got my epilepsy under control. That made me incredibly depressed. I went to a very dark place. I tried to take my own life. It was very clear to me that the ocean had kept me sane. When I go in the water, my mind becomes completely calm.' Happily, with some coaching and medication adjustments, Banfield was able to start competing again. Last year, she won another gold at the world championships. 'I still have bad days,' she says. 'When I do, I get my surfboard, get my wetsuit, get in the car and go.' Davies, many times national surfing champion, echoes this sentiment. 'Surfing's almost a spiritual experience. It's humbling – because you find out very quickly that you can't master nature. But the very present danger is also an adrenaline rush. The epitome of this is when you get barrelled.' Eh? She cups her fingers to show me: barrelling means riding inside a hollowed-out breaking wave. 'Time seems to extend. You feel like you've been in there for ages when it's scarcely been seconds. It's pure stoke. Epic.' It also sounds quite dangerous. 'It is – but then surfing is dangerous and exhilarating at the same time. There aren't many sports where you could be eaten by a wild animal. I've seen sharks, which is scary. And, in Mexico, I've been very close to whales breaching.' This is when they propel their bodies out of the water and land back on the surface with explosive force. Davies lists more dangers: 'Seals have nibbled my toes.' That doesn't sound too scary, I say. 'They were really big seals,' she replies. Then there was the time she wiped out at Pipeline in Hawaii, a reef break notorious for rip currents and underwater caves. 'I hit bottom and pushed off with my feet – only to hit rock. I thought I was going to drown, until I saw a gap and managed to swim to the surface.' A car crash ended Davies's competitive career, but she still longboards and insists that it's never too late to learn. 'I taught an 80-year-old woman whose dream it was to stand on a board. She did it! I'm not saying it's easy, though. When you swim out to where the waves are, through foaming white water, it's hard – but it's worth it. I've never felt a connection with nature like it. I've never felt so good as when I'm surfing.' Surf! is at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth, 28 March to January 2027.
