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Irish Times
11-08-2025
- Irish Times
Currachs: Lifelines for trade, travel and tradition with a sporting streak
Querrin in Co Clare is a spot that can be described as being rather far from anywhere. Just shy of five miles from Kilkee, eight miles to Kilrush, a whopping 36 miles to the county town of Ennis, but funnily, little over three miles across the Shannon estuary to Kerry. To go by land, it's about an 85-mile spin – up along the belly of the Banner, into Limerick City, back out west past Foynes and on to north Kerry. Before the dawn of the Killimer-to-Tarbert ferry service in 1969, rowing was the speediest option by a considerable margin, if you had the brawn. Describing the historical use of currachs in west Clare, Dixie Collins recalls a story that local man Eddie Lynch told him of one particular journey across the estuary. After cycling down to Querrin from Kilkee, just one bike between himself and a friend, the pair rowed across to Kerry and then cycled on to Tralee to watch the county final, making the return trip that evening. In west Clare, their love of the sea is rivalled only by their love of football. READ MORE 'There was a huge connection over and back across the river between Kerry and Clare,' says Collins, a founding member of the West Clare Currach Club. [ Currach restored by Mountjoy Prison inmates gifted to social services charity to help young people Opens in new window ] 'People used to go over to dances in Ballybunion on canoes and come back. The Shannon all the way up was like the highway before the roads came in, going back hundreds of years. People were related and knew each other over and back the river.' A silhouette of a currach as a crew row along the Liffey in Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/PA The style of boat goes by different names depending on location, reflecting variations in shape that 'evolved with local sea conditions in mind', Collins explains. Currachs, naomhógs, or canoes as they're called in west Clare, are unique in their construction, starting with a timber frame which is then covered with a 'skin' layer – originally made of animal hide but later of calico canvas painted with layers of tar, and more recently, light nylon sheets. The result is a boat nimble enough to navigate tricky fishing spots, strong enough to withstand rough sea conditions, and light enough to be shouldered to and from the shore. For many communities along the west coast, currachs were a lifeline for work, trade and transport. That is particularly true for Inisheer. Tomás Sharry grew up on the smallest of the Aran Islands and is now raising his three daughters there. Lying just five miles northwest of Doolin, Co Clare, and about two miles southeast of Inishmaan, currachs linked Inisheer to the mainland and its fellow Aran Islands. 'Every family would have had a currach,' he says. 'Even the priest years ago – he was rowed to Inishmaan once a week for Mass, so families would have a turn to bring the priest to Inishmaan.' Currachs on the beach in Inisheer. Photograph: Eamon Ward Sharry adds that construction on the island also relied on the currachs, since building supplies had to be rowed ashore when cargo boats couldn't use the island's pier. Even at the height of their powers as working boats, communities such as that on Inisheer also used the currachs for sport. The biggest weekend on the island comes in August when the community hosts the annual Rasaí Inis Óirr – with this year's instalment taking place this past weekend. The highlight of the event is the currach races. Competitions are divided into various categories – underage, senior, men's, women's, 'fear agus bean' (mixed) – and by the number of 'hands', generally two or three rowers per boat. Areas that host events tend to have a long-established racing course that is seldom, if ever, altered. [ Currach racing set for the Liffey on Sunday Opens in new window ] But having a currach at your disposal is half the battle, and as such the sport is not particularly accessible beyond the traditional strongholds. In west Clare, Collins says, there was no shortage of canoes, but they were in private ownership, having been 'minded and treasured' for decades by local fishing families. In the 1990s, he and a few other dedicated hands set about acquiring these canoes and began holding races in various spots around the peninsula. Seamen carry their currach on Inishmaan, May 1984. Photograph: Gérard Sioen/Gamma-Rapho/Getty In 2004 came the decision to build six standardised canoes, opting for the local fishing canoe style rather than that of a racing boat, to better withstand harsh Atlantic conditions. Supported by the Leader programme – a funding initiative for development projects in rural communities – the group set to work under the guidance of local boat builder James Madigan. 'We were in an old garage in Kilkee [building the boats] and the old fishermen all came in to us,' says Collins. 'They wanted to see what we were doing, and they wanted to make sure we were doing it right. They wouldn't let you do it wrong!' Once built, the six canoes were given to communities in the club's catchment – such as Kilkee, Kilrush and Doonbeg – to enable people from each area to get out on the water. On Inisheer, Sharry says currach racing was simply part of life on the island. Members of the West Clare Currach Club on the water in Kilkee. Photograph: Tony Whelan 'When I was young there was no football team on the island, so the currach racing was the main sport.' His first race came as a 12-year-old in 1996, and he's been at it ever since, competing for much of that time with his brother Seán and their friend Mairtín Seoighe. They haven't been short of success. In 2023 the trio won the All-Ireland – a competition picked from among the events in the racing calendar each year – in home waters, and in 2024 they won the league, a points-based competition spanning the season. However, from its once prominent position, the number of people rowing on Inisheer has dwindled. 'We try to hold on to as much of it as we can,' he says of their efforts to preserve the island's traditions, the speaking of Irish chief among them, but also currach racing. This is not all just the preserve of the westerners – similar efforts are taking place right around the Irish coast to ensure the currach remains a living piece of our history, with clubs such as Draíocht na Life in Dublin flying the flag out east, having launched three new currachs on the Liffey in 2022. While preservation is rarely an easy task, Collins insists participation in currach racing and coastal rowing as a whole 'is broadening out all the time', with their club noting a particular uptick in women joining their ranks. 'These boats were work boats for 200 years, and they haven't changed that much over that time ... If we didn't have these boats, from a kind of a sense of identity, a sense of rootedness, we would really be very poor,' he says. But for now, 'the sails are filling,' he adds, and the currach lives on.
Irish Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Moneypoint power station ends coal use ahead of schedule
The ESB has ended coal use at its Moneypoint electricity generation station in the Shannon estuary in Co Clare and is switching to oil use for the coming years. Generating power with heavy fuel oil is less carbon intensive than coal, while the station is expected to be used less in the future. The exit from coal use is six months earlier than anticipated at the facility, which has been in operation since the mid-1980s. The move is part of the continuing transformation of Moneypoint into a renewable energy hub. The power plant has been burning coal for 40 years but began its transition away from fossil fuel generation on site in 2017 with the construction of a 17 megawatt onshore wind farm. READ MORE In 2021, ESB announced its Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint project, an ambitious plan to transform the site into one of the country's largest renewable energy hubs, using its deepwater port and existing infrastructure. [ Republic may need to consider nuclear power to meet energy demand and climate goals, says EirGrid chairman Opens in new window ] This is planned to coincide with scale-up of offshore wind projects off the west coast in coming years. Phase one of this plan was completed in 2022 with the installation of a €50 million synchronous compensator to facilitate more efficient accommodation of renewables on the national grid. Moneypoint, which at one stage supplied up to 25 per cent of Ireland's electricity needs, will continue to provide security of supply for Ireland's electricity system as a backup facility; a power plant of last resort for EirGrid. The ESB intends to end oil use in 2029.
BreakingNews.ie
10-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Eamon Ryan calls Government's LNG position a 'costly mistake'
Former minister Eamon Ryan has criticised the Government over plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. The LNG facility is planned for the Shannon Estuary. Advertisement Writing in The Irish Times , Mr Ryan said: "The Government recently stated it would cost €300 million, but the bill would likely be a multiple of this. That cost is going to go on our electricity bills and in all likelihood will lead to a continued dependence on gas, which is the main reason why our electricity prices are so high. "We need to get prices down, not just to protect our consumer and industries, but also to accelerate the clean energy transition. Cheaper electricity means lower running costs for electric vehicles and heat pumps, the workhorses of our clean energy future. By using flexible pricing and our nationwide network of smart meters, new battery storage systems can be ramped up and down. This will reduce the curtailment of wind and solar power and we can get into a virtuous circle, where power becomes cheaper, cleaner and more secure." Responding to the article, Jerry Mac Evilly, campaigns director for climate group Friends of the Earth said: 'It is shocking that the former Minister has highlighted how Government is failing to protect customers - it is planning to sink hundreds of millions (and potentially billions) into polluting LNG infrastructure and to lump these huge costs on energy bills when cheaper, cleaner alternatives are ready to go. "The last Government only put in place a temporary ban on LNG, but now we have a situation where the current Government is looking to have its cake and eat it: it is actively supporting state-owned LNG while also leaving the door open to a hugely dangerous commercial development, namely Shannon LNG. This is entirely unacceptable and tone-deaf to Ireland's climate obligations." Advertisement Mr Mac Evilly added: "Friends of the Earth is calling on the Minister for Energy to respect Programme for Government commitments and reject further long-term reliance on dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure. An urgent first step, as noted in the article, is for Government to be clear on the real costs for customers of a polluting LNG terminal. The Minister must also ensure a full up-to-date analysis of sustainable and lower-cost alternative options for energy security, together with a public consultation, led by advisory bodies at his disposal.'
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ireland losing investment because of slow progress on offshore wind projects, Limerick Chamber warns
The slow pace in progressing multibillion Irish offshore wind projects is leading to investment in clean energy and critical skills going to other European countries, according to Limerick Chamber of Commerce. Speaking on behalf of businesses across the midwest and west of Ireland, chamber chief executive Michelle Gallagher has called for immediate action by the Government and clear timelines around development and delivery of designated maritime area plans (DMAPs) 'to unlock the immense floating offshore renewable energy potential available in the Atlantic'. The Government also needed to 'prioritise floating offshore wind as a cornerstone of Ireland's clean and energy secure future', she added. The chamber with prominent businesses based in the Shannon region has been calling for full implementation of the 2024 Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce report, which recommends establishing a renewables hub in the Shannon estuary to support offshore wind farms, with nearby industry including data centres availing of green power. READ MORE 'We are at a critical juncture,' Ms Gallagher said, 'We must act now to build investor confidence, diversify our energy sector and seize Ireland's Atlantic opportunity ... If we are serious about achieving our climate targets, decarbonising our economy and building energy security, then the west coast must not be left behind. 'Floating offshore wind represents Ireland's single biggest renewable opportunity but that opportunity is slipping away without DMAPs and a timeline industry can rely on,' she added. Minister for Energy Darragh O'Brien last month got Cabinet approval to accelerate offshore renewables development through designating additional zones for offshore development, known as the 'National DMAP'. He has said Shannon Foynes Port would be at the forefront of Ireland's offshore energy development, including floating offshore wind. A new 'climate investment clearing house' is to accelerate progress, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced a joint Government-industry forum on offshore renewable energy would be convened 'to scope out the role of the clearing house and how we can best progress delivery of Ireland's offshore renewable energy objectives'. The west coast of Ireland has been identified a location for generation of up 70 gigawatts (GW) of clean electricity using floating technology. Unlike fixed-bottom offshore wind, which is limited to shallower waters and predominantly suited to the east coast, Ms Gallagher said floating offshore wind unlocks deeper, high-wind areas further offshore – 'a perfect match for the west's natural maritime conditions'. Timely delivery of west coast DMAPs was not only a planning necessity but a confidence-building milestone for industry stakeholders, she said. 'Investors and developers need certainty. Delays send the wrong signal and risk displacing capital to other jurisdictions.' Mrs Gallagher said 'slow pace of delivery in Ireland is ensuring we are losing out on investment and critical skills to other European countries'. She said France has already issued winning tenders for its 250 megawatts (MW) Pennavel project off Brittany, while Portugal has 25MW of installed floating capacity since 2020. The Brussels-based EFTA Surveillance Authority had approved Norway providing state aid to its floating offshore wind farm at Utsira Nord, delivering 1.5GW of floating offshore wind capacity, she noted. 'France, Norway and Portugal have already pilot and demo-scale projects operating. Meanwhile Ireland has none. Spain has launched a €200 million fiscal war chest to bring forward testing platforms, build new infrastructure as well as adapting port infrastructure,' the chamber chief said. The UK had one of the largest floating offshore wind initiatives in the world, aiming for up to 4.5GW of floating renewable energy, Ms Gallagher said. EU neighbours, particularly in France and Spain, were also investing in ports to support the sector with a view to delivering the broader economic and energy diversification advantages of floating offshore development.
BreakingNews.ie
12-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Environmental group brings court challenge against Shannon LNG permission
An environmental group has brought a High Court action seeking to quash An Bord Pleanála's (ABP) decision to grant planning permission for a major power plant in north Co Kerry. The planning authority in March granted permission to Shannon LNG for the proposed development of a 600-megawatt power plant and energy storage facility on a 255-hectare (630-acre) site between Tarbert and Ballylongford on the Shannon estuary. Advertisement On Monday, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys gave permission to John Kenny BL, appearing for Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) and instructed by FP Logue solicitors, to bring judicial review proceedings against An Bord Pleanala, Ireland, the Attorney General and the Minister for Housing. Shannon LNG is a notice party in the action. Last September, following proceedings brought by Shannon LNG, Mr Justice Humphreys overturned the board's refusal of planning permission for a power plant, battery energy storage system and a regasification unit at the Shannon estuary site. In its court documents, FIE claims ABP breached Irish and European law in granting permission for the proposed power plant and energy storage facility. FIE claims An Bord Pleanala failed to adequately consider statutory carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings set out in the Government's Climate Action Plan 2024 in its decision, and its related obligations under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. Advertisement FIE says that the board did not engage how the proposed development was consistent with carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings, other than to justify the granted permission because of Government policy support for constructing gas fired power stations deemed necessary for achieving the target of a 50 per reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. FIE says the calculated greenhouse gas emissions arising from the proposed development is 'manifestly incorrect and significantly underestimated' in an environmental impact assessment report submitted to the board by the developer. Based on these 'underestimated' calculations, the proposed development will account for one third of all budgeted emissions – based on limits set out in 2024 Climate Action Plan – from the entire electricity sector in 2030, FIE claim. Ireland Four local authorities spending over €500k per yea... Read More FIE also says the board was wrong to find that the proposed development constitutes a sustainable development, and its decision to grant permission is invalid as it constitutes a material contravention of the Kerry County Development Plan 2022-2028 and Listowel Municipal District Local Area Plan 2020-2026. Advertisement FIE says An Bord Pleanala breached obligations under the European Union's environmental impact assessment directive. The environmental group claims the board could not and did not make a valid decision on the impact of proposed development under the EU's Habitats Directive. The case returns to court in two weeks.
