Stand on the Parrog at Goodwick when the tide is low and look across to the ferry terminal. Before you lies a large expanse of flat sand, firm to walk on, but with a myriad of ankle-deep puddles. On the far-side, below the steel gantry frame over…

In the tiny churchyard of Granston, set back from the bay of Abermawr and its smaller neighbour Aberbach, two gravestones bear witness to anonymous victims of the waves. One marks the deaths of Captain Charles Bowlby and his crew of 28 on board the…

The collection has examples of the work of several local model makers Their remarkable skill and artistry is easily understood by visitors of all ages. There are two particularly fine models, described as ‘perfect in every detail’ and ‘a true scale…

Captain Lawrence Busher, of the tug boat Wexford, was 57, when he and his crew took part in the rescue of the crew of the Mexico and the remaining crew of the Helen Blake. He used the steam power from the tug to pull the James Stevens, a 40ft…

A Brief History: Arklow bay is home to a natural sea bank that stretches 10 miles, often referred to as ‘Arklow Bank’ which, due to its natural topography has been the ruin of many seafaring vessels. It is this bank that was one of the main reasons…

In the early twentieth century, coastal trading supported the movement of goods along the east coast of Ireland and the west coast of Wales and England. This was a centuries old activity and a way of life for many families on both sides of the Irish…

For the community of Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire), 10 October 1918 began like any day in a busy port town. The first locals knew of the incident was the sound of the torpedoes. The Royal Mail Ship (and passenger ferry) Leinster was on its regular…

Mary Delany (1700-1788) was no stranger to crossing the Irish Sea. She had made one trip to Ireland as a young widow in 1731 and, when she later lived in Ireland between 1744 and 1767, she made regular visits back to England. Delany generally made…

Between 25 and 26 October 1859, one of the strongest storms of the 19th century hit the Irish sea. Known as the ‘Royal Charter’ storm , the tempest was named after the ship Royal Charter which was caught on its way from Australia to Britain,…

By October 1918, it had become apparent that the First World War was slowly drawing to a close. It was not yet foreseeable whether it would be over by Christmas, a hope annually revived since 1914, but an end to the fighting lay in the near future.…