Ground Zero Exhibition at Camden Fort Meagher by photographer Nicola McClean

Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Tim Lombard opens the Ground Zero 360 Exhibition at Camden Fort Meagher which will be open at weekends until September with (from left) Paul Brierlye, Chairman Rescue Camden, Paul McClean, NYPD, Nicola McClean whose photographs are exhibited and Martin Riordan, County Manager.

Irish photographer Nicola McClean has brought her stunning collection of images taken in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in New York City in 2001 to the Cork public via an exhibition in Camden Fort Meagher. In the days following the attacks, McClean captured the confusion and panic in the city and her pictures, along with chilling audio clips and a unique panoramic installation, evoke what New Yorkers were feeling in the days that followed the attacks. Ground Zero 360 allows one to experience the enduring events of September 11th and celebrate the heroic men and women of the New York City Emergency Services. The exhibition is made even more special and poignant given the unique location of Camden Fort Meagher which combines military heritage with wonderful ocean vistas. http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=191

Cork Harbour Open Day 2012 - ‘Call for Events’

Scenes on the promenade in Cobh during the 2011 Cork Harbour Open Day

We are delighted to announce that due to popular demand, Cork Harbour Open Day has been extended to a two day event for 2012 and will take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September. Aimed at embracing everything that Cork Harbour has to offer, Cork Harbour Open Day seeks to raise awareness of the different activities and events available for families in the harbour both on and off the water. If you would like to be involved in Cork Harbour Open Day or organise an event on the day, please contact Sinead Kavanagh at harbourevents@corkharbour.ie or 021-4625375. All events or special offers for the weekend, no matter how big or small are welcome. Events organised will be promoted on the lead up to the day via PR, social media and the website www.corkharbour.ie. This approach proved very successful over the last number of years. Please see event application attached and get involved!!. The idea for a Harbour Open Day emerged from discussions between various stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the Integrated Strategy for the Harbour. A group comprising representatives from UCC, City and County Councils and the Port of Cork set about working together to engage users of the Harbour and to organise the Open Day. http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=190

Cork Week 2012, 7th-13th July

© Photo from Cork Week website

Cork Week 2012 is now in full swing. With10 high-octane races spread over 5 days with free event-related marina berthing and 7-day entertainment, Cork Week is an event not too be missed for sailors and land-lubbers alike. Crosshaven village has pulled out all the stops this year and there is plenty of off-the-water family entertainment including extra opening hours for Camden Fort Meagher. For live race updates see the Cork week website or follow all the action via Twitter @corkweektweet http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=189

IMERC signs MOU with US Research Centre

Present at the signing were Dr. Ray Alcorn, HMRC, University College Cork, Dr. Valerie Cummins, IMERC, Cpt. Hugh Tully, Irish Naval Service, Governor Christine Gregoire, Washington State, Prof. Patrick Fitzpatrick, University College Cork, Mr. Peter Corcoran, OpenHydro Ltd., Lt. Nimah Ni Fhatharta, Irish Naval Service and Mr. Peter Coyle, Chairman IMERC

The Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Centre (IMERC) and the US Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Research Center (NNMREC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on research collaboration on marine renewable energy. Governor Christine Gregoire, Governor of Washington State, witnessed and signed the agreement with the IMERC Director, Dr. Valerie Cummins, and the NNMREC Director, Prof. Brian Polangye. The agreement came about following a recent visit by Dr. Cummins to the U.S. where she spent two months developing business and research opportunities in the area of marine renewables. During her visit, which was part of a prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship, she met with Prof. Polangye and his colleagues in Washington State. Their discussions revealed shared interests between IMERC and NNMREC in research areas such as marine acoustics and hydrodynamic modelling in support of marine renewable energy. Marine renewable energy encompasses wave, tidal and offshore wind energy. Ireland’s location at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and the location of Washington and Oregon States on the Pacific Ocean provide access to premier wind, wave and tidal resources in Europe and America respectively. The harnessing of marine renewables in these jurisdictions provides an opportunity to meet energy demands in a way that is economically viable, environmentally benign, and socially acceptable. This is a global challenge and international collaboration is essential to accelerating marine renewable energy along the development pathway. Researchers at IMERC and NNMREC have developed core competencies in technical, environmental, economic, and social aspects of marine renewable energy development. With both clusters closely engaged in demonstration-scale projects in their respective countries, the coming years will see an unprecedented opportunity for sharing of information and methods between researchers on both sides of the Atlantic. Governor Gregoire is leading a trade delegation to Ireland and the U.K. with marine renewables as a key theme. She observed that the co-operation will stimulate increased potential for technological advancement and investment in the sector, which is of significant importance for Washington and Oregon States because of their geographical location and natural ocean energy resources. IMERC is a tripartite alliance between University College Cork (UCC), Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Irish Naval Service (INS). NNMREC is a partnership between Oregon State University (OSU) and the University of Washington (UW). According to Mr. Peter Coyle, Chairman of IMERC, both clusters have a unique range of capabilities and facilities to support marine renewable energy development. The areas of co-operation within the MOU include the exchange of data of mutual interest, mobility of researchers, students and scholars, and joint research, lectures and symposia. http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=188

Camden Fort Meagher open for the summer

© Photo from Rescue Camden website/ Joleen Cronin

Camden Fort Meagher is now open each and every Saturday and Sunday from 12-5PM right through until Sunday September 16th. The fort will also be open during Cork Week, 9th-13th of July, between 1PM and 3.30. Keep up to date with all the official news from Rescue Camden on the Facebook page, or visit the Rescue Camden website. http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=187

IMERC becomes the first Maritime Project ever to win An Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Award

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny presents the 2012 Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Award to Lt Niamh Ní Fhátharta, IMERC Navy Strategic Co-ordinator, June 2012

On 21st June 2012 in Dublin Castle, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced the 2012 winners of An Taoiseach’s Public Service Excellence Awards. A maritime project has been selected from 190 applications, to receive acknowledgement for its success and impact. This is the first time a maritime project has featured on the awards list since the awards were initiated in 2004. This year IMERC (the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster) is among 20 projects that have been singled out for demonstrating innovation and excellence across the full breadth of State services. The award to IMERC emphasises the sea change underway in Ireland concerning an awareness of the value and economic potential of Ireland’s marine resources. IMERC is a unique tripartite alliance between the Irish Naval Service (INS), University College Cork (UCC) and the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). It seeks to harness and integrate public sector and industry expertise to develop the Cluster and to realise the potential of emerging economic sectors, including the nascent ocean energy sector. IMERC is being recognised by An Taoiseach as a unique example of joined-up-thinking across three public sector institutions, the results of which, have leveraged major capital investment, succeeded in attracting inward investment, supported indigenous industry and enhanced capacity for research and innovation in Ireland’s maritime sector. Dr. Valerie Cummins, IMERC Director, who accepted the award on behalf of UCC, CIT and INS stated that the award is an acknowledgement of the hard work, leadership and talent of the researchers, naval service personnel, trainers, educators, agency and industry stakeholders in IMERC. She also acknowledged the progress underway in government departments including marine, energy, defence, education and enterprise, in framing the policy environment to encouarge further maritime innovation and job creation. The extended maritime campus under development in Ringaskiddy Cork Habour, builds on the infrastructure already in place with the National Maritime College of Ireland and the Irish Naval Service Headquarters and Dockyard. IMERC is addressing this by building on existing government investment to develop a research and commercial location of world standing. University College Cork is constructing the Beaufort Laboratory on an adjacent site. Upon completion in Autumn 2013, this will be the world’s largest marine renewable energy research facility, supporting a trajectory of growth in development of a sector that could yield up to 52,000 jobs from wave energy for Ireland by 2030. Industry suites will be incorporated for the growing number of commercial enterprises attracted to the location,and the spin out companies that are beginning to emerge. According to Dr. Cummins, “the clustering of of IMERCs component infrastructure in one of the world largest natural harbours represents an awakening by Irelands maritime community to its natural home.” http://www.corkharbour.ie/pages/newsDisplay.php?id=186

Following 2011’s successful Cork Harbour Summer School, Meitheal Mara is repeating the event this year

Following 2011’s successful Cork Harbour Summer School, Meitheal Mara is repeating the event this year in a similar format, at the same venue; the Port of Cork board-room, on Friday June 8th. 

The theme of the Summer School is ‘Cork Harbour, ‘Looking Out – Looking In’: the ‘Looking Out’ theme will deal with Cork Harbour’s significance in the past and present; the ‘Looking In’ theme will deal with topics covering the increasing use of every part of the harbour by a variety of users. Many of the presentations will be inclusive of both aspects. 

The Summer School will be opened by Dr. Valerie Cummins of IMERC and sessions will be chaired by Capt. Pat Farnan, Harbour-master, Port of Cork and Mary McCarthy of the Sculpture Factory. Among the speakers are the Crawford Gallery’s Peter Murray on the maritime art of Cork Harbour, Damien O’Mahony of TEAM, Cork City Council, UCC Archaeologist Colin Rynne, Eddie English on the harbour as a cruising ground and Architect David Flannery on the vision for Spike Island. 

The Summer School is one of the events promoted by Meitheal Mara with the object of building awareness the harbour, by showing the people of Cork city and county what a marvelous and magical place it is, by promoting a view of it as an organic whole and finally by getting people on the water in events like the Ocean to City Race, the Cork Harbour Raid and the Spike Island Picnic. 

For Information: 
Contact Marina Sheehan, Meitheal Mara, 021 4847673 or marina@oceantocity.com 


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