inshore ireland December 2012/January 2013 31
Coastline News
Up-skilling to generate additional value on premium island produce Séamus Ó Cnáimhsí, Comharchumann Forbartha & Fostaíochta.
Ireland Sailing Team-UCD wins gold at La Rochelle
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ot only did an Irish team take line honours at the 2012 Student Yachting World Cup, they also dominated the event by consistently scoring podium places in almost every race throughout the regatta to finish on 25 points with their closest rivals, Team Canada finished on 37 points. Fourteen teams from around the globe competed over the six days in testing weather and in various race course formats. As the event progressed, Team Ireland’s confidence grew, bolstered by clever tactical starts by team skipper Aidan McLaverty on the start line with tactician Barry McCartin providing constant wind and tide updates to produce the most favourable angles to sail the course. The final two days of the regatta were cancelled due to winds gusting 40 knots; however Team Ireland’s lead of 12 points secured their position and the trophy. Ireland Sailing Team – UCD is already planning their return to French waters next year to defend their title.
Arranmore RNLI signs up youngest volunteer crew member Nora Flanagan
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ntering into its 129th year of saving lives at sea, the voluntary ethos of the RNLI is alive and well on Arranmore, having just signed its youngest crew member, Dominic Boyle (17). “Ever since I came to Arranmore at the age of 4 I’ve loved boats; I suppose living on an island and having to get a boat to the mainland really started my love of the sea and my training with BIM helped me decide that what I really want to do is work at sea. I’ve loved the lifeboat ever since my father became a crew member and I’m really looking forward to my training and especially my first call out.”
The family tradition of serving on the Arranmore lifeboat has continued since the first RNLI lifeboat arrived at the island in 1883. Lifeboat mechanic, Philip McCauley continues a long family tradition of service; his grandfather and great uncles were awarded silver and bronze medals for their extraordinary bravery in rescuing the crew of the Dutch vessel Stolwych in 1940. Arranmore RNLI lifeboat is one of the few lifeboats around the Irish coast that also carries out medical evacuations and is often called upon to transfer sick patients from the many islands around the Donegal Coast. “It’s all part of the service the local lifeboat provides and we’re happy to be able to help people at any time and at any place,” remarked their operations manager, Francis Bonner.
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omharchumann Forbartha & Fostaíochta in conjunction with Hal Dawson and Taste 4 Success Skillnet organised a five-day fish filleting and handling course as part of a local food initiative on Árainn Mhór Island, Co Donegal. The aim of the project was to enable islanders to up-skill so that they can increase work opportunities; supply fish and meat caught and produced on the island to help address the jobs challenge facing Ireland and isolated regions. “This training and up-skilling will create additional income and eventually jobs in tourism, income for fishermen and small island farmers not to mention providing high quality, tasty food for island tables,” remarked…………… He added that the key to adding value to island produce was training and up-skilling and ultimately certification for small
local farmers and fishermen. “This in turn will enable them to sell directly to consumers, what is already a high quality product, but get a better price.” The island already produces quality hill lamb, crab and lobster, periwinkles and seaweeds. Certified courses in butchery and processing can often lead to a quadrupling of the amount paid to the producer. The group is also promoting vegetables in the island’s community garden and selling locally produced jams and baked goods at a weekly market during the summer months. “These training programmes
will increase the range and quality of foods available on the island and will reduce our dependency on imports to the island,” he added. Ten participants were taught knife skills; hygiene; filleting; skinning; icing and presentation of fish types available in local waters. The training and up-skilling initiative is funded by Taste 4 Success Skillnet under the Training Networks Programme, an initiative of Skillnets Ltd, and is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Education and Skills. Further information from: www.taste4success.ie