Tourism
News
Summer
Swing Sessions Return!
With
53 Liners due to visit Cobh this year the Cobh and Harbour Chamber is
gearing up to run the Summer Swing series of free Concerts and fun filled
events to delight visitors and passengers to the Cobh and Harbour area.
In
2009 over twenty-two bands performed on the beautifully restored bandstand
in the prom. This year with even more liners visiting Cobh, the Cobh
and Harbour Chamber hope to build on last years exciting programme and
offer an even more varied and full list of entertainment. Kicking off
the Summer Swing this year on 29th April 2010 the Cobh and Harbour Chamber
will have a host of various musical entertainment lined up to coincide
with the maiden visit of the Eclipse Celebrity cruise liner which will
be docked at the Deep Water Quay over night. There will also be free
entertainment including bouncy castles, face painters, clowns and also
the local farmers market and arts and crafts.
In
addition to the normal Summer Swing Sessions on the weekends throughout
the summer, the Chamber will be extending the Summer Swing activities
to three other dates including 30th May and 29th August when the Independence
of Seas will be docked in Cobh, the 24th July for the visit of the Queen
Victoria. On these dates in addition to the concerts there will be free
family entertainment and a food/crafts fair.
If
you are interested in participating in the Arts & Crafts / Food
fair please contact Peter on 0868153922 or fill in an application form
which is available on www.cobhcalls.com If you have a band or group
who are interesting in performing contact Kathleen on 021 4813612.
These
events are kindly supported by SECAD
Queen
Mary II Visits to Cobh
The majestic Ocean Liner Queen Mary 2 cruised into port to dock
at the Deepwater Quay berth on Wednesday 21st October at approximately
11.20 am. The President of Cunard Shipping, Peter Shanks, accompanied
by local dignitaries inlcuding Mary McCaffrey, Vice President of the
Cobh and Harbour Chamber, will lay a wreath in rememberance of those
who lost their lives when the Lusitania was sunk in 1915, at the Lusitania
Peace Memorial at 2.30 pm.
The
Queen Mary II is the first Cunard liner to be built since Queen Elizabeth
II, which ws built 35 years earlier. This impressive ocean liner
is one of the last liners to visit Cobh this year. The final liner
will be the Balmoral which is due into port on 3rd November but we are
happy to report that the Port of Cork have confirmed that there are
already 50 liners booked for the 2010 season. The impressive Queen Elizabeth
II came to Cobh last year and it was a very successful visit. The vessel
will be berthed for five hours, before it departs for its next port.
For
further information contact the tourist office on 0214813301
CONQUERING
HERO RETURNS
Cobh
native Barry Hurley returned home on Sunday 2nd August as a conquering
hero. Barry whose dream was to compete in OSTAR 2009 did us all proud
as he won his class in the OSTAR – the Original Single-handed
Trans-Atlantic Race. Barry was the only Irishman competing in the OSTAR
race and in his beloved ‘Jeanneau One Design 35’ –
named “Dinah” (after a line from the lyrics of the popular
Cobh anthem “The Holy Ground”) on Monday 15th June at 06.05
EST Barry crossed the finish line at the entrance to Newport Rhode Island,
just 1 hour and 25 minutes less than twenty one days. He was the fifth
boat to finish and fifth on corrected time while he was first in his
class and first on IRC having conquered the might of the Atlantic.
A wonderful
win for Ireland, Irish Sailing, Cove Sailing Club, (his first sailing
club of which he is an honorary Member) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club,
Dun Laoghaire, his current club.
I
spoke to his proud parents Pat and John Hurley about their son’s
success “We are so proud of Barry” stated as elated Pat
“to watch him sail into Rhode Island after so much time at sea,
safe and sound was wonderful. Sailing has always been his first love,
having started sailing at the tender age of 8 in Cobh, and he has done
us and Ireland proud with his achievements”.
After
the race Barry was joined by his sister Aileen and their friend Andy
Boyle and started the return journey from New York to Cobh and the Holy
Ground on 5th July. “DINAH and crew arrrived back in Cobh on Sunday
afternoon, August 2nd, at 3pm.
Mary
McCaffrey, Vice President of the Cobh &
Harbour Chamber stated “This is a great achievement for Barry
and his solo triumph over the mighty Atlantic is an inspiration to us
all.
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