The Tall Ships are ready to sail into town
A spectacular new fleet of ships are getting ready to visit Drogheda Port for this year’s Irish Maritime Festival.
The festival takes place in Drogheda over the weekend of June 10th and 11th. Perhaps the most impressing of all the ships sailing into Drogheda this summer will be the ‘Shtandart’. Commissioned by Tsar Peter I of Russia in 1703, the modern day ‘Shtandart’ is an exact replica. Built in 1999, this magnificent 128m long vessel carries 10 officers and 30 trainees. The elegant masts will play host to the Peter Pan aerial acrobatic show during the Irish Maritime Festival. Captain Martin Donnelly and the team at Drogheda Port have invited a wonderful new fleet of ships to visit Drogheda for the Festival. ‘ The visiting ships are the focal point of The Irish Maritime Festival and it is always wonderful to see people of all ages climbing aboard to explore these magnificent vessels. It’s so important that we offer a selection of ships each year to interest and excite our audience and this is our biggest offering of Tall Ships yet,’ explains Capt Donnelly, Harbourmaster of Drogheda Port. He was speaking this week as he unveiled the line-up of ships visiting Drogheda this year. ‘We’re delighted to welcome the Brian Boru, a sail training vessel based in Waterford. Drogheda’s first crew of sail trainees will arrive at the end of their voyage on Friday while the second crew will depart Drogheda on Monday.’
Also included amongst the fleet is an unusual new addition - the motor tug ‘Brocklebank’ which came into service in 1965 and served for 23 years as a tug assisting cargo ships, passenger liners and naval vessels to their berths.