Maritime Weekend to hear of massacre, pirates and tragedy

MASSACRES, pirates, smuggling, tragedies and the work of the Coast Guard are among the topics that will be covered over the course of the Dingle Maritime Weekend, which will be held on this Saturday and Sunday in Mara Beo aquarium.

Now in its tenth year, the weekend which was set up for Kevin Flannery and retired harbour master Brian Farrell to celebrate Dingle’s maritime heritage has proven hugely popular among those with an interest in the sea and local history generally.

Lectures make up the bulk of this coming weekend’s events with talks ranging from Dr Conor Brosnan’s account of the massacre of 600 Irish and foreign troops, women and children at Dún an Óir in 1580, to Des Ekin’s tales of pirate adventures and atrocities along the Irish coast.

The tragic loss of 21 lives that occurred when a boat from Ballyferriter foundered during an attempt to recover cargo from a drifting shipwreck in 1818 will be discussed by Dáithí De Mórdha. A boat from Dún Chaoin was also at the scene but failed to rescue the Ballyferriter men and Dáithí will outline how the incident left the two parishes torn with ill-feeling and bitterness for generations afterwards.

On Sunday morning Ted Creedon, who has recently completed an M.A. on the evolution of the coastguard in Kerry, will give an illustrated talk tracing the development of the service on the Dingle peninsula from 1821 to1922. Topics covered include coastguard stations, personnel, smuggling, rescue, fisheries, famine, integration, conflict and war.

On Sunday afternoon Louise Overy of Mara Beo will host what promises to be a very informative workshop focusing on plastic pollution in the seas around us. The workshop is aimed mostly at children but adults are very welcome also and, as Kevin Flannery emphasises, it’s a subject we badly need to learn about, especially as West Kerry lies right in the track of a tide of plastic rubbish that is washed northwards by the Gulf Stream. More graphic information on the impact of plastic waste on our seas will be provided by an EPHEMARE photo exhibition which is being hosted by Mara Beo over the weekend.

And on a lighter note, Mara Beo will be selling copies of Billy Dillon’s video recordings of the Blessing of the Boats in Dingle in the early 1990s, when ‘ health and safety’ hadn’t yet become a monster and hundreds of people would cram onto the decks of trawlers for a trip to the harbour’s mouth and a blessing from Mons Padraig Ó Fiannachta (RIP). The proceeds from sales of the video will be donated to the RNLI.

Saturday, Nov 3.

2pm, Dáithí De Mórdha: na nGort nDubh 1818’

Dáithí tells the story of a shipwreck, a mass drowning and a tragedy that left a dark cloud over two West Kerry communities.

3.30pm, journalist and author Des Ekin: ‘The Pirate Trails of Ireland’

The topics include bloodthirsty buccaneers, swashbuckling sea-bandits and piratical freedom fighters, along with tales of buried treasure, mutinies, massacres and captured Irish princesses.

Sunday, Nov 4.

‘Bád

11.30am Ted Creedon: ‘The Evolution of the Coastguard on the Dingle Peninsula from 1821 to 1922’.

12.30pm Dr Conor Brosnan: ‘The Massacre at Dún an Óir in 1580’

One of the bloodiest encounters of the Desmond rebellion of 1579 to 1583 was the massacre of 600 Italian, Spanish and Irish troops and women and children at Dún an Óir promontory fort near Ballyferriter in November 1580.

2.30pm, Louise Overy: ‘How to be an Ocean Hero’

An interactive workshop, including experiments, from which children will learn about plastic pollution and marine science.

All lectures and events are in Mara Beo (Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium), there’s no charge and everybody is welcome.