Marine

Heritage and Traditional Boats

In 2007, the Heritage Council set up a working group on Maritime and Inland Waterways Collections which advises on how best to proceed with the recommendations of an Audit of Maritime Collections, published in 2006.

The working group is comprised of members of the Marine and Inland Waterways committees, the National Museum of Ireland, and various heritage boat experts from around the country. It reports to the Marine and Coastal Committee, the Inland Waterways Committee, and the Museum and Archives Committee.

Current work focuses on establishing a national ‘Red List’ of vulnerable heritage and traditional boats. In addition, a ‘Boats at Risk Scheme’ will analyse all the implications of having a grants scheme which provides financial assistance for the repair and upkeep of heritage boats. The study will be completed by the end of 2008.

The History of the Initiative

In late 2003, the Heritage Council commissioned a scoping study of the heritage boat sector. Carried out by Reggie Goodbody, his recommendations were circulated in a discussion document in 2004.  

Following further consultation with people working in the area, a seminar was held in November 2004. Entitled Irish Boating Heritage — the Future?, it was attended by 90 people from all over the country, representing inland and sea-going vessels. The seminar consisted of presentations by Jim Horgan, Donal McPolin and John Kearon, with workshop sessions which gathered views on the main issues facing the sector.

Visit our publications section to download the proceedings of the seminar.

Major initiatives such as these discovered huge gaps in the documentation of maritime and inland waterways collections. In July 2005, the Heritage Council commissioned Darina Tully to carry out an audit of such collections. The audit was primarily concerned with three-dimensional objects, sea-going and inland boats, and ancillary objects associated with boat-based activities such as navigational technology and fishing. Collections of naval and merchant marine memorabilia and collections of wreck artefacts were also considered.

Visit our publications section to download the audit.
 
With the audit completed and its results published, a seminar was held in October 2006 to discuss the findings. Presentations concentrated on marine and inland collections and their care, and were made on Greencastle Museum, Waterford Treasures, Irish Naval Collections and the collections held by the National Museums. Conservation projects included the Davin boat, the Peggy Bawn, as well as the Chang-Sha and the Thomas McDonagh. 

Visit our publications section to downlaod the proceedings of this seminar.