A wooden boat, traditionally used only by the fishermen of the Shannon, is to sail from a West Cork town to the sea for the first time this weekend.

The colourful tale of what is believed to be a 17th century ship, stolen by a notorious pirate, wrecked in a storm, and now lying beneath the seabed off West Cork, is a highlight of the 13th Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival.

WITH cannons blazing and a crew dressed in colourful period costume, a spectacular tall ship is expected in the harbour village of Baltimore today marking the start of the acclaimed Baltimore Seafood & Wooden Boat Festival.