Sea festival to celebrate Ireland’s illustrious maritime heritage

The first national celebration of the seas around Ireland and an opportunity to share our seafaring heritage, has been launched by the Government.

The inaugural SeaFest, will take place in Cork Harbour on July 10 and 11, and will see thousands of visitors experience the pleasures of the sea, from boating trips, yacht sailing, open water swimming, marine simulators, rescue demonstrations, and seafood cookery demonstrations.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said that, as an island nation, it is important that we recognise and celebrate the incredible resources of our seas.

“This two-day festival will travel Ireland, taking place in Cork in 2015 and with plans underway to bring SeaFest to Galway in 2016,” said Mr Coveney.

“It is a national festival at which we can share our seafaring heritage and future, enjoy a myriad of water sports and activities, have fun while learning about the sea and the opportunities it presents, and feast on some of the world’s best seafood.

“I am hugely excited about this national festival, SeaFest, and look forward to it becoming one of Ireland’s leading festival in the coming years.”

Demonstrations, workshops on how to cook and eat prawns, lobsters, mussels, and oysters will be hosted by the seafood development agency, BIM and Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board with chefs Martin Shanahan and Rory O’Connell.

The Harnessing our Ocean Wealth conference which forms a key part of SeaFest, will attract international and national delegates and experts in marine research, ocean energy and the ‘blue economy’ to Cork.

“Ireland is one of the largest states in the EU if you take into account our seabed area,” said Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute.

“With our exclusive rights to a sea area more than 10 times our land size, Ireland’s ocean is a national asset providing incredible opportunities for tourism, energy, food and new applications for therapeutics and technology. SeaFest aims to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of the sea for the island.”

As part of SeaFest, there will be a ‘parade of sail’ including super yachts, racing yachts, and private boats.