This June there’s so many fantastic maritime festivals and events happening all around the coast – it’s the perfect time to make the most of the good weather!
Here’s our top picks for coastal events this June:
1. Clean Coast Week | 1st – 10th June, events around the country
Clean Coasts Week is a celebration of our beautiful coastline and brings together beach lovers from all over to do something positive and combat marine litter. There’s events taking place all over the coast including yoga on the beach, workshops, talks, family fun and of course plenty of beach cleans to get involved in! Or why not grab a few friends and host your own!
2. Howth Wave Regatta | 1st – 3rd June, Howth
Three races, lots of great events, music food and more this June bank holiday weekend in Howth. The inaugural Howth Wave Regatta has attracted a huge interest and their will be a felt of over 150 boats competing in the races throughout the weekend.
3. Tall Ships Regatta | 1st – 4th June, Dublin Docklands
The Dublin Tall Ship Regatta takes place this bank holiday weekend and it will be the first time that Dublin has hosted a Tall Ships event since 2012. There will be ship tours, sail training opportunities, street performers and water based activities all in and around the Dublin Docklands area.
4. Cork Harbour Festival | 2nd – 10th June, Cork
Cork Harbour festival returns with 9 days of action packed events on and off the water. The major highlight of the festival is the Ocean to City Race which embraces everything from traditional wooden working boats, currachs, skiffs, gigs and longboats to contemporary ocean racing shells, kayaks and canoes. With thousands of spectators each year, the race is a real flagship event for Cork Harbour.
5. The Bantry Long Boat | 6th June, National Maritime Museum, Dun Laoghaire
The Story of the Bantry Long Boat in words and music with Renowned Irish Poets Mick Delap, Paddy Bush, Theo Dorgan and the voice of Doireann Ní Bhriain. Plus favorite Irish Sea Poems, their own and others, including a tribute to the late Richard Murphy
6. Dublin Kite Festival | 10th June, North Bull Island, Dublin
Fun, fresh air and frolics abound! The annual Dublin Kite Festival is taking place on Sunday 10th June 2018 at North Bull Island, Clontarf. With free entertainment all day long it is the perfect way to spend a summer Sunday with family and friends.
7. World Ocean Day | 10th June, Around the coast
World Oceans Day is a global celebration on June 8 with hundreds of events around the world celebrating our ocean. There’s events taking place all over the country to celebrate our ocean and raise awareness about preventing plastic pollution. Some of the events include a March for the Oceans organised by the Flossie, the 11 year old coastal activist and #OneSmallChange family fun day at Galway Atlantaquaria. Visit the World Ocean Day website to find an event near you.
8. The Irish Maritime Festival | 16th -17th June, Drogheda Port
The Irish Maritime Festival is Ireland’s largest annual maritime festival. It takes place each summer on the quayside at Drogheda Port. This is truly the big daddy of the maritime festivals. This award-winning festival attracted over 40,000 visitors last year and continues to grow. There’s a wide range of exciting tall ships lots of excitement on and off the water, artisan food loads of family friendly activities for the kids and some spectacular musical performances.
9. Fastnet Maritime and Folk Fest| 15th – 17th June, Ballydehob, Cork
Who can resist beautiful West Cork? And who needs a great excuse to go during the Summer? Well the Fastnet Maritime and Folk Festival takes place in the picturesque village of Ballydehob, West Cork and it’s just the ticket! There’ll be sea songs and shanties, a craft market and even a sea song writing competition. They put up main stage at Ballydehob Community Hall and there’s also music in the pubs. Most events are free so your next step should really be a quick google of ‘B&B Ballydehob’.
10. Rosses Point Shanty Festival | 15th -17th June, Sligo
If you love good traditional seafaring music in a lively and fun atmosphere, this is the one for you! Rosses Point with its rich maritime history will be once again hosting the International Sea Shanty festival and it’s going stronger than ever. There will be an exciting range of musicians and bands singing a range of shantys from home and abroad. The festival is run entirely on a voluntary basis and it also promotes the work of the RNLI. For the whole family and for a good cause!
11. SeaFest | 29th June – 1st July, Galway
SeaFest returns to Galway for a third year and this time it will be bigger than ever with a weekend full of great free events for anyone who loves the sea. There will be vessel tours, sailing trips, seafood demonstrations, food, movie, guest speakers and so much more.
