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Thousands of visitors will flock to Galway this weekend for what is expected to be the “biggest and most spectacular” sea festival ever staged in Ireland. The national maritime festival, SeaFest, returns to Galway, Friday June 30th to Sunday July 2^nd with a packed programme of free, family friendly activities and entertainment on offer for all ages.

A relative new comer to the festival scene, SeaFest is only in its third year, but it has already inspired the hearts and minds of many.  Having grown from a relatively small event, attracting 10,000 visitors in 2015,  it is now one of the biggest family friendly festivals in the country, and is expected to attract between 80,000 and 100,000 to Galway this weekend.

Visitors can enjoy famous ships, flyboarding, seafood, sailing and lots more as Galway Harbour and docks transforms into a giant, interactive “sea world” for the three day festival with the entire waterfront awash with non-stop water based activity. Every inch of the port will be crammed with boats, over 100, of all shapes and sizes, including sailing, scientific and navy ships. Visitors can climb aboard and explore the tall ship The Phoenix, the Irish naval vessel LÉ Ciara, the Commissioners of Irish Lights Granuaile and the Marine Institute’s research vessel the Celtic Explorer. Free sailing and kayaking sessions will get people out on the water and amongst Galway’s ship-filled harbour. The Irish Sailing Association’s ‘Try Sailing’ sessions will also offer disabled access for budding sailors over the weekend.

For the first time ever Galway will see the world’s Ladies Flyboard champion Kristen Smoyer and veteran Mark Baxter in action, powering through the air on swirling jets of seawater and performing breath-taking acrobatics in a number of thrilling performances planned each day over the festival.

BIM and Bord Bia will host a showcase of the finest of Irish seafood and live cookery and fishmongery demonstrations with top chefs Rory O’Connell, Oliver Dunne and Michael O’Meara. LookWest.ie will present a line-up of talks and displays from marine-inspired entrepreneurs. There’ll be traditional boat building demonstrations, a huge display from the Defence Forces and RNLI and Coast Guard air and sea rescue demonstrations.  There’s plenty of fun activities for children of all ages in the dedicated Kids Zone including the Seven Seas Art Workshop, the Sea Sanctuary Zone and a touch tank of marine animals to name a few. Roving seafaring entertainment including sword-fighting buccaneers, the colourful and comic ‘Claddagh Clan’, and giant sea-themed puppets exploding onto the streets will all add to the exciting carnival atmosphere.

The festival also features the Wild Atlantic- Sea Science, a new marine science gallery at Galway City Museum, and a unique exhibition on polar explorer Roald Amundsen at NUI Galway. Festivities will also extend across Galway, with activities taking place in the Latin Quarter, Salthill and Rusheen Bay.

Festival-goers can make the most of the SeaFest experience by downloading the new SeaFest App. The free App, available on Google Play and the App Store, will provide easy access to the full festival programme of activities, visitor information and maps, and all the latest news and social media updates.  You can also find out more and see the full programme of activities on www.seafest.ie

Work on construction of the SeaFest dockside Tented Village got under way on Monday as construction teams moved in erect the  pavilions and marquees which will house interactive marine exhibitions; business and “creative entrepreneur” presentations and shows  as well as a daily seafood extravaganza and cookery demonstrations.

The first of the 100 ships and boats which will cram the harbour during SeaFest arrived on Monday afternoon.

The beautiful traditional, wooden, gaff-rigged  sail training ketch ”The Brian Boru” had sailed from Sligo with  12 trainees on board. When it leaves Galway at the end of SeaFest it will take another 12 trainees on its next voyage to Limerick. They will include children from the Aran Islands and members of the migrant community now living in Galway city.  The boat is operated by Safe Haven Ireland, an organisation that empowers young people through youth development initiatives including voluntary sail training.

According to Galway Harbour Master, Captain Brian Sheridan, “every inch of the port will be crammed with boats, probably over 100 in all, including sailing, scientific and navy ships, while the entire waterfront will be awash with spectacle, razzamatazz and non-stop water based activity. It is going to be an extraordinary sight”.

Among the ships due in during the week – all of which will be open to the public – will be the naval vessel the LÉ Ciara; The Marine Institute research vessel the “Celtic Explorer”, The  Commissioners of Irish Lights vessel, “Granuaile” and the famous Tall Ship “The Phoenix” which is sailing from Liverpool and will be making its first ever stop over in Kilronan on the Aran Islands.

All week Johnny’ Donnelly’s Arcana events management team have been working on the dramatic water based and street performances which will be among the highlights of the festival.

He says” Galway continues to produce some of the country’s greatest festivals based on everything from street theatre and the arts to horse-racing and oyster eating.  Seafest offers visitors the incredible and unique opportunity to engage with the sea and all it affords us.

“It has created  a way of getting across some very serious messages on the  state of our oceans, the natural environment and our planet in an amazing entertaining, educational and fun-filled way.

“It is going to be a great place for families to spend the weekend. It really is a unique festival.”

Ireland’s biggest and most spectacular maritime festival, SeaFest 2017, will take place in Galway from Friday 30^th June to Sunday 2^nd July. Galway Harbour and Docks are set to be transformed in an ‘open air sea world’ for the three day festival.

The packed programme includes free family-friendly entertainment and attractions on the water. There’s truly something for everyone to see and do at SeaFest 2017!

Galway Harbour

Flyboarders
1pm, 3pm and 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
PowerFly’s world champion flyboarders will perform aerial acrobatics up to 15 metres in the air right in the heart of Galway Harbour. Current Ladies Pro Flyboard World Champion, Kristen Smoyer and Pro Veteran, Mark Baxter will showcase their awe-inspiring kills at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm each day.

Vessel Tours
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
The tall ship, The Phoenix, Marine Institute’s research vessel the RV Celtic Explorer, Irish naval vessel LÉ Ciara, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights vessel the Granuaile will all be open for tours.

Boat Trips
11am – 3pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
The traditional Galway Hookers will take up to 20 people at a time on hour long sailing trips, and a fleet of powerboats will also be taking up to 20 people for an hour long trip along the Claddagh. No further bookings available, but places may be available on the day.

Try Sailing
11am – 3pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
First-time sailors can experience the excitement and adventure of getting out on the water for the first time. Disabled access to Try Sailing is also available to budding sailors. No further bookings available, but places may be available on the day.

Kayaking sessions
11am – 5pm on Friday, 2pm – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday
Get afloat with a free kayaking trip on Galway Harbour. These trips are aimed at first time kayakers and each session will last an hour. No further bookings available, but places may be available on the day.

BIM/Bord Bia Seafood Experience
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Enjoy live cookery and fishmonger demonstrations with top chefs Rory O’Connell, Oliver Dunne, Michael O’Meara and BIM’s Young Fishmonger of the Year – Eimantas Zvirblis. Demonstrations will take place from 2pm to 5pm on Friday, and 10.45am to 5.15pm on Saturday and Sunday. There’s the chance to view a variety of live fish and shellfish species up close and learn how Irish seafood is sustainably caught and farmed. Bord Bia will host a sensational seafood market outside the BIM Big Top.

LookWest.ie Marquee
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
The line-up will include inspirational speakers, fun performances, and a showcase of brilliant West of Ireland products and businesses all inspired by the sea. A number of unique films and videos produced along the West Coast will also be screened during the festival.

Kids Zone
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
A host of fun, free and educational activities for kids are on offer. Children can create their very own sea creature at the Seven Seas Art Workshop, running from 12pm – 6pm each day, or design and construct a kite at the Go Fly Your Kite workshops. Take time out in the ‘Sea Sanctuary’ and view marine-themed films, or hear tales of pirate adventures at the storytelling sessions from 12pm – 4pm. Discover creatures along the seashore with the Explorers Education ‘nobby boat’ with touch tank displays, experiments and demonstrations. Mould mountains in kinetic sand with the INFOMAR Augmented Reality Sandbox. There’s face painting and funny photo boards too!

Saoir Bád/Boatbuilders
10am – 5.30pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Enjoy a large display and interactive activities focusing on maritime heritage with demonstrations on traditional boat building. Kids can also take part in maritime craft activities from 11am to 1pm, and 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Defence Forces Display
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
A huge display from the Irish Defence Forces will include a current equipment and capabilities display reflecting elements of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. On Saturday, the 2 Brigade Military Band will perform a one hour recital at 11.30am and 2pm.

The Festival Village
10am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Take a stroll through The Festival Village, sampling some tasty treats, beverages and the very best of Galway crafts. The young and the young at heart will enjoy all kinds of impromptu and interactive performances from costumed re-enactments and sea creature puppets during the three days of the festival.

Beyond the Harbour

The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science
Galway City Museum
10am – 5pm on Friday and Saturday, 12pm – 5pm on Sunday
Discover fascinating secrets of the marine world at Ireland’s first marine science gallery. This interactive exhibition spans a huge variety of topics ranging from the nature of how tides operate and identifying creatures along the seashore, to multi-beam mapping and deep sea exploration. All visual and audio displays are available in both English and as Gaeilge.

Cold Recall: Reflections of a Polar Explorer
O’Donoghue Centre, NUI Galway
9am – 8pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
This travelling poster exhibition presents images from one of the greatest adventures of the early 20^th century – the race to the South Pole. Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole in 1911 and this exhibition includes a collection of 48 posters that features hand-coloured lantern slides taken by Amundsen’s crew member Olav Bjaaland during this expedition. Cold Recall will be on display at NUI Galway until 8^th July.

The Latin Quarter
10am till late on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
From Friday to Sunday, taste your way through restaurants, bars and cafes in The Latin Quarter as part of a Seafood Trail. There will be seafood tasters and SeaFest themed cocktails to celebrate this year’s festival.

Salthill
Various times on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
A number of restaurants in Salthill will be offering SeaFest specials across the weekend. On Saturday, maritime-themed walks from Nimmos Pier to Blackrock will explore the history of the area. Take part in the sandcastle competition at Ladies Beach on Sunday afternoon.

NWRA Seafarers
Rusheen Bay
10am – 5pm, Sunday 2 July
In Rusheen Bay, enjoy free windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding lessons. NWRA Seafarers is about getting people on the water, and enjoying the Wild Atlantic Way. No further bookings are available.

View the full SeaFest 2017 programme

Download the free SeaFest App
Festival-goers can make the most of their SeaFest experience by downloading the new SeaFest App. The free App, available on Google Play and the App Store, will provide easy access to the full festival programme of activities, visitor information and maps, a photo gallery competition, the latest news and social media updates.

6th Class of Northampton National School Kinvara meet with Norwegian Ambassador at Amundsen Exhibition, NUI Galway

The Norwegian Ambassador Elsa Berit Eikeland along with Geir Klover, Director of the Fram Museum in Oslo, recently meet the 6th Class of Northampton National School Kinvara – Scoil Bhríghde Naofa, along with their teacher Orla McHale at the unique exhibition on Roald Amundsen’s expedition to the South Pole, held at the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance, NUI Galway.

The students provided the Ambassador with a presentation about their research project highlighting the Irish connections to the South Pole.  The students gave recitals of letters they had written about the adventures of being an explorer with Tom Creen.  They described the strength and hardships of crossing the freezing cold ice land, competition amongst explorers reaching their destinations, as well as as seeing new animals such as penguins for the first time.

As part of the project the students also studied recent researchers in the southern waters, where they have been writing to Paddy Griffin from Kinvara who is currently based in South Georgia Island, Antarctica.

The Ambassador Else Berit Eikeland and Director Geir Klover were delighted to see the interest and students awareness about Amundsen who was the first in the world to navigate the Northwest Passage and the first to reach the South Pole on 14 December 1914. Norwegian Polar history is closely connected to defining Norway as an independent state in 1905, and to Norway’s position as a state closely connected to the oceans and to polar regions.

Sixth Class of Northampton National School Kinvara, Scoil Bhríghde Naofa, pupils Aiobhean Barry and Moya Coppinger with the Norwegian Ambassador Elsa Berit Eikeland at the Amundsen Expedition held at the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway. Photo: Andrew Downes, Xposure.

The exhibition is based on images from the original lantern slides that Norwegian Polar Explorer Roald Amundsen used in public lectures about his expeditions through the Northwest Passage and to the South Pole.

Cold Recall – Roald Amundsen’s Reflections from the South Pole will be on display in the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway until Saturday, 8 July. It will run in association with SeaFest 2017 and is a collaboration between NUI Galway and the Marine Institute, in association with the Norwegian Embassy and the Fram Museum, Oslo.

Galway city will be at the centre of the country’s biggest and most spectacular seafaring festival next week as a small armada of sailing, scientific and navy ships make their way around the coast – as SeaFest finally hits our shores.,

Galway Harbour Master Captain Brian Sheridan, believes it will be an unbelievable sight.

“Every inch of the port will be crammed with boats of every size and shape and the entire waterfront will be awash with spectacle and non-stop water based activity,” he said.

“SeaFest is a marvellous festival, unquestionably the best of its kind in the country. It’s going to be a brilliant weekend of spectacle and family friendly entertainment and we are delighted to be able to open the port and provide a stage for such a wonderful event.”

An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 visitors will flock to Galway Harbour for the three day festival from Friday June 30th to Sunday July 2nd.

The weekend will see seafaring, water sport, sea science and entertainment events being staged in and around the harbour which will also the location for business and industry exhibitions and a range of children’s activities and workshops.

Captain Brian Sheridan said “Port of Galway will be by far the busiest week of the year with sailing and motor boats crowding into the harbour for “ringside seats” on the non-stop programme of events and activities.”

Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency in partnership with Bord Bia,will host an entertaining and interactive showcase on Irish seafood, including a market of wonderful Irish seafood products.

BIM’s Educational Seafood Experience will include dynamic exhibits and virtual reality displays explaining how Irish seafood is sustainably caught and farmed. Visitors will be able to view up-close a variety of live fish and shellfish species from Irish waters, such as lobsters, Dublin Bay prawns, spider crabs, oysters, scallops and other common seafood species in large tanks.

For seafood lovers, some of Ireland’s best known chefs will prepare culinary delights using sustainably-sourced produce. Visitors will enjoy live cookery demonstrations from Rory O’Connell, co-founder of Ballymalore Cookery School as well as Oliver Dunne, the youngest Irish chef to be awarded a Michelin star. Michael O’Meara owner of Galway’s Oscars Seafood Bistro and author of the 2016 Best Seafood Cookbook in the World, Sea Gastronomy, will also cook delicious seafood recipes. BIM’s Young Fishmonger of the Year, Eimantas Zvirblis, will provide advice on what fish to buy, and how to prepare fish and shellfish at home.

BIM will also promote safety for fisherman, and graphically demonstrate how new life jacket technology is saving the lives of Irish fisherman around Ireland’s coast.

Speaking about SeaFest, Jim O’Toole, CEO of BIM said, “BIM is delighted to be taking part in SeaFest again this year. Our Educational Seafood Experience has become one of the main highlights of the festival. It is a true celebration of Irish Seafood and the Irish Seafood Industry that contributes €1.1 billion in GDP to our economy.  We want everyone to appreciate Irish seafood, our exhibit is designed to educate visitors on everything from how our seafood is sustainably caught and farmed to how to cook and prepare fish at home. We are looking forward to a very busy show so make sure you look out for the BIM Big Top on the Docks.”

As well as BIM/Bord Bia SeaFood Experience, seafood lovers can also taste their way through Galway’s Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter is joining in the SeaFest festivities for the first time this year, and to celebrate, some of the Latin Quarter’s best known bars, cafes and restaurants will create a specific seafood dish. A number of bars in the Latin Quarter are also offering a SeaFest themed cocktail.

Students from 4th class at Cregmore national school recently visited the research vessel RV Celtic Explorer as part of their marine-science and art project building up to SeaFest, Ireland’s national maritime festival.

The project places art, marine science and technology in the heart of the classroom where the students have been learning about marine life and activity under the sea for the past six months. It involves TULCA in partnership with Marine Institute Explorers Education Programme, artist Louise Manifold, marine scientist Dr. Andy Wheeler, and Cregmore National School.

While on board the RV Celtic Explorer up to 20 of the 4th class students experienced what it might be like to participate in an expedition at sea, as well as witness first hand some of the equipment used in deep sea exploration.

During the tour, led by Rosemarie Butler and Cushla Dromgool-Regan of the Marine Institute, the children learned about the recent climate survey of the mid-Atlantic and met with marine scientist Louise Allcock, NUI Galway who is studying cold water corals and sponges off the Irish continental shelf. The students were also introduced to Paddy O’Driscoll, pilot of the unmanned remotely operated vehicle where they got a chance to see a live demonstration of how parts of the ROV Holland I work.

Speaking about their experiences some of the children from Cregmore National School said, ‘The Celtic Explorer trip was amazing. My favourite part was the dry lab, where scientists collect mapping data from the ocean. I would love to become a marine scientist. I really enjoyed meeting the scientists as they were so kind and nice. We held samples of coral that were really spiky. I enjoyed the trip and learning about the ocean.’ Éabha Woods, age 10

‘Seeing the Celtic Explorer was amazing! In the Wet Lab, we held a sample of bottled water dated 450 years old and extremely valuable! There was coral there too. It was very hairy and spiky! The ROV was my favourite part’, Ciara Kelly, age 10.

Learning about deep-sea hydrothermal vents as part of their marine science – art project in class, the children were shown how the remotely operated vessel films the vents when it was at sea and how it is deployed to go to depths of 3,000 metres under the sea. O’Driscoll also demonstrated how the ROV uses two robotic arms and pincers to collect specimens that scientists can later analyse in the laboratory on land.

‘Our trip to the Celtic Explorer was very exciting as we are doing a project with the Marine Institute. My favourite part of the tour was holding the bottle of water that was dated at 450 years old. The ROV was very interesting. Its arms moved and it had a drawer that it puts the samples in. I love working on this project as I have learned so much!’ Sarah Kelly, age 10

‘I really enjoyed our trip to the Celtic Explorer. It was amazing to see the ROV Holland in action. I also got to sit in the Captain’s seat! There were so many cool buttons and great views in the bridge. It was a great day.’ Ciara Morgan, age 10

Speaking about the marine science – art project Cushla Dromgool-Regan said, “One of the key objectives of the Marine Institute is to share our knowledge and increase awareness about the value and opportunities the ocean provides us. The enthusiasm the children showed about the ocean during their tour of the Celtic Explorer highlighted the importance of how school projects adopting different disciplines can be used in class in a very real and exciting way. The children’s high level of understanding about the ocean gained through the art and marine science project, where they discussed the geology of the ocean floor, concepts of climate change, along with deep sea creatures rarely seen by humans is a testament to the artists, scientists and teachers involved.”

The end project entitled Build Your Own Unknown by the Cregmore 4th class will be a combination of the real and the imaginary. Interpreting scientific fact through an artistic process the children are creating a film which will be premiered at Seafest 2017. The film re-creates the epic journey, discovering hydrothermal vents in the Atlantic Ocean, using processes intrinsic to the artist’s practice. The movie will be presented in the Kids Zone during SeaFest; and afterwards at various education outreach centres around Ireland.

The Marine Institute’s research vessel RV Celtic Explorer, along with a number of other ships will be at Seafest where free tours are available. SeaFest is Ireland’s national maritime festival, which takes place in Galway on Friday 30th of June to Sunday 2nd of July.

The Explorers Education Programme is supported by the Marine Institute, and funded under the Marine Research Programme by the Irish Government.

SeaFest has launched an exciting new app that will be a must-have digital companion to this year’s festival.

The SeaFest Festival Guide app is now available to download for free for both Android and iOS phones. It gives all the information needed to enjoy Ireland’s biggest and most spectacular maritime festival taking place in Galway from 30 June to 2 July 2017.

Covering all of the events at the festival, the app contains the full festival programme, maps and directions, latest news, visitor info and social media feeds. Speaking on the development of the app, Communications Manager for SeaFest, Sinéad Coyne said: “The App will provide visitors to the Festival with access to all the information they need to make the most of their festival experience with up to the minute updates so they are always in the know.”

It also features an interactive ‘My Favourites’ list where users can add in their preferred festival events and create their own unique ‘My Map’ with all of the locations.

Snap happy festival goers can enter the Gallery Competition on the app by uploading a photo of their time at SeaFest. Two lucky entrants will win a €100 One4All gift card so it’s well worth submitting a photo when the competition opens closer to the festival! They can also browse through the gallery of all the other great SeaFest moments captured by our festival goers.

SeaFest is now entering into its third year and as part of the festival’s development, a mobile app was identified as an opportunity to enhance the festival visitors’ event experience.

This year’s festival is expanding to a three day event with an exciting line up of attractions at Galway Harbour and Docks, including PowerFly’s world champion flyboarders, the tall ship The Phoenix, boat tours, a showcase of the finest of Irish seafood by BIM and Bord Bia and lots more activities including Try Sailing and kayaking to get people out on the water. Other events taking place at Galway Harbour and Docks include LookWest.ie, Saoir Bád/Boatbuilders, Kids Zone, The Festival Village and The Commissioners of Irish Lights.

Both of the Marine Institute’s research vessels, the Celtic Explorer and the Celtic Voyager, will be there, with the Celtic Explorer conducting open house tours of the ship over the festival. The Irish naval vessel LÉ Ciara and the Granuaile will be in the harbour throughout the festival and will be open to the public.

This year, SeaFest events also take place in The Latin Quarter, Salthill, NUI Galway (Amundsen Exhibition) and Galway City Museum (The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science exhibition). There are also on the water activities taking place courtesy of the NWRA at Rusheen Bay, Galway.

Industry events at SeaFest include the fourth annual Our Ocean Wealth Summit on 30 June, the Digital Ocean Conference, Marine Industry Awards and BIM National Seafood Conference – Winning in a Changing Environment (all taking place on 29 June) and a Marine Trade Show taking place on both 29 and 30 June.

The SeaFest app can be downloaded by searching for ‘SeaFest’ on Google Play and the App Store. For more information on the festival, visit www.seafest.ie and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Galway city is to be the launch pad for a new drive to attract start up micro businesses to the West of Ireland by showcasing the success of ten small enterprises which have already created jobs against the odds in ten towns and villages stretching along the Wild Atlantic Way.

They include Ennis artist Oonagh Herbert who makes jewellery designed from discarded  phone charger cables; Kieran and Marjorie O’Malley who revived an ancient salt making industry on Achill Island and  Sligo’s Ashleigh Smith, who learned how to use a €25 second hand sewing machine by watching YouTube videos and now runs a highly successful bag manufacturing company in Strandhill.

Among them too will be NUIG Whitaker Institute research fellow, Dr. Easkey Britton, co-founder of the internationally acclaimed Waves of Change organisation which helps to empower women across the world through sport. She made history by becoming the first woman ever to surf in Iran and to teach girls there how to surf using specially made swim friendly hijabs.

Easkey first hit the water at the age of four; went on to become one of Ireland’s  most renowned surfers and having graduated as a marine social scientist decided to channel her passion for surfing  into global action for social change and gender equality.

One of the first places she was drawn to was Iran  where in two culturally ground breaking trips in 2011 and 2012 she became the first woman ever to surf in  Iran and then went on to teach groups of Muslim women how to surf wearing specially designed surf  hijabs and full ankle-length wetsuits.

“The excitement of that moment was terrific, we even had fathers and husbands asking us to take their wives and daughters surfing. We eventually ran out of surf hijabs but were able to get more from an amazing company called Capsters who specialise in making sports hijabs for Muslim women,” she recalls.

Inspired by their journey into the unknown, Britton and Poizeau have set up Waves of Change, a non-profit organisation that, to use its own words, ‘uses surfing as a medium for empowerment, transforming  of the most vulnerable and marginalised members of society, especially women and girls.’

Easkey Britton will be joined by a host of other entrepreneurs who turned a moment of inspiration into a thriving business.

Kieran and Marjorie O’Malley, for example, successfully revived a 200 year old salt making industry which had long died out as cheap mass produced rock salt replaced sea salt extracted from costal saltpans by slower and more difficult traditional methods.

Kieran and Marjorie began hauling plastic buckets of seawater from the beach at Keel and thus the pioneering Achill Island Salt Company came into existence in their kitchen.

Today Achill Island Salt has moved from the kitchen into a new custom built factory and is one of the country’s most talked about, highly acclaimed artisan salt producers.

Ennis based avant-garde artist and environmentalist, Oonagh Herbert, known as “the woman who is turning scrunched up plastic into dazzling pieces of art.” Her most ingenious success has been in turning the cables from “dead” phone chargers into designer jewellery.

Another of her successes has been wedding marquee light centrepieces, each made from 250 milk containers and 10 water bottles.

Oonagh created her pioneering upcycling/recycling micro-company “The Secret Life of Plastic” in 2015  “as a response to the enormous amount of plastic waste  that was being created  all over the world – much of it only ever being used once to make a water bottle, a coffee cup or a plastic straw”.

Strandhill product designer, Ashleigh Smith, will be talking about the success of a small business she set up after studying in the University of Delft in the Netherlands.

Her initial plan was to work with a “really cool” Dutch outdoor-accessories company but after buying a second hand sewing machine and watching YouTube videos to learn how to sew she decided, “Why not start up my own company.”

Back in Ireland with her dream and the help and encouragement of her family she raised the €2,000 and in 2014 set up “The Atlantic Equipment Project”.
Today it manufactures what fashion experts have described as “captivating, beautifully designed bags reflecting the vibrancy of the colours of the Irish coastline”.

“You just have to go and do it having worked out a sound business plan,” she says.

All ten entrepreneurs, artists and social activists will be ambassadors for the LookWest.ie Creative Economy initiative which is being launched by the Western Development Commission during SeaFest, national maritime festival, which takes place in Galway from Friday 30th June to Sunday 2nd July.

Over the weekend its ten ambassadors will feature in the Western Development Commission’s LookWest.ie Marquee. The ambassadors will share the challenges they faced in setting up their own businesses and the successes they have achieved in the West.

The WDC will also launch a series of new videos promoting the West of Ireland as “one of the most creative and energising places in the world to live and work.”

“All of these people have shown great creativity, vision and determination in taking their ideas and concepts and turning them into sustainable businesses and jobs creating services in their own places,” explained WDC spokesperson Karen Sweeney.

According to WDC Spokesperson Karen Sweeney “People like surfer turned scientist Easkey Britton and  Oonagh Herbert, Ashleigh Smith and  Kieran and Marjorie O’Malley  have shown great creativity, vision and determination in taking their ideas and concepts and turning them into sustainable businesses and job creating  services in their own places.

“We think they have inspiring stories to tell and we are glad they are joining us in this latest drive to promote the West of Ireland as a place where new businesses can thrive.

We want to get that message across to a nationwide audience and we want as many people as possible to meet them and learn from their successes during SeaFest in Galway,” she added.

The whole family can enjoy a day out on the water in Rusheen Bay, as part of SeaFest 2017.

The North Western Regional Assembly and Rusheen Bay Windsurfing are offering a free family fun day on Sunday 2nd July.

Enjoy windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding lessons on scenic Rusheen Bay, located just five kilometres from Galway city.

The free family fun day is about getting people out on the water and enjoying the Wild Atlantic Way.

Choose to attend a three hour water sports session from 10am to 1pm, or from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday 2nd July. All equipment will be provided, participants will need to bring something to wear under a wetsuit and a towel. Advanced booking is essential, as numbers are limited. To book, please visit www.rusheenbay.com. **Update – this event is now booked out**

There are also a host of free on the water activities taking place in Galway Harbour, such as Keelbaot Try Sailing sessions, powerboat trips to the Claddagh Basin, as well as ‘Come n Sail’ sessions on the famous Galway Hookers.