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Post by KG on May 12, 2009 18:47:31 GMT
Sea Sunday, Kinsale 2009
This year as in most the Merchant Navy Association (Wales ) Barry Branch will both pay an annual visit and tribute those still not home from the sea.
The Mission to Seafarers is an international organization which serves seafarers at over 280 ports around the world, including Cork and Kinsale. The Sea Sunday Service is an ecumenical and inter-faith setting to commemorate those who have died at sea, to ptay for the safety of thise who work at sea and to remember all those who work at sea and remember all those services involved in rescues at sea.
Sea Sunday is celebrated in Kinsale early each Summer - ports about the country may differ on dates. The Kinsale service is generally held in St.Multose church around 1100 hrs followed by a Parade to the Mast and the Seaman's Memorial. A wreath is laid followed by a Blessing of the Boats at the Pier.
This year, Sea Sunday takes place on 17-May-2009.
This year will also be the 10th Anniversary of a Friendship Pact between The Merchant Navy Association (Wales ) Barry Branch and the Kinsale Harbour Board and Fishing Community. Although visits for Sea Sunday commenced earlier.
Quote: (PAST) Kinsale Mayor, Tomas O Brien said during his term in office : "Many a young Kinsale man left to go to Barry, which to them was the gateway to the world. For some it was the first time they had left their native town, and their families survived on the money they sent home. "Some settled in Barry and have families there today. Many others died in the wars while serving in both the Royal and Merchant Navies." This is Barry. Thursday 1 September 2005
CONTACTS:
Kinsale Sea Sunday contacts:
Lt.Cdr J.N.O'Toole(rtd) or
Canon David Williams (021-4772220)
Mission to Seafarers Website
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Post by KG on May 20, 2009 22:32:44 GMT
Sea Sunday, Kinsale 2009
Representatives of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch both visited and paid tribute to those lost or still not home from the sea during the annual visit of the Branch for Sea Sunday, celebrated annually in Kinsale early each Summer. This year, Sea Sunday took place on 17th May.
The Sea Sunday Service is an ecumenical and inter-faith setting to commemorate those who have died at sea, to pray for the safety of those who work at sea and to remember all those who work at sea and remember all those services involved in rescues at sea.
The Mission to Seafarers Sea Sunday Service is an international event which serves seafarers at over 280 ports around the world, including Kinsale.
The Kinsale service held at St. Multose Church was also this year broadcasted live by RTE Radio. This was followed by a Parade to the Seaman's Memorial. A tribute was laid followed by a Blessing of the Boats at the Pier.
This year was also the 10th Anniversary of a Friendship Pact between The Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch and the Kinsale Harbour Board Commissioners and Seafaring Community. Following the Blessing of the boats the New Harbour Masters office was dedicated and officially opened
Following the opening of the new port facility, Kinsale Cllr. Billy Lynch, Chairman of the Harbour Board Commissioners and Mr. Jim Greenway, Chairman of Barry Branch, Merchant Navy Association (Wales) made presentations in recognition of the 10th Anniversary between the two organisations and the continuing strengthening of the ties between the two seafaring communities.
R. Brown
Branch Secretary
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:02:05 GMT
Saturday 23rd May 2009
Signing of friendship pact by Kinsale and Barry Councils
“AT long last !” declared Mayor of Kinsale Dermot Collins at a historic function in the Municipal Hall, Kinsale, Southern Ireland where he and the Mayor of Barry, South Wales Howard Hamilton signed a “Friendship Pact “between the Town Councils. It took place, most appropriately on ‘Sea Sunday’ and in the tenth anniversary year of a “Friendship Pact “ signed between the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch and the Kinsale Harbour Board Commission and Fishing Community which was also marked at a reception in the latter’s new offices, officially blessed and opened the same day.
Mr. Collins extended a warm welcome to his Welsh counterpart and Lady Mayoress Carol Ann Hamilton along with previous Mayor Stuart Egan (also a member of the Vale of Glamorgan Council) and members of the MNA, Joe Norton, Jim and Keith Greenway, the latter two of whom have strong family connections with Kinsale.
“Today’s official signing is the culmination of many years of correspondence and negotiations between council members, officials and others. I understand the original idea to promote close ties between our two towns was the brainchild, within the council chamber, of Tim O’Brien, a former chairman. He left no stone unturned to foster close ties between both communities and travelled at his own expense on a number of occasions to Barry with friends (Michael Austin, Denis Collins and others) to try and secure a friendship pact with Barry TC,” said Mr. Collins who also acknowledged the efforts of councillor Billy Lynch, Jim and Keith Greenway, Joe Norton and Leo McMahon and others who never gave up trying to achieve some form of official link.
“This reality began to look a possibility at the “Regatta Festival” last summer when the then Mayor of Barry Stuart Egan and his wife Wendy were on a private visit. Stuart pledged that he would ensure that the friendship pact being mooted for so long would happen as quickly as possible”.
Many a Kinsale family, said Mr. Collins, settled or sailed into and out of Barry over many years resulting in a long and enduring connection between both Port Towns. “This pact is both welcome and historic in that it cements and recognises its importance to the seafaring fraternity. I sincerely hope it will continue to blossom through positive exchange visits between social, sporting, educational and cultural organisations from both towns in the years ahead to deepen that friendship”.
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:04:14 GMT
Mayor of Barry in his first week, Howard Hamilton said words could not fully describe the warmth and hospitality he and his wife and colleagues from Barry had received in Kinsale. For a friendship pact between the two councils to have taken 14 years was just not acceptable and sadly many of those who worked for this (former Mayor Denis Tooze, Hayden Holmes and others) had passed away. It was his intention that the pact would be built on and pledged it would not take 14 years before the next step. He paid a special tribute to Mr. Collins and his council for organising the ceremony at such short notice.
Keith Greenway, on behalf of others in the (MNA) Barry Branch and other organisations in Barry who had been campaigning for this for almost ten years, thanked all involved in the signing of the historic friendship pact. He quoted the words of former Kinsale mayor Tomas O’Brien that many a Kinsale man left to go to Barry which to them was their gateway to the world. Some settled and sent money home and others died in the world wars, among them able seaman Patrick Joseph Lucey, of Scilly, Kinsale who was buried in Merthyr Dyfan cemetery in Barry in 1942. Congratulations was also expressed by Jim Greenway who said that many Kinsale descendants in Barry and district would be delighted that at long last the pact was signed.
Labour Mayor Hamilton presented to Kinsale UDC a set of whiskey glasses and millennium wall plates of Barry featuring its castle, town hall and a barque which used to sail between Barry and Australia, as well as copies of ‘Barry Town Guide’. Mr. Collins presented Mr. Hamilton with a framed coat-of-arms of Kinsale by the Wild Goose Studio, a Kinsale TC tie, Avoca whiskey glasses featuring Kinsale and chamber of tourism brochures.
Mayor Collins then read out the friendship pact scroll. A photo call followed and all present signed the visitor’s book to mark the occasion. They also included fellow councillors Billy Lynch (harbour board chairman); Tomas O’Brien, Charles Henderson, Darren Cotter, Fred Treacy and Michael Frawley; harbour master Capt. Phil Devitt; Ted McNamara of Kinsale-Mumbles, Wales twinning committee; Breda Collins, Sheila Lynch, Teresa Henderson, Irene Treacy and Joe Norton MNA, Barry.
TEN YEARS
Earlier, at the newly opened port office on the Pier Head, Jim Greenway, on behalf of Barry branch MNA presented a pennant to Kinsale Harbour Board Chairman Billy Lynch to mark the 10th anniversary of the friendship pact between both bodies.
Mr. Greenway said it was a token of continued friendship between both ports which he hoped would continue for many years to come. The pact was first signed by then harbour chairman Michael Doran and Jim in May 1999 in the Trident Hotel, Kinsale attended by Johnny Tagoe, Peter Walker, Niall McGarry, Syd and John Wells from Barry.
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:05:38 GMT
Returning thanks, Mr. Lynch said he first visited Barry nine years ago to sign the second leg of the pact at the Sea view Club and having many family members who sailed out of Barry, it was a great pleasure to visit and he immediately felt at home on seeing for himself the names of streets there he often heard mentioned when growing up. “It’s a great pact which is going from strength to strength because we are similar people”. He also acknowledged the input of Harbour Master Capt. Phil Devitt, past and present members of the Harbour Board and MNA and others.
Mr. Lynch presented to Mr. Greenway a framed painted glass picture of Kinsale with the words ‘Cead Mile Failte’ made by Magpi Art, Tramore and supplied by Boland Kinsale Crafts.
Guests at the function included harbour members Kevin Murphy MCC and Michael Frawley, Colette Devitt, Sean and Mary Bohan, Edric Conron who was 20 years in the Merchant Navy and Terry Connolly who had strong family connections with the Merchant and Royal Navies.
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:07:02 GMT
‘SEA SUNDAY’ in Kinsale on May 17th 2009 was extra special with the annual service in St. Multose’s Church broadcast live on RTE radio, the ceremony at the memorial to all who died at sea and the blessing of boats followed by the dedication of Kinsale Harbour Commissioners’ new office on Pier Head by port chaplain Canon David Williams.
Nearly every organization associated with the sea and maritime rescue was represented at the annual ‘Sea Sunday’ service in St. Multose’s Church organized by the Mission to Seafarers. A welcome was extended by Canon Williams who said it was held annually “to commemorate all those who have died at sea, to pray for the safety of those who work at sea as well as for those who use the sea for recreation, and to support in prayer all those who would respond to a marine emergency”.
The Mission to Seafarers served those who make their living at sea at over 230 ports world wide and was the response of the Anglican Communion to seafarers. It worked in partnership with the Apostleship of the Sea and others with a message of love and hope to seafarers, many of them in harsh and in hospitable and dangerous environments
Colours and memorial flowers were presented during the service by flag bearers representing different organisations. Prayers and readings were recited by Carmelite Prior Micheal O’Neill, Canon John K. O’Mahony and Methodist Mrs. Liz Payne as well as by Mayor of Kinsale Dermot Collins; chairman of the harbour board Billy Lynch and harbour master Captain Phil Devitt.. There was beautiful singing by St. Multose’s Church Choir conducted by Jocelyn Williams (who also played the trumpet) and was organized by Jenny Slyne.
Edmund Butler of Kinsale Area Coastguard read an extract from the new book ‘Nine Lives’ by Captain David Courtney which highlighted the bravery of Limerick River Rescue and other coastal and inland waterway rescue services prepared to lay down their lives for others. Canon Williams remembered those who died at sea off Ireland in recent years including Benno Haussmann, Dommie Meehan, Barry O’Driscoll, Barra O Loingaigh of South Western Regional Fisheries Board, Ger Bohan and Tomazsz Yagla of ‘Honeydew II’, Kinsale; Tony Coohill, Feichin Mulkerrin of Cleggan.
Gerry McArdle assisted by sound engineer Michael McLoughlin was RTE radio producer at the service which concluded with the hymn ‘For those in peril on the sea’ and church stewards included John Stanely and Jim Good. Retired Lieutenant Commander Noel O’Toole SM, was among the organisers of ‘Sea Sunday’.
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:08:10 GMT
There was a guard of honour by members of Civil Defence as the congregation entered the church and they along with the Naval Service, the RNLI, Coastguard. ONET and several other organisations marched in the parade led by the Naval Service Reserve under Lt. Cdr. Liam O’Keeffe and the Health Service Executive Ambulance Service Pipe Band through the town to Pier Road after the service.
At the Lost at Sea Memorial, prayers were recited by the local clergy and a wreath was laid to seamen by harbour board chairman and fisherman Billy Lynch. The memorial flowers which had been presented on the altar at St. Multose’s Church were conveyed by Ewen Tubridy to crewmen Liam O’Connell, Nicky Searls and Mark Lewis on the Kinsale RNLI inshore lifeboat ‘Sally Anne’ who laid a trail of these in the harbour. As they did so, a lament was played by Air Corps Corporal Joe O’Donnell.
At the Pier Head, Canon O’Mahony blessed the boats including new vessels ‘Prima’ (Hetty Walsh), ‘Macatac’ (Tim McNamara), ‘Holly K’ (Billy McVitty), ‘Adrianne’ (Hogan family) and ‘Discovery’ (Simon Beecher). A wreath was given by Billy Lynch to Morrie Fitzgerald, skipper of ‘Blue Diver’ one of the fishing craft. which was subsequently passed on to the lifeboat for laying at the harbour entrance in memory of all fishermen who died at sea. Other vessels which accompanied ‘Honey Diver’ were ‘Sean Mair II’, ‘Madeleine Emile’ and ‘Bonne Chance’. Prayers were recited by the clergy and Micheal Hurley of Courtmacsherry Lifeboat led the singing of ‘Home by the sea’.
Canon Williams then performed the blessing and cut the tape to officially open the impressive new Kinsale Harbour Board office which all guests toured.
Harbour master Capt. Phil Devitt now has a full view of the inner harbour from the top floor office, which is in the style of a ship’s bridge, at the new and enlarged building. It is equipped with VHF radio, computers, fax and CCTV cameras.
The Port of Kinsale has a throughput 60 to 80 commercial cargo ships a year handled by Henry Good and Co., and is home to around 20 local fishing trawlers and over 350 leisure and sporting marine craft. There are two marinas and 100 swinging moorings at the harbour which has around 800 visiting leisure, fishing and angling boats per annum and is home to the Sovereigns Cup, Kinsale Regatta and other top sailing events hosted by the local yacht club. There are nine members on the harbour board and Phil Devitt’s predecessors for many years were Eddie Hurley and Daniel O’Shea.
The new harbour office was grant aided by the Department of Transport, designed by Rob Jacob of JLS Design (who also designed the Lost at Sea Memorial). Adam Cronin of Cronin Millar, Cobh was engineer and it was built by Coffey Construction, Athenry. Features include a main office, boardroom, filing room, dockers’ room, insert bin area, dual public toilets and lift. In the boardroom is a letter announcing the first meeting of the board in 1870 and a telegram from Queen Alexandra thanking the board for its vote of sympathy on the death of King Edward VII.
The first official function in the new building was a ceremony to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the signing of a friendship pact between Kinsale Harbour Board and the Merchant Navy Association (MNA), in Barry, Wales.
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Post by Administrator on May 27, 2009 1:08:54 GMT
Guests at Sea Sunday ceremonies and the opening of the harbour office, already known as ‘Phil’s Fort’, included harbour board members Billy Lynch, Charles Henderson, Michael Frawley (all town councillors), Kevin Murphy MCC, Eamonn O’Neill and Courtenay Good ; secretary Colette Quirke; legal advisors Tony Greenway and Virgil Horgan; town councillors Tomas O’Brien, Fred Treacy, Darren Cotter and Isabelle Sutton, Mayor of Barry Howard Hamilton and his wife Carol Ann, Barry councillor Stuart Egan; Jim and Keith Greenway and Joe Norton of the MNA, Barry; Jim O’Keeffe TD, Sean and Ann Bohan, Capt. Jim Robinson, Naval Service; Lieutenant Commander Liam O’Keeffe, Sub Lieut. Gary Keane and Ger Harrington, Naval Service Reserve; John Clarence and Gerry Horan, National Maritime College of Ireland; retired naval service man Jerry McCarthy, Denis and Chris Healy, Terry Connolly, Edric Conron, Colette Harrington, John Thuillier, Cearbhall O’Donognue, Abby, William and Paschal Casserly, Mick and Irene Heffernan, Tim O’Donovan (PA), Sgt. Pat Ryan and John O’Mahony.
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Post by A READER on Jun 1, 2009 23:42:08 GMT
RE: Be our friends.
First published in the Barry and District New's on the 1st Sept 2005, the then Mayor of Kinsale, Tomas O' Brien, stated that he believed that the towns should be linked because of their shared history.
He said: "Many a young Kinsale man left to go to Barry, which to them was the gateway to the world. "For some it was the first time they had left their native town, and their families survived on the money they sent home.
"Some settled in Barry and have families there today. Many others died in the wars while serving in both the Royal and Merchant Navies."
This year has actually seen an informal Declaration of Friendship signed between the two Ports / towns and communities.
Following the signing of the Friendship pact between Kinsale UDC and Barry TC, by the mayor’s of both the Irish and Welsh towns, it is hoped that both Barry and Kinsale clubs, organisations, schools, choirs, sports etc will follow in uniting with our official Irish / Welsh friendship in what is an historic union.
At the function in the Municipal Hall, Kinsale, Southern Ireland the Mayor of Barry South Wales Howard Hamilton signed the “Friendship Pact“ with his counterpart Mayor of Kinsale Dermot Collins on behalf of and between the Town Councils.
Mr. Collins extended a warm welcome to his Welsh counterpart and Lady Mayoress Carol Ann Hamilton along with previous Mayor Stuart Egan.
Many a Kinsale family, said Mr. Collins, settled or sailed into and out of Barry over many years resulting in a long and enduring connection between both Port Towns. “This pact is both welcome and historic in that it cements and recognises its importance to the seafaring fraternity. I sincerely hope it will continue to blossom through positive exchange visits between social, sporting, educational and cultural organisations from both towns in the years ahead to deepen that friendship”.
Mayor of Barry in his first week, Howard Hamilton said words could not fully describe the warmth and hospitality he and his wife and colleagues from Barry had received in Kinsale
Sadly many of those who worked for this (former Mayor Denis Tooze, Hayden Holmes and others) have passed away. It was his intention that the Pact would be built on.
The "Pact" was signed on the “SEA SUNDAY’ Weekend in Kinsale on May 17th 2009, it is was extra special this year with the annual service in St. Multose’s Church broadcast live on RTE radio, the ceremony at the memorial to all who died at sea and the blessing of boats followed by the dedication of Kinsale Harbour Commissioners’ new office on Pier Head by port chaplain Canon David Williams.
All in Kinsale expressed greetings to both relatives and residents in Barry.
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Post by KG on Aug 22, 2009 8:30:28 GMT
Ireland Tour 2010. Kinsale is set to welcome the Sea View RFC, officially, the youngest club in Wales. Based in Barry, South Wales, they were formed in 2008 and play in the Premier Division of the S.A. Brains Cardiff & District League. KINSALE 7’S MAY 1st & 2nd 2010 Sea View RFC have been invited to participate in Europe’s Premier 7’s event the Heineken Kinsale Sevens. The Golf Society is also going, along with members of the Labour Club. www.seaviewrfc.co.uk/Seaview_/Ireland_Tour_2010.html |
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