Celtic Maritime Connections News

Festival Music

I have sadly neglected refering to msuic on this web site, however as any of you will agree when you have attended a maritime festival, that music is fairly inegral to the whole culture of maritime heritage. In addition to this, because of the gegraphical area in whichI work, the Celtic music scene is extremely important to our whole story.

So to address my neglect here are a couple of references and links, please contact me if you think that there are others that we should be mentioning and who knows, perhaps we can get a top class list of these artists together.

I cannot begin a list of bands without mentioning the people who have worked closely with me over a number of years now and who have worked hard within my events to include and entertain all ages. They are Fiddlebox, Helen and George and with Justin occasionally joining them on the drums. These guys do workshops, good fun entertainment and support dance troops, as a duo they can work onboard vessels easily and play on quaysides within the crowd. Take a look on you tube, the link below

Fiddlebox This was taken during the Seafair 2008 event when the Jeannie Johnson and La Recouvrance were a part of the Celtic Maritime Connections project.

Whilst in Vannes during the Seamaine du Golfe event 2009 I had a chane to see a band which I had only discovered whilst browing the web, Mabon! I have since seen them in a smaller venue and have now experienced both their festival gig and their music in an intimate environment. This is a class act, 6 professional musicians playing a high quality Celtic sound. They have perfomed in all the top maritime festivals and Lorient Interceltic festival where they are on the main stage this year 2010. This is the link to their website

www.mabon.org I will be exploring the possibility of getting Mabon into one of the Rising Tide events, they are exciting, dynamic, and create a fantastic atmospheric sound, if you have a chance to see them, make every effort as they are well worth listening to.

Rising Tide

It has been a while since I have added to this web site, but my time has not been wasted, I have not given up on my maritime heritage message and now I can introduce the Rising Tide project.

Milford Haven Port Authority is host to a new European Interreg IV project called Rising Tide. www.rising-tide.eu

This project is a development of the Celtic Maritime Connections project and included in its multi facets are; regeneration of coastal communities, building of a strong body for maritime heritage in Wales and Ireland, and training

Rising Tide covers a geographical area of 6 counties on the West Wales Coast with a similar area in South East Ireland and by investing in 6 maritime events in both countries over the 3 years period of the project, it hopes to have an effect on local economies whilst creating some sustainability.

The Maritime Heritage of both Wales and Ireland is sadly neglected and Rising Tide is setting out to change this by creating a strong unified body that will bring attention to the areas whilst securing the associated culture and stories for the future. Through this unification, participation in UK and European Maritime Heritage forums will provide the support and information necessary to improve interpretation and highlight the Maritime history

The training aspect of Rising Tide takes groups of unemployed persons and offers them an opportunity to train in marine skills. RYA based courses will provide practical on water skills, followed by OCN courses in traditional boat building and marine engineering. This will provide trainees with the necessary background to go further in their training.

For further information on theRising Tideproject, visit the web site or email me here on cmc@mhpa.co.uk

Celtic Maritime Connections the web site

This web site has been a great success, both for the project and to tell you about the ships and the stories of our maritime heritage today.

It is about the opportunities to see tall ships and traditional vessels and to keep you updated with their news.

(Again, if you have any Tall Ship or traditional vessel news, please forward it to me and I will gladly include it in these pages)

I also use this site to refer to maritime history, relevent to archivists and family historians, but in the main I have continually supported festivals and Maritime Heritage.

Even though the project has now finished, the web site will continue running for as long as it is possible. However, I would ask all readers to help by fowarding me any news or information that you believe is relevant, so that we can include it here and keep it all running.

A last footnote, I am sure we all know of some struggling Tall Ships and Large traditional Vessels, this is just a word of thanks and encouragement to those that struggle with the financial burden, they might not always see that we appreciate them, but without them our maritime Heritage would be considerably weaker.

So if you see one visiting a port near you, make an effort and go to see it, your few pounds will help us preserve these national treasures.

The Celtic Maritime Connections Project

The Interreg project that has developed the whole idea of Maritime Heritage as a tourist attraction in West Wales, has now drawn to a close.

The project partners finally produced a book on the Milford Haven waterway as a conclusion to the project, entitled "Pembrokeshire's HIdden Haven". The book is designed to take the reader on a journey through time travelling up the waterway to the limit of navigation at Haverfordwest and is an example of the story of the rich heritage that surrounds the Welsh Coast.

The Book is available at book stores throughout Pembrokeshire.

I have met with many people during the three years that I have managed the project, I have spoken my thoughts and listened to many ideas and hopes. I have been lucky enough to have worked with a dedicated team of partners and volunteers and can only praise the work of Pembrokeshire College Mitec and the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society.

Together we have highlighted the opportunities for young people in the traditional marine environment and shown that Maritime Heritage is in fact a real tourist attraction that can create change in the economies of the coastal regions of Wales. Hopefully we have set the seed for future strategies that will take advantage of our sadly neglected Martime Heritage and hopefully it can be a part of the regerative process around our coasts.

We know that this path is a long one and that it is also a difficult one, but the enthusiasm of those involved must surely win through and the true advantages harnessed to a great use. Now is definately the time to move forward and I would hope all the readers of this site would lend their support to make it all happen.

Opportunity for Wales

In this age of recession and depression, Celtic Maritime Connections has made a further step forward in its agenda to create a single unified voice in Welsh Maritime Heritage.

By linking to regeneration, tourism and social issues we are developing an approach that uses the Welsh Maritime Heritage and culture of the coastal regions as a driver. Training opportunities for those that have missed out in the past will be pivotal, with a policy of inclusion and respect. Together we have a chance to create an opportunity for Wales, if you want further information please contact Richard James on the contacts page.

The London Boat Show at Excel

This year I was lucky enough to meet one of Yachtings greatest adventures whilst at the London Boat Show, I am of course talking about Tom McNally!

Tom the most down to earth hero I have ever met, wooed us with his stories and tales of the sea as we stared with disbelief at the tiny craft that is to take him, yet again accross the Atlantic. For some of us an Atlantic crossing under sail might be a dream, a fantasy never achieved, Tom has done it 8 times and each time in a smaller and smaller boat.

Now some call Tom mad, some call him a fool, but if you look carefully you will see one of the bravest and most capable persons you might meet and all in the name of Cancer research!

take a look at the Sail4Cancer site Tom McNally Sail4Cancer

Whatever you do, dont laugh, or regard him as a fool, but rejoice in the fact that here is the UK's unsung sailing hero, a man with a heart to achieve something for us all with no regard for money or his own position, there aren't many about like him!

Semaine du Golfe

As the links between Milford Haven and the Morbihan develop, the Seafair team have now been invited to Semaine du Golfe and we are now delighted to announce that Wales will be the official hosted country at the event for 2009.

More News will follow soon.

for further information and for further opportinities to take part, call Richard James, via the contact page

The Tenby Lugger

The last surviving Tenby Lugger, which has been held for safe keeping by the National Museum of Wales at their Nantgarw site is to be handed over to the people of Pembrokeshire in the care of the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society.

It is early in the planning stage but the society intend to restore this 1897 vessel using traditional skills and at the same time telling the story of the history and culture of the community that she was a part of..

When the vessel is completed it is planned that it will be used for local festivals and events and to bring traditional sail training opportunities for young people.

You can read our previous news here