Photos by Ian Davis and Louise Whelan
The streak of fine weather we had for most of last May was indeed a blessing on the 17th for those who took to the Irish Sea for the annual Blessing of the Boats ceremony aboard yachts and small boats that are moored year round at the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club in Ringsend.
But before that, there was official business to tend to on dry land at the yacht club as the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, officially opened the ceremony flanked by the day’s celebrants, Fr Ivan Tonge and Reverend Canon Leonard Ruddock. Larry Skully, Vice Commodore of the yacht club, said a few words to commemorate deceased members and made sure to mention the club’s neighbours-Stella Maris and St Patrick’s Rowing Club, who were having their regatta not far from us upriver and “all those who use the river for fun and for work”. Local Labour Party Councillor Dermot Lacey, Senator Chris Andrews, Sinn Fein Local Councillor Kourtney Kenny, and the new Lord Mayor of Ringsend and Irishtown, Darragh Barry, on his first official duty as Lord Mayor, were also in attendance.
Commodore Skully then read “Sandy, for those who remember”, a poem that wonderfully evoked forgotten days down at the docklands and the people who have passed through here on their journey through life. Lord Mayor Barry stressed the importance of observing water safety when engaged in any water activity. With formalities over, it was down to the main event as Fr Tonge and Reverend Ruddock led a procession to the marina to bless each boat with holy water as a new boating season dawns.
Speaking to NewsFour, Fr Tonge emphasised the importance of this day in the calendar year for “encouraging the spirit of community, and raising awareness of safety on the water” he also told us that there had not been a serious incident on the water in the area in 25 years of the blessings being held.
With the first part of the day over, a lucky few still hanging around were invited onboard available boats to join the flotilla and take a trip out beyond the Poolbeg Lighthouse for the wreath-throwing ceremony. A boat carrying Fr Tonge and Lord Mayor Barry had on board a wreath which was thrown into the sea, an ancient seafaring tradition, done to symbolise a “lifebelt” for the soul, and that also symbolises remembrance of those deceased and the cycle of resurrection and new beginnings.
Giant container and passenger ships navigated in and out of our city’s busy port, which whipped up some choppy waves to test our novice mariners’ sea legs, so we returned to the calm of the marina.
Let us hope that the good Lord and maybe also the sea gods of old accepted our blessing on that day and will smile upon the fortunes and future endeavors of Ringsend and Poolbeg’s river and all seafarers this summer and beyond.
