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Tides & Tales is a free-to-access site. We profile the best of Waterford and the surrounding areas’ maritime heritage.
Since 2014 we have continued to offer high quality content every month showcasing the richness of our maritime past. The story count is now exceeds 500 tales of ships, trades, people and the communities of the area.
This maritime heritage project is a community initiative which depends on the generosity of its subscribers and those who visit our site. If you feel that you’ve got value from the website, or if you would like to support the work into the future you can make a donation below, or ask for our details via the contact page.
Our Blog
Book II – a chink of light
Its been a hectic week since my first blog last Friday in the new monthly format. Readership was well down, perhaps because people were out of the habit after a four week layoff. I don't know. Will definitely try whet the appetites before the next last Friday in July...
Hell Hole Horror – wreck of the SS Kinsale
Òn Saturday evening, 23rd November 1872 the SS Kinsale grounded on the Wexford side of Waterford harbour at a spot known locally as the Hell Hole. It was an appropriate name for the events that were to follow and it resulted in one of the largest losses of life in the harbour that I am aware of.
New Book announcement
I started 2019 with a pledge to publish a new book. Well I'm a lot of the way there, but there's been a hiccup and I wanted to give a brief update. As I said in January my working title was Stories from the Aft Oar and my chapters were based on stories I had heard...
Tides n Tales moves to a monthly format
In May I came to the difficult decision to change my weekly martime blog to a monthly publication. Several people have asked me why and so I thought it best to set out my thoughts and reasons. I first started blogging when in college as a mature student studying...
Williamo’s barge, 29B
This mornings guest blog comes from Carrick On Suir but as with all things connected to the water, it travels fairly widely. Maurice Power, another of those supporters of my blog that I have come to rely on, introduces us to an institution on the River Suir in Carrick...
Farewell Madcap & Zayda
On a bright but blustery dawn in June 1928 three vessels departed Waterford’s quays. Leading the small convoy was a powerful tug, towing two old sailing ships. Although the tug was a stranger to the city, the sailing ships were anything but. To anyone looking on the scene must have proven ironic if not ignominious. For these were the ports last sailing vessels Zayda and the Madcap; and they had given over fifty years loyal and trusted service to the city, only to be made redundant by steam power.
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