Thanks to the sponsorship of the UCD Humanities Institute, the symposium was recorded by Real Smart Media on podcasts, which are available to download on soundcloud and iTunes from the symposium website (www.womenandthesea.com), and also from the UCD Humanities Institute website: http://www.ucd.ie/humanities. Please share the podcasts with anyone you know who is interested in marine and maritime culture, science, and industry.

We would like to thank all of our speakers and delegates for making the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium such an enjoyable and stimulating event. We could not have hoped for a more lively, engaging, and informative discussion, and we look forward to sharing the podcasts of the event with you in due course. We will keep you posted about developments from the symposium by email and also on this website.

With all best wishes,

John, Lucy, Tas, Julie, and Richard

Thanks to all who have registered to attend the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium, and we look forward to seeing you in the National Maritime Museum. If you would like to attend the symposium, it’s not too late to register through Eventbrite on our registration page. Just register and print the tickets to bring with you to the museum. Alternatively, you can turn up at the symposium and register in person from 3.30pm on Friday, and from 9.15am on Saturday.

The admission fee for the symposium is €15.

The public lecture on Friday evening at 7pm is free.

Catherine McManus, Technical Manager at Marine Harvest, will speak at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium. Her talk is entitled ‘From Fanad Fisheries to Marine Harvest: the first 35 years of Farming Salmon in Ireland’.

Sinead Reen, Master Mariner, lecturer at the National Maritime College of Ireland, President of the Irish Institute of Master Mariners, will speak at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium about a sea of change; a slow 20 year change of tide that sees Irish women enter the merchant navy and gain equal recognition in maritime spheres. Sinead will highlight her personal highs and lows, trials and triumphs of a career at sea. What does the future hold?

Rhoda Twombly will speak at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium about the vital roles that women play in sustaining island life and communities. She will highlight examples of women who have worked to improve life on the islands. Rhoda previously lived on Inish Mór, Galway where she owned and ran Joe Watty’s Bar. Eighteen years ago she moved to her partner’s home island of Inishlyre in Clew Bay. She is secretary of Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann/Ireland’s Islands Federation and The Mayo Islands Committee, representing Islanders locally, nationally and at a European level. Rhoda also writes short stories and poetry inspired by Island life.

Lieutenant Commander Erika O’Leary will speak at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium about the Irish Naval Service, her role as ship’s captain, and her experience as a woman working in the navy. She will also speak about the vital duties performed recently by the Irish Naval Service in the Mediterranean and in humanitarian crises.

Dr Fiona Grant from the Marine Institute will give a talk at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium on the topic “Putting Eyes in the Deep Ocean”. Fiona began her studies in geology before going on to specialise in marine geophysics and earth system dynamics. Her first job was as conservation coordinator for wild salmon and sea trout before taking responsibility for research infrastructures in the Marine Institute. Her talk will focus on some of the challenges in observing the deep ocean environment, how to harness ocean energy in Galway Bay and present some of the latest results from studies in the Atlantic Ocean.

The poet Mary O’Malley will join us at the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium, where she will present a paper on the poetry and song of the sea, entitled ‘When the seas were lavish’, and she will also read from her work at the symposium dinner.

Mary has published seven collections of poetry to date, and is probably best known for her most recent collection, Valparaiso (Carcanet, 2012), which began on a voyage on the Irish marine research vessel, the Celtic Explorer, and resonates with the sound of the sea.

Dr Julie Maguire, one of the symposium co-organisers, and based at the Daithi O’Murchu Marine Research Station in County Cork, will talk to the ‘Women and the Sea’ symposium about working on a marine research station.

The Daithi O’Murchu Marine Research Station has been in operation since 1991 originally as part of the Aquaculture and Development Centre (ADC), University College Cork. However in late 2005 it was established as an independent centre.

“We have 11 marine biologists working at the station some from as far away as Kenya and Brazil. Research at the station has focussed on greener technologies for aquaculture, disease and fouling control, biofuel and plastic production (from algae), minimising waste in the aquaculture and fisheries production process, environmental monitoring and remote sensing. ”

Julie will present her account of life working on a marine research station on the Sheep’s Head Peninsula.