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DUBLIN LANDMARK THE Jeanie Johnston will be back at her berth alongside the IFSC in the next few days, after a brief holiday.
She hasn’t been too far away…
The tall-ship — which is run as a Famine museum and tourist attraction at Custom House Quay — has been down-river at Dublin Port since the start of last month for an overhaul; a necessary step, if she’s to be re-certified to take to the open seas once again.
So what happens during that process?
As the Jeanie’s general manager John O’Neill explained to us — it’s pretty involved….
As you can imagine — it’s not like you can simply hand the keys of your three-masted vessel over to a back-street garage, and ask them to send you a text once everything’s been sorted…
We headed downriver to the dry-dock on 8 October. We had to close the museum up, put all the exhibits away, and get everything, I suppose, ‘ship shape’ ahead of the move. Two tugs from Dublin Port — the Shackleton and the Beaufort — helped steer us down-river, and the Samuel Beckett Bridge was opened for us so we could travel down. We tied up for the night at the number 18 berth, beside the East Link, before heading in to start the process.
The following morning we were into the dock — again, the tugs brought us around. What happens is they get the ship into position, and pump out all the water. When that happens, the vessel comes down on special blocks that are put in place to keep the keel steady. Before the last of the water is emptied, a series of poles — known as ‘shores’ — are put in place, which is a pretty traditional way of doing things. That keeps her upright for the period she’s in dry-dock.
Once the ship is dried out, she’s power-washed to get rid of all the weed, dirt and barnacles that have built up over the years. It’s a pretty arduous job — probably took us around a day and a half…
The serious business can get under way after that… We brought a surveyor on to assess her, plank by plank — to check out the timbers and the condition of the hull in general. Officially, his title is a ‘chartered marine surveyor’. He’d then hand us a report on her condition, noting any items that might need special attention.
Once the ship is fully dry and inspected, we can get ahead with the painting… The timber on the hull gets treated with a timber-specific primer. The steel below the hull then gets its own specific primer coat. As work continues, we move on to the hull above the water line. The ship is 40 metres long and 8 metres wide, so this all takes a while — 6 to 7 days. We used around 460 litres altogether. The last coat to go on was an anti-foul paint, which stops marine growth, like barnacles and weeds.
A view of the ‘Arklow Ranger’ from the Jeanie’s spot in the dry dock.
As the painting process takes place — and afterwards — we also have a chance to carry-out all sorts of other essential maintenance works. Basically, all of the machinery that’s positioned below the water line needs to be checked to verify its condition. These aren’t the sorts of jobs you can do when a ship is afloat, so we have to make the most of our time in the dry-dock to make sure everything’s looked at.
Once we’re happy, there’s another check of the ship to make sure we’ve addressed everything we need to. She’s then ready to leave the dry dock… Water gets pumped back in, she lifts off the keel-blocks, and is re-floated.
We’re out of the dry-dock now, and we’ve been placed back at a standby berth down-river.Today, at the earliest, we’ll be heading back up the Liffey and through the Sam Beckett to our usual berth near the Convention Centre. We should be back in business properly by the end of the week — looking a bit more spruced up than before..
Update: The Jeanie will be moving back upriver at 9pm tonight. The Samuel Beckett Bridge will be closed to motorists as a result.
First posted at 7.45am.
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Yeeaahhhhh, what happened all the Inspectorate recommendations?
Review will be carried out..government witless specimen wheels out ‘we remained committed to implementing these findings blah blah blah’..report goes on a shelf and nothing changes.
A fig leaf for the Independence to hide behind, on the vote of no confidence tonight…..
@Harry Price: varadkar calls for Mc Cabes questions to be answered just pulled from the journal after 3 views Hmmm before the vote in the dail? run with it journal..
Definitely a question to add to the list for when the next round of elections send people to the door to beg.
@Tony Canning: 19;18 and still the story is missing, Varadakar calls for McCabes questions to be answered now. was the headline, don’t understand it, its a story so why redact it before tonights vote?
So what international expert is going to carry out a review of the useless bunch we have in the Dáil…???
Knowing the journal it’s probably being corrected. In the meantime: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/leo-varadkar-maurice-mccabe-deserves-a-full-and-unequivocal-apology-from-govt-777318.html
@ Harry. It was a despicable thing to accuse you of and the garda harassment was/is totally unwarranted and hopefully those that accused and indeed allowed the accusations to be printed should be sued. I happen to know you quite well and I can with my hand on my heart say that you are not an abuser of any kind and in fact you are a gentleman. These accusers that hide behind pseudonym’s will be found out and hopefully charged & sued.
Spot on Peadar. The bogus Independents have now stood in support of family home evictions, Apple’s tax dodging and continued corruption at the most senior levels of the Gardai. Any other betrayals that I’ve missed?
We have seen this before. He/she will write a report and government will put it on the report shelf and ignore the contents.
@Stephen Brady: its a game with the shams
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/paul-murphy-td-commissioners-husband-had-role-442944.html
lack of lawer intervention like in dob’s case’s leads to only one conclusion, guilt
This is a joke fg has to go they are incompetent politicians children are suffering in this country because of ff fg policy call an election.
They’ll probably get the same lad in that done the review of the FAI..
@Dusty Mooney: The Independent Alliance members= BULL shitters who can we trust now? Watch the pension – cover thine own arse as long as possible
@ciaran: seeing that the Journal ie removed my fact printed herein just now …….is what i expect from a dictatorship ..can i ask why did you the journal allow the mob attack my character during the gardai dispute by way of insightment
Didn’t the Morris tribunal recommend this and pointed to systemic changes necessary within an Garda, after what came to light in Donegal years ago. Wasn’t that on FFs watch???
@Harry Price: will you the journal now put back the article that you removed in the interest of truth
@Brian Mulligan: this disturbing interview tells the story of how deep the corruption and collusion of the guards and Tusla has actually gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfJ9xdfq7Fs
reviews and tribunals are a complete waste of time its convictions and punishment we need, any garda will tell you that
In this case gardai wont tell you we need convictions or in mc cabe case because its gardai who will be convicted of any crimes
@Ciaran What do you do when the truth is not told Lies are been told in the Dail lies will be told in front of a Judge as happened before Lock up at least four of the main players . Job done.
It’s an empty political gesture which keeps the Independent Alliance happy.
@Tony Daly: F/G announced they will engage with Chief Chauncey “Clancy” Wiggum from Springfield to head up the overview of Garda Síochána,,,,DOHHHHHHH
My advice to this expert.
Cover your a** at every turn.
@Emmet O’Keeffe: Yes, but did you see how quickly it was announced – this independent review – now that FG heads are on the line? Days.
And Varadkar is going to make a speech tonight and it will be his play for the leadership. He’s going to capitalise on this and make himself out as Mr nice guy. He makes my skin crawl now.
Kenny is on the way out, Varadkar and Coveney today told TDs to be ready for an early election. Kenny has a few weeks left if he’s lucky. They’ll send him off to the US for Paddy’s day as they can;t send that dope Varadkar as he has stated Trump should;t be invited to Ireland. That was silly popularism on his behalf and it will come back to bite him in him in the ass. My money is on Coveney to win it, and for the nub of political power to move to Cork for the next few years as Martin will be Taoiseach and FG will prop them up under Coveney.
@Mr Snuffleupagus:
I hope you’re right. Varadkar is a neo liberalist Thatcherite with no real concept of a republic with any socialist dimension.
“We considered it” Yeah and then realised what the electorate would do to you at the polling station so decided to kep your noses firmly in the trough. Sickening to think they’ll all survive this relatively unscathed.
Why have the Independent Alliance and Fianna Fáil not pulled the plug??? Bloody disgrace. Edna caught in a bare faced lie and we are supposed to trust this shower of nincompoops in Brexit negotiations. And Noonan meeting Cerebus a day before the sale of project Eagle. Sick of the whole lot of them. Basturds
It would be a dangerous job for anyone with children.
enough reviews and apologies too little too late.
So, a toothless, powerless paper tiger ‘review’ whose findings can and will most likely be ignored.
We need a criminal investigation headed by a team brought in from outside this rotten little state.
Just like when O’Sullivan replaced Callinan, the government gives a nod and wink to senior Gardai and exclaims ‘As you were lads’…..
Sorry shinnerbot, don’t think one of your beloved paramilitary Kangaroo Courts would appropriate in the circumstances…
Crawl back under your rock monkey man.Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are 2cheeks of the same corrupted arse.
@Diarmuid: Jebus what a small minded snipe of a statement
@Diarmuid: are you happy with the probity and integrity of Kenny, Shatter and Fitzgerald?
Current head of the Garda inspectorate is an ex Chicago chief of police, surely this would cover the international investigation rather than creating another investigative body? I’m open to correction, but couldn’t the current inspectorate bring criminal charges of anything is found to be out of order? Does this mean the IA don’t have faith in the current inspectorate and how can the commissioner remain in place if this investigation goes ahead??
I would say it means bringing in an independent investigator. I wouldn’t say a currently employed member qualifies. I’d say they could and it hasn’t been done. Therefore…
So, an international “Policing Expert” will carry out a “review”? Great. To go along with the Inspectorate Report. Will the Policing Expert then have a role to implement his/her recommendations? To go along with the Garda Inspectorate, Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission and the Independent Policing Authority? And will the government, Garda Commissioner and her Garda management team ever take a single bit of notice of anything they say? And what happens when the Tribunal is over in 2025, after we give several million € in the form of €3,000 a day to every Senior Counsel that can grab their own ass with both hands? We can all settle down now so and get busy forgetting out the stitch up job they did on MMcC
Former Boston Police Chief did that in 2007. The Garda staff stonewalled her every move. Read her findings. Why repeat the exercise? Of course they ignored her recommendations. I.E. we still have a couple thousand Gardai doing office chores. A meager attempt is being made to hire a couple hundred civilians. Oh and btw, our government needs a root/branch relaunch!!!
FF actually support FG and has been trying to direct it out of this mess.
Independent Alliance has received a face saving gesture.
All politicians are happy.
Tony Daly. Endapendant Alliance would be more like it.
@ray.farrelly: I like it because it’s true.
Isn’t that why Kathleen O’Toole was brought in from BPD?
How did that work out?
Same old, same old, same old.
AGS assert that it did nothing wrong and that this is a matter for HSE and TUSLA.
Senior Garda Management needs expert training on how properly and effectively to fit up whistleblowers.
They’ll plant some kiddie porn on him
Independent Alliance can funk right off. They have “been very supportive of Maurice McCabe and his family.” but where disturbed to hear of the allegations?…Enjoy your pensions, gents.
Hopefully next will be the Judiciary and then the whole Legal profession
Where is Ms O’Toole? Hibernation??
This is no good
These parasites will only change when people on the streets protest.Their not going to hang each other because of a few Comments here and there,Rte have been casual at best interviewing Fine Gael,a clear out there is needed too.Fine gaels corrupt ways may yet see people marching if Kenny stays after being caught lying again.
@Dave cullen: too true.
Hope they start at the top……..
Didn’t we get this already with Kathleen O Toole from Boston??? http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PR07000914
Please please please can we get an actual expert who knows policing and will have the time and authority to do a complete down and dirty review? Instead of the Inspectorate which is ignored when it doesnt suit and can only access and speak with rank and file Gardai while the Super / Management are standing in the room doing cut throat motions?
If an election is called, there is unfortunately too great a chance for certain ministers not turning up at any investigation that is going to happen, trust me they will have excuses, but those involved should step aside from their duties in the meantime. An election I presume will then happen.
Imagine, we can’t trust our own police, judiciary or legal profession to find and report the truth, there really is no hope
There is no independent investigator appointed and there will not be. This outfit will make recommendations like many before them and those recommendations will be ignored. This has happened several times before, there was the gang of 3 many years ago, there was the Morris report which made recommendations. We know from all this there will be no change.
What a stunt. The national leader tells pure lie after lie, along with our the second in command, in official statements and then to the media and the House . After a week of lies, the politicians seems to be excluded from every form of reform or investigation.
Every house journalist and every house member has known about this file for at least 12 months, listen to any podcasts on it over past two weeks, it existed originally in the HSE referred to Tusla and Garda, but now somehow it’s the Garda that are responsible for all knowledge of it to everyone and the accountability for the report is initially with the HSE. Tusla and HSE it would seem do not need REFORM in being ultimately responsible for accusing an innocent man of child abuse. A Greater respect to the left everyday they at least acknowledge political reform is what this country needs the rest will follow.
Soundbites
What a load of nonsense.
Why bother! He’ll make loads of recommendations that will fall on deaf ears. One of the worst equipped police forces in the world!
I am watching the Dail Depate on TV. Fine Gael’s answer to their torment of Gardai is to harrang Sinn Fein for killing Gardai. In other words, because Sinn Fein IRA killed Guards, its all right for Fine Gael to tell lies about their Gardai.
I said before, don’t vote in the next election, I now say, don’t vote, but I except, Roisin Shorthall, Mike Wallace and Michael Fitzmaurice. They are the exception
This disturbing interview tells the story of how deep the corruption and collusion of the guards and Tusla has actually gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfJ9xdfq7Fs
We have had enough endless reports tribunals commissions and toothless (so called) oversight of the guards for years and nothing has changed except it now come to this crisis, which is now attracting international attention.
We have a corrupt police force and a commissioner and top brass who cannot be sacked because they are entitled to due process.
How these people think they can have any respect and confidence with the rank and file ,and the ordinary citizen is beyond my comprehension.
If you were running a sweet shop and couldn`t do your job, you would be removed.
If you are in charge of the security and safety of the citizens and the country itself ,you cannot be asked to step aside, even if if you and your colleagues are the subject of tribunal . Welcome to Ireland 2017.(Not Russia, Zimbabwe or any so called south American banana republic)
@Patrick James Walsh: Boomtown Rats Banana Republic is apt for a new anthem or the sketch of Father Ted with the car and the song ghost town comes to mind.
I thought in this post Brexit post trump post truth world we were to ‘ignore the experts’ and listen to the fringe?
Seriously just fire O’sullivan and bring in a commissioner from the outside. She is not the only one at fault but she should not have been given the job day one.
Another one…
Root and Branch report will sit on the other expert external reports gathering dust in the bottom of some civil servant office. The only people happy will be the so called experts from the UK the the west brit Fine Gaelers will bring in to put manners on the whistle blowers showing up their private security firm e.g. the Garda. The legal profession to make a financial killing. Root and Branch report will be handed over the Special Branch sitting in the trees turning the report into paper aeroplanes.
Even the Garda who call for informers all the time hate it when one of their own blows the whistle
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