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Free Family Friendly Maritime Event to be Held Next Month to Mark Cork Hosting Europe’s Premier Maritime Conference

01/05/2025

A free family friendly maritime celebration, ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ will be held in Cork next month to mark the city hosting Europe’s premier maritime conference.

‘European Maritime Days to Play’ is a free public event on Friday May 23 and Saturday May 24 to celebrate Cork City Council and the Government of Ireland hosting the prestigious conference, European Maritime Day (EMD) from May 21-23.

 

Cork City Council, the Marine Institute, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Irish Naval Service and Commissioners of Irish Lights have an exciting programme lined up for ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ that includes cooking demos by up-and-coming stars of the Irish culinary world, interactive science exhibitions and  the opportunity to explore an aquaculture classroom on wheels and to tour some of the country’s naval, research, patrol and buoy laying vessels on the city’s quaysides. Creative activities from street performances to live music and children’s entertainment will make ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ on Cork’s quayside the place to be. 

 

‘European Maritime Days to Play’ is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Cork City Council, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Eirgrid, the Marine Environment Section of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the maritime regulator, MARA.

 

The two-day free family friendly event will also mark the annual return of the Cork Harbour Festival which runs from May 24-June 2 with 80 plus amazing events in a dozen beautiful locations across Cork City & County.

 

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle said: “Cork City is honoured to be hosting European Maritime Day which will see up to 1,000 maritime professionals visit Cork to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and the sustainable blue economy. To celebrate this event and Cork’s rich maritime heritage, people of all ages can enjoy the free and fun ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ which will increase understanding around how our river, harbour, seas and oceans enrich our lives”.

 

Cork City Council Chief Executive, Valerie O’Sullivan added: “Cork City Council together with the Government of Ireland is delighted to be welcoming the European maritime sector to our city for its conference on the blue economy and to host a free public event, ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ for families and young people. As we know, the marine sector, bioeconomy, seafood industry and maritime commercial companies play a key role in the Cork economy providing quality jobs to our highly educated workforce and coastal communities while marine tourism is thriving along the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East”.

 

The ‘European Maritime Days to Play’ programme highlights include:

 

  • BIM’s Taste the Atlantic – Seafood Experience event showcasing the Atlantic coastline’s sustainable seafood.  The event, supported by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, is aimed at seafood fans of all ages and will include cooking demonstrations by BIM Taste the Atlantic Young Chef ambassadors, seafood displays by local suppliers and nutritional talks by BIM Seafood Academy. 
  • The BIM Aquaculture Remote Classroom (ARC) will offer visitors fun and immersive technologies with which to virtually plunge underwater to explore some of Ireland’s mussel, oyster and salmon farms.
  • The Marine Institute’s Science Exhibition will include The Wild Atlantic – What lies beneath, a series of interactive displays and exhibits exploring the marine world from the rocky seashore to the deep sea. Visitors can learn about mapping our ocean floor, deep sea exploration, marine ecosystems and fish anatomy in the laboratory. The Marine Institute will also have its famed Explorers Education Programme onsite. 
  • The Commissioners of Irish Lights, the Marine Regulator, MARA and the RNLI will also have stands and there will be an exhibition on the History of Irish Lighthouses from 1786, history talks, a static lighthouse equipment display and a Blue Careers showcase.
  • The Army Band, Evelyn Kelly Cork Pops Orchestra and  circus acts will get the crowd going with musical and theatrical entertainment
  • On Saturday May 24, families can tour the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) Patrol Vessel, the Naval Service’s LÉ Aoibhinn, the Marine Institute’s RV Tom Crean and the Commissioners of Irish Lights’ ILV Granuaile.

‘European Maritime Days to Play’ will take place on Albert Quay and Kennedy Quay and will include games, a food market and street performances.  

 

 

European Maritime Day conference: 

 

An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin will attend the wider European Maritime Day (EMD) conference at Cork City Hall as will European Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis and Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael Mc Grath. This takes place at Cork City Hall and adjacent sites from May 21-23.

EMD is the annual European event where maritime professionals, the Irish government, European commission representatives and innovators gather to network, discuss an outline joint action on maritime affairs and the sustainable blue economy. EMD 2025 is hosted by Cork City Council and the Government of Ireland. 

EMD provides an engaging and interactive experience to catch up on the latest issues, both opportunities and challenges, impacting the blue economy and marine environment and to discuss ways of progressing. EMD features inspirational speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops, exhibition and lots of networking opportunities.  

Registration, to attend any of the planned sessions, will remain open until May 10. 

Anyone interested can register at European Maritime Day - European Commission 

 

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