Works have been finished on the site for the Christmas season and the team have left the Island until later in the New Year. The last few days were spent reorganizing the site for the next phase and the various cabins and stores have been relocated to higher ground to the North/East of the Bird Observatory to allow as much level/working surface as possible in the harbor area itself. We compliment all involved for the progress achieved today, wish all the team a happy Christmas and look forward to their return when weather conditions improve again. Photos show the reorganized site with the cabins re relocated to their present location and the completed slip, albeit at a high enough tide and under adverse weather conditions.

Thursday 12 December 2013

Report 5

The past week has seen ongoing progress with 64 cubic meters of concrete successfully laid. The slip has been largely completed with the sloped part very close to being finished. What remains to be done is the top level part which will take some more time to prepare as facilities need to be installed for various services. The team have continued to work both very early and late hours to cope with the tidal exigencies. Islanders have noted that the overall site continues to be impressively well organized. The team will shortly stand down until the new year as all the available aggregate previously assembled on the site will have been used up. Photos show excavators at work taken from sea (thanks Chuck) and the batch cement mixing arrangements.

Report 4 - Progress Report on Cape Clear Harbour Developments

Friday December 6 2013

The last week has seen significant progress with work ongoing from early morning until very late in the evenings and an impressive array of materials, equipment and personnel has been deployed on the site. The low tides and calm weather have allowed for the commencement of concrete works with 24 cubic meters installed at the furthest/lowest extreme of the slip. This is the most crucial and difficult part of the works and as the slip progresses upwards progress will become easier as it will be less tide dependent. A large quantity of aggregate has been successfully brought ashore and a large onsite batch concrete mixing facility has been at work. To date Island residents have been impressed both by the rate of progress and by the apparent quality of the works being undertaken. The photos show the present appearancee of the slip as work is ongoing and a broad view showing the site and the nature and amount of plant and equipment that is in use.

Report 3 - Harbour Developments Cape Clear Island Progress Report

Thursday 28 November 2013

Representatives of The Dept.Marine, Malone O'Regan, Consultants and Keatings Contractors visited the site to review the impressive progress made over the past week. The rock breaking and grading in preparation for the shuttering and pouring of concrete have been completed and various further items of equipment, work huts and materials have been delivered on site. Photos show review in progress and also the large excavator with the work done in the background. Later in the day the ro ro was able to land materials directly onto the site.

Report 2 - Harbour Developments Cape Clear Island Progress Report

Friday 22 November 2013

Following the successful landing of the excavators and other equipment earlier in the week the large excavator has made very good progress towards preparing the site for the new slip. Excess rock has been removed by the rock breaker and the area has been sloped off in preparation for the installation of shuttering for the pouring of concrete. Island residents are hopeful that the current spell of fine weather persists for a while longer to allow the transport of sufficient gravel and other materials to allow the works to proceed without any delays. In line with current best practice an archeologist was on hand to supervise the removal of earth cover to monitor for any possible archeological items. Excavator working on new slip Cape Clear

Photo shows large excavator working on site.

Report 1 Harbour Developments Cape Clear Island

Wednesday 20 November 2013 - Tús Maith Leath na hOibre - Old Irish proverb saying 'A good start is half the work'

Tuesday 19 November will be remembered as a special day on Cape Clear Island as residents were happily surprised to see the ro ro appear in North Harbour around lunch time with two large excavators and other equipment destined for the planned harbour improvement works for which a contract was recently awarded to Keatings Contractors. A modest crowd gathered and were relieved to see the equipment safely brought ashore by making a ramp on the stony part of the beach to overcome the sea wall. While Islanders were assured by the Department of the Marine that works would start without delay, seeing is believing and the prompt mobilization of the equipment is a promising sign of things to come. The first phase of the project is of course the construction of the new slip in North Harbour which will facilitate the deliver of equipment and materials for all further stages and phases of the development and this will become a permanent feature so that regular visitors to the Island will notice a very significant change when they approach the harbour thereafter. Presently when the ro ro uses North Harbour it has to approach the present unsuitable slip at an angle which makes loading and unloading more difficult and dangerous. It also encroaches on the area used by small boats, kayaks and even swimmers close to the Club building to which access is by a narrow and steep lane which is used by many pedestrians during the Summer. The new slip by contrast is at the farthest extreme of the harbor such that almost 100% of the traffic relating all further Pier developments will avoid this area completely. Indeed it is a credit to the foresight and careful planning involved that such large scale works can be carried out with such a minimal impact on the ongoing life on the Island. We look forward to the hustle and bustle around the harbour as the works proceed over the coming winter and spring and hope that weather conditions remain as favorable as possible to see as much as possible accomplished before the busy summer season.

Photo shows large excavator landing on the beach at North Harbour with some enthusiastic resident onlookers.

12 November 2013 Contract awarded for Cape Clear Harbour Works

Cailín Óir Ferry Service is delighted and relieved that the contract for the necessary harbour works in Cape Clear has recently been awarded to Keating’s Contractors. The contracted works include the building of the proposed slip, the complete replacement of the ’Bulls Nose’ and the installation of a hydraulically operated gate at the entrance of the harbour to replace the ‘booms’. Preparatory works are to commence shortly and it is hoped that the project will be largely completed by autumn 2014. Next year looks like being a busy year on the Island and especially around the Harbour area and we look forward to cooperating in every way possible with the contractors to bring this very important project to a successful conclusion. God speed the work.

email: info@cailinoir.com telephone: 028 41923