Eco showboat to make pit stop outside Limerick museum

THE COLOURFUL and eco-friendly showboat, the Mayfly, will arrive outside the Hunt Museum as the Journey to the East makes a pit stop in the city in preparation for Riverfest.

The Eco Showboat Journey to the East is a five-month arts expedition, from Askeaton to Dublin, aboard the Mayfly which is the flagship of the Eco Showboat project.

The Eco Showboat is an art project aimed at raising awareness of climate change, supported by the Arts Council, SFI Discover, Creative Ireland, Lawpro and Waterways Ireland.

Artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly are navigating Ireland’s inland waterways meeting local artists, scientists and communities to spark discussions on climate action.

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The Mayfly, a solar-powered riverboat, will set off on its journey from Askeaton this Saturday, before making a stop in the city.

Limerick City is the first port of call and the public is invited to see the colourful boat and to join the creative crew at the Hunt Museum.

Last year the Mayfly sailed from Limerick to Enniskillen, the first time such a voyage has been undertaken on a solar-powered vessel.

Anne and Denis will be stationed at the Hunt Museum on Saturday, April 29 to meet the public and talk about their two-year solar journey on the island’s waterways, showing their studies and observations of nature and telling of their encounters with artists, activists and scientists who explore with them the problems and promises of the freshwater environment.

Marine biologist Rachel O'Malley shows children some of the little creatures that live in our waterways and Helena Brady tells them about endangered species, invasive species and other problems facing freshwater environments.

The Eco Showboat project has received the Arts Council Open Call Award for 2021, as well as an SFI Discover Award, the Limerick Arts Strategic Award, and is supported by Creative Ireland, Waterways Ireland, Dublin City Council, the Local Authority Waters Programme and local authorities and universities across the country.