Bringing
Donegal’s historic maritime heritage to life
13.07.22
THREE new maritime
historical virtual reality experiences will be unveiled
today, 13th July 2022, at Fanad Lighthouse, Fort Dunree
and Inishowen Maritime Museum.
The three virtual reality experiences have been created
as part of the EU funded TIDE project, and include ‘The
Storm, The Sea – The Saldanha’ at Fanad Lighthouse, the
‘Wrath of the Atlantic, Wrecks of the Armada’ at
Inishowen Maritime Museum and Planetarium and the
‘Beware! Convoy Below World War 1’ at Fort Dunree. |
‘Wrath of the Atlantic,
Wrecks of the Armada’ will be launched at Inishowen
Maritime Museum & Planetarium. This VR experience takes
you back in time to the Spanish Armada era dating back
to the 16th Century.
This experience focuses on two ships that entered
Donegal’s waters: La Girona and La Trinidad Valencera. La
Girona travelled into Killybegs Harbour to repair her
rudders. Almost 1,500 men from nearby shipwrecks
travelled by foot to Killybegs to seek passage back to
Spain.
At Kinnagoe Bay, the VR experience takes you on the
journey where the Captain deliberately ran La Trinidad
Valencera ashore after fighting with 7 feet of water in
her bows for days. They met the friendly Irish who
ferried them to shore over two days and gave them food
in exchange for salvage from the boat.
The VR experience finishes with footage from a BBC
documentary where items were salvaged from the shipwreck
by the Derry Sub Aqua Club in 1975. Some of these
artefacts are on loan from the Ulster Museum today and
can be seen at the Inishowen Maritime Museum for the
summer months.
Take a trip on the Spanish Armada’s journey and enter
into the world of Spanish ships as you go back in time!
Speaking in advance of the launch and welcoming these
new experiences Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council
Cllr. Liam Blaney said: “These new experiences not only
help share the story of Donegal’s unique maritime
history but also enhance the appeal of attractions such
as Fanad Lighthouse, Fort Dunree and the Inishowen
Maritime Museum. By using this type of technology we can
take people on a journey back in time to really
understand and appreciate key events in our history and
these will not only be of interest to visitors to the
county but also to local people and most importantly to
our children and young people”. |
‘Beware! Convoy Below’
Virtual Reality Experience will be launched at Fort
Dunree. The Virtual Reality Experience takes you back in
time to the First World War era in the early 1900’s.
This exciting VR experience which takes
the ‘Lieutenant’ into a Kite Balloon which is part of a
convoy of merchant ships coming from North America and
heading for Lough Foyle.
You are welcomed onto HMS Margaret, a Royal Navy
Destroyer which was launched in 1917 by Captain
McConnell. Their mission is to secure the convoy that
will resupply precious goods such as food and
necessities to the forces at the front of the battle.
The Lieutenant will have to keep a watchful eye for
U-Boats or even mines for several hours. Once the Kite
Balloon is hooked up, the basket, balloon and Lieutenant
is raised up to over 1,000 feet!
Get familiar with Destroyers, Cruisers, Naval Trawlers,
Minesweepers, Airships & Aircraft as you travel past
Malin Head and Inishtrahull.
The TIDE project focuses mainly on the Napoleonic,
Spanish Armada, World Wars & Atlantic Migration eras. In
Inishowen, the public are invited to visit Fort Dunree
in Buncrana and the Maritime Museum in Greencastle to
enjoy these virtual reality experiences. |
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