Wales as a country sadly languishes behind Europe and even the rest of the UK in respect of its’ maritime heritage. Small pockets of people work in solitary groups doing their best to highlight and celebrate their own maritime heritage without support or the solidarity of an all Wales body and often their energies and drive is overlooked by authority.
This is not a hobby or a whim, this is an effort by enthusiastic and energetic individuals to preserve and demonstrate that which gave us our culture.
Maritime Heritage can be seen as a very real economic driver, people all over the world have a fascination, a vessel, a quay, a wreck, they all invoke thought and curiosity even to a passing layman, how often have we heard “I wonder what that was for?” or “what did they use that for?” and the whats tend to drift to the whos and that makes us think of the people and their culture.
Rising Tide will attempt to create this single voice for maritime heritage in Wales, it will attempt to unify and gather all those enthusiastic people and create the solidarity across the country so that together we can tell the full story and show the world its’ importance.
Wales is not alone here and our Irish partners too sadly lack strength in interpreting the countries maritime heritage, it is this projects intention that together both countries will develop this unity to save the maritime heritage for our children.
Maritime Museums
This is not all however, Maritime Museums and Interpretations Centres too struggle to exist, run by volunteers, eager and enthusiastic, they lack money, advice and opportunity. Often displays are staid and unchanging, not because of the effort of those that run them, but because there is little or no advice or help to improve and create a living interpretation of our maritime past.
Rising Tide will be investigating best practises and interpretation methods in order to produce a model for a small museum that would be sustainable and living.
Maritime Historians
Individuals, interested and enthusiastic researchers, who gather data almost lost, find our history, working in solitary ways, they too are neglected and these historians on their own, or in their interest groups, gathering the facts that are the foundations of our heritage, have no forum or association for their work to become known. These researchers spending many voluntary hours creating huge databases running the risk that their life’s work could be lost if not saved, cherished after their days and protected for our children's posterity
Rising Tide will be working with MOROL and any individuals who are researching and writing our countries’ Maritime History.
It is these three aspects which Rising Tide sets out to bring together, to investigate best practises, develop interpretation models and to provide the support and security, whilst telling the rest of our countries, this Maritime History, this Heritage, this Culture is an important part of our lives which cannot be forgotten and which can once again become a part of our economy.
The Dunbrody
New Ross in County Wexford is the proud berth for the Tall Ship Dunbrody which is a replica of the Irish emigrant ship of that name. The cost and the logistics of moving the vessel have become so prohibitive that alternate means of telling her story are being considered. Through the Rising Tide project the Internationally renowned Small World Theatre, based in Cardigan, will be working closely with the Tall Ship "Dunbrody" in developing a touring play that seeks to tell the story of the famous Irish Emigration ship, in a travelling interpretation of that major part of Irish history.
This cross border partnership, exemplifies how we work together, learning from each other, bringing skills and solving problems together through the European Interreg Programme.