In the cool blue light of a Malahide morning, Celtic Mist didn't look quite as pretty as she had in the flattering Spanish sun. She needed refurbishment, a good overhaul and a paint job. In nautical terms she needed a refit, a vital bit of housekeeping to keep a vessel safe and seaworthy and to protect the significant initial investment. Mr Desmond, by now truly a multi-millionaire, paid up with, what was to him at least, loose change. It was, he insisted at the Moriarty Tribunal, ``an insignificant financial matter.''

Celtic Mist - sleeps 6 Celtic Mist in Carbis Bay, Cornwall sleeps 6 people in 3 bedrooms. With turquoise water and a sheltered sandy stretch, Carbis Bay is a dream holiday destination on the south coast of Cornwall, where days are spent in complete relaxation either soaking up the sunshine on the beach or relishing a refreshing paddle in the Atlantic’s crystal-clear surf. Experience working as part of a team and ability to use your own initiative and work independently. Knowledge and experience of marine mammal survey techniques, including visual data collection methods. A detailed programme of work will be agreed with the successful candidate at the outset. The successful candidate will report to the IWDG Science Officer and work closely with other IWDG Officers, especially the Celtic Mist and Education and Outreach Officers. On Thursday morning, just off the shelf edge, the team encountered a number of feeding fin whales and, later that day, had the amazing good fortune to see two blue whales surfacing within half a kilometre of the vessel.

From 30,000 acorns to mighty oaks — with luck and a little help

The 56ft steel hulled ketch was donated to IWDG in 2011 by the Haughey family in recognition of their work over the last 21 years. And as a bonus, here are two poems of our beloved bilingual Poet Laureate of Celtic Mist, Pearse (and OpenAI): The 17m (56ft) ketch Ilen was designed and built by Ireland's first round-world yachtsman Conor O'Brien in 1926 and spent almost 70 years as a transport ferry in the Falkland Islands. Bringing his light-hearted humour there’s not much that First Mate David Bagnall can’t fix or improvise a solution to. David was a key player with the recent painting and refurbishment of the Celtic Mist and soon hopes to be reunited with his boat in Galicia. On this trip he particularly appreciated the great weather and the decisive mission of the Marine Biologists and where they wanted to survey.

The other great bonus of a venture like Floating Classroom, which opens Celtic Mist up to the general public, is that it has introduced plenty of new faces to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. Dunbrody.The State sail training brigantine Asgard II sank off the French coast in 2008, while neither of the other tall ships has been entered.Partake fully in all aspects of the survey, acting as a full crew member and participating in all operational, domestic, and social aspects of the survey.

For many Irish people, however, it wasn't so long ago that the entire ocean itself held an all too mythical quality and that even its very real creatures — ones that we know and love today — were considered unimaginable.Overlooking the blue waters of Carbis Bay, Celtic Mist is wonderfully situated for exploring St Ives and further afield. This three bedroom dormer bungalow has an upstairs lounge with TV and ample armchairs for enjoying the gorgeous coastal views. Downstairs, the fully equipped kitchen is perfect for self-catering with everything you need right to hand including coffee maker and dishwasher. The separate dining room has a cosy sofa. Sliding doors to the garden provide a choice of indoor and outdoor dining areas with superb sea views. Three bedrooms on the ground floor (a king-size and two twin / double rooms) are spacious and well furnished. They share the contemporary bathroom with walk-in shower. A contemporary shower room situated on the ground floor with large walk-in shower cubicle, hand basin, mirror, heated towel rail, WC and hairdryer The yacht was officially relaunched in August 2012 and set sail offshore from Dingle in September with a team of IWDG members onboard in search of Cetaceans.

Finally we all reconvened that evening for a large dinner made by Pearse, with help from Hélène, that was apparently a secret family recipe which manifested itself as Pearse shouting “don’t look! Close your eyes!” Every time anyone came down the ladder to pass through the galley. Pat joked that he only wanted us not to look so we wouldn’t see him being passed some take away boxes through the porthole. Despite the teasing the dinner was a big success and the perfect final meal together as a crew since most people were departing the next day. We finished the night off with some more Murphy’s ice cream that myself Emer and Hélène had braved the wind and rain to retrieve before playing some card games that got us just as riled up as the days before due to our undying competitive natures. She's not too nimble either and unless there was a decent wind to really fill the sails, the best option was a gutsy, utterly reliable, diesel engine to drive its single prop a modest seven or eight knots. IWDG intend to use the Celtic Mist to train and teach IWDG members how to survey and record whales and dolphins, including using acoustic survey techniques. It will also be used for dedicated research projects and professional training and development. They intend to encourage schools and young people to visit the yacht to learn about cetaceans and the rich marine life in Ireland and to promote marine conservation. Conor Haughey is expected to accompany Fiacc Ó Brolcháin for the whale and dolphin group on the delivery run to the Waterford coast in time for the Tall Ships race, which starts at the end of this month.

Situated on the ground floor this room is furnished with twin beds (that can be zipped and linked to form a super king size bed), bedside tables, lamps, a chest of drawers, mirror and built-in wardrobe