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The MayFly has a biodegradable flag, pictured above, that depicts the namesake aquatic insect, which resides in the Northern Hemisphere. The MayFly has a biodegradable flag, pictured above, that depicts the namesake aquatic insect, which resides in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Flag of the award-winning MayFly solar-electric boat lights up Riverfest ahead of expedition

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2 years ago

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The MayFly has a biodegradable flag, pictured above, that depicts the namesake aquatic insect, which resides in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Eco Showboat MayFly expedition is a four-month arts voyage from Limerick to Enniskillen

By I Love Limerick correspondent Rachel Petticrew

The Mayfly
An element of the Eco Showboat Mayfly project’s Riverfest display at the Hunt Museum.

The flag of the solar-electric ‘Mayfly’ boat, flagship vessel of the Eco Showboat Mayfly project, was displayed at Limerick Riverfest over the May bank holiday weekend.  


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The Eco Showboat MayFly expedition is a four-month arts voyage from Limerick to Enniskillen, happening across the summer months. The solar-electric boat will be the first of its kind to make such a voyage.  

The MayFly set sail from the quay behind the Hunt Museum on Sunday, May 1. The voyage hopes to start conversations and educate communities about nature, solar energy, climate change and the environment by way of ‘Eco Sundays’ workshops in various locations along the MayFly’s path.

Over the Riverfest weekend, artists Anne Cleary and Denis Connolly celebrated the impending launch of the Eco Showboat with a weekend of events at the Curraghgour Boat Club and the Hunt Museum.  

The vessel’s flag, which was designed by artists Canavan & Power, depicts the mayfly – an aquatic insect that resides in the Northern Hemisphere. The 2.5 metre biodegradable flag represents the fragility of freshwater habitats and ecologies found around the world.

The flag was selected for ‘The Flag Project’ in New York City, supported by The Rockefeller Center, the Climate Museum and the United Nations Environment Programme. It recently flew over the iconic Rockefeller Center Rink during Earth Day Celebrations in April, before returning to Ireland to journey aboard the vessel this summer.

A small solar and wind-powered yacht, the vessel was once the Redstart; a yacht converted to an electric riverboat originally based in the UK. Once acquired by Eco Showboat, it was fitted with a solar array and was treated to a new look, thanks to a group of associated artists.

The Eco Showboat project has been recognised with a series of accolades, including the Arts Council Open Call Award and the Limerick City and County Council Arts Strategic Award.

For more information about the  Eco Showboat MayFly expedition, go HERE

For more environmental stories, go HERE

Mari Skåre, Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland, Fionan Coughlan and Deirdre Power pictured at Riverfest with the Mayfly Flag. Picture: Richard Lynch/ilovelimerick
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Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.