PICS: We Dished The Dirt With The Eagle Tallship Coastguards – And Here’s What They’ve Been Up To

Alana Laverty

Oh, hey sailor.

If you’ve been down around the quays over the past few days, you’ve probably noticed the massive tall ship that’s been dwarfing everything around it.

It’s called The Eagle, and its crew has been sailing for 20 days from the Coastguard Academy over in Connecticut – taking in high drama on the high seas, on a craft that is very Pirates of the Carribean, and is used for training future coastguards.

But even though they’re taking a few days to chill in Dublin – and to show people around the craft, which is open to the public until it leaves on Tuesday – there’s a no-drinking rule for cadets, down to the fact that since 1970 a total of eight people have died while working on the ship.

Makes sense; I found it difficult enough to get off and on the boat sober. Can’t imagine how you’d do it while locked.

One told us, with a hint of sadness:

“If a superior walks in and you’re throwing back a pint of Guinness you get in a shit load of trouble.”

That said, we were still interested in what bars and restaurants they’d hit up so far, seeing as it was their first time on land in three weeks.

Naturally, the answer lay within Temple Bar. One told us:

“We went to Gallaghers pub last night and a club bar after that but I don’t really remember what it was called.”

They looked kinda tired but were absolutely buzzing to find out what’s happening in Dublin this weekend. So if you see any of them wandering around looking lost, send them in the right direction.

They’re all heading to The Cliffs Of Moher on Sunday for a bitta authentic Irish sightseeing.

Their trip over was an eventful one, and they even had a man overboard yesterday – he’s grand though, and was plucked back on board in record time – while conditions were very testing.

But then, that’s what they were looking for:

“We had a choice: sail across the Atlantic and go up to Ireland or start in London and go down to Bermuda.

“We chose this one ‘cos they said it was gonna be crazy and dauntless. I can’t believe I’m actually here, on land again after 20 days at sea.”