Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Killaloe Sailing Club in County Clare played host to the highly anticipated GP14 Munster Championships, the first championship of 2024. The event drew 27 teams from across Ireland to experience the excitement and charm of sailing on Lough Derg. For…
Top Solo Sailors Compete in The Transat CIC Race Across The North Atlantic
28th April 2024 Solo Sailing
The Transat CIC, the legendary solo race across the North Atlantic, commenced on Sunday with 48 sailors setting sail from Lorient, Brittany towards New York. Blessed with sunny skies, cumulus clouds, and a decent 10-15kts of Westerly wind, the sailors…
One of Cork Harbour’s most notorious islands, Spike, is the subject of a new book published this week. “Spike Island—the Rebels, Residents, and Crafty Criminals of Ireland’s Historic Island” was written by John Crotty and will be launched by Cork’s…
O'Tiarnaigh's eXcession is YTC Rating Winner at Royal Ulster Yacht Club Spring Series on Belfast Lough
28th April 2024 Belfast Lough
Inclement weather played havoc with the six-race Royal Ulster Yacht Club Spring Series on Belfast Lough, with Sunday, 7th April, cancelled. However, four races eventually gave overall results. The last outing on 21st April started with little wind, and the…
Oceans of Hope Challenge Hosts Second Introduction to Sailing Day with MS Ireland in Dun Laoghaire
28th April 2024 INSS
An introduction to sailing in Dun Laoghaire Harbour for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) earlier this month (April) was so successful that a second is planned for May 8th. As reported by Afloat, the initiative is run by MS Ireland…
Tributes have been paid to Jo English, SailCork's administration and customer care manager who died earlier this month after a brief illness. The Sunday Independent reports that the many tributes have included those from Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) admiral…
Royal Cork's 'Nieulargo' Crew Crowned Axiom Spring Series IRC One Champion at Kinsale (Photo Galleries Here!)
28th April 2024 Kinsale
After five races sailed and one discard, Denis and Annamarie Murphy's Nieulargo was crowned IRC One champion at Kinsale Yacht Club's Axiom Private Clients Spring Series 2024 on Sunday. The Royal Cork Yacht Club Grand Soleil 40 crew, skippered by RCYC's Lady…
Northern Irish Finn Sailor Books Congressional Cup Semi Final Place with with Ian Williams in California
28th April 2024 Match Racing
Multi-talented Irish Finn Sailor Oisin McClelland from Donaghdee in County Down, who recently joined the 44Cup circuit, is in top match-racing form in America this weekend as part of Great Britain’s Ian Williams Congressional Cup crew, which is through to Sunday's…
Clifden RNLI’s volunteer crew in western Connemara launched on Thursday evening (25 April) to rescue a sailor from the upturned hull of his sailing boat in Clifden Bay. At 8.45pm the lifeboat crew were tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard…
Ideal Conditions for First Saturday Races of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Summer Season
27th April 2024 DBSC
There were ideal conditions for Dublin Bay Sailing Club's first AIB Saturday race of the 2024 season, on April 25th, in medium north-easterly winds and a classic Dublin Bay chop. In a ten-boat turnout, J109s took the top three places…
Galway RNLI’s volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard on Saturday afternoon following a report of two people stranded by the tide on Hare Island, which is located on inner Galway Bay. The crew’s pagers were…
National Yacht Club organisers have confirmed that the 15-boat ISORA fleet will race a 28-mile coastal race from Dun Laoghaire. As Afloat reported previously, the Howth Yacht Club J109 Indian (Colm Buckley and Simon Knowles) returns to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour line this…
European Fisheries Control Agency Says Introducing Its Own Offshore Patrol Ships and Airplane Marked "A Turning Point"
27th April 2024 Fishing
Deploying three offshore patrol vessels for the first time added “fundamental fisheries control capacity to the EU”, according to the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA). The EFCA says that the chartering of three seaborne inspection platforms—the Ocean Sentinel, the Ocean…
The Royal Irish Yacht Club of Dun Laoghaire is so far the only club in Ireland which has indicated to Denis Byrne, Commodore of the governing Irish Cruiser-Racer Association and Vice Admiral of the Royal Cork YC, that it is…
Jetty Closures for Fermanagh Classic Fishing Festival in Enniskillen
26th April 2024 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels and waterways users on the Erne System in Northern Ireland that Fermanagh’s annual Classic Fishing Festival will take place on Lough Erne from this Sunday 28 April to Friday 3 May. Inland waterways users are…
Crosshaven Lifeboat Launches to Aid of Two on 30ft Yacht in Difficulty
26th April 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
Crosshaven RNLI in Cork Harbour came to aid of two people on Wednesday (24 April) after their 30ft yacht got into difficulty. The yacht’s crew who were on passage from Dublin to Crosshaven alerted the Irish Coast Guard at Valentia…
Shannon Navigation: Tarmonbarry Lifting Bridge to Reopen on May Bank Holiday Weekend
26th April 2024 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises masters of vessels on and users of the Shannon Navigation that the lifting bridge at Tarmonbarry in Co Roscommon will now reopen on Friday 3 May. This extension of the bridge’s closure since February is a result…
Irish 49er Trial Comes Down to the Wire as Ireland Exits French Olympic Week With No Medal Race Finish
26th April 2024 Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing
Irish Olympic class sailors did not make it to Saturday's medal race final at French Olympic Week in Hyères, France on April 26th, 2024. This week's regatta saw all events conclude their series despite moderate winds and torrential rain on…
Brittany Ferries to Add Third Weekly Sailing Between Rosslare and Cherbourg from April
26th April 2024 Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries, the popular ferry operator, has announced plans to add a third weekly return-sailing between Rosslare and Cherbourg from April 29th. The move is aimed at boosting connectivity ahead of the company's rail-ferry service launch in 2025. The new…
Loop Head Lighthouse at Mouth of Shannon Estuary to Get New Visitor Facilities with Clare County Council Planning Approval
26th April 2024 Lighthouses
Clare County Council has been granted planning approval to develop new visitor facilities at Loop Head Lighthouse Visitor Experience at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary in County Clare. This proposed development will feature new visitor centre facilities, a Looped…