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Displaying items by tag: Dún Aonghasa

The Aran island fort of Dún Aonghasa was sixth most visited national monument in Ireland in 2022, while Kerry’s Blasket island visitor centre has recorded a significant increase.

Coastal locations remained highly popular last year among over 800 historic sites and monuments managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) for the State.

Figures released by the OPW show Dún Aonghasa on Arainn’s Inis Mór in Galway Bay recorded 119,893 visitors who paid entry in 2022, compared to 83,892 in 2021 when the islands had a more restricted season due to Covid-19.

Kerry’s Great Blasket island recorded 12,000 visitors last year, compared to 8,137 in 2021.

"Coastal locations remained highly popular last year among over 800 historic sites"

The Blasket Island visitor centre and viewing point on the mainland, Ionad an Bhlascaoid, recorded a large increase, with 43,348 visitors last year compared to 11,067 in 2021.

North Mayo’s Céide Fields recorded a fall in visits, with 22,396 last year compared to 24,176 in 2021.

Kerry’s Scelig Mhichíl (Skellig Michael), where visitor numbers are restricted, had 14,197 visitors in 2022 compared to 12,105 the previous year.

Connemara’s newer attraction, Ionad Cultúrtha an Phiarsaigh (Pearse's Cottage), recorded a big surge in numbers, growing from 11,075 in 2021 to 19,292 last year.

The OPW said the overall number of recorded visitors last year exceeded 15 million, up by 2.3 million on 2021, an increase of 18%.

The OPW said it “manages and maintains the most important of Ireland’s historic buildings and heritage”.

“We take meticulous care of the 780 heritage sites in our charge and, at the 70 sites with visitor services, we work hard to present them to their best potential,”it said.

Talks are still continuing in relation to a pay allowance for guides and staff at Skellig Michael, as reported by Afloat.

Published in Island News

The Round Britain & Ireland Race

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race will feature a wide variety of yachts racing under the IRC rating rule as well as one design and open classes, such as IMOCA, Class40 and Multihulls. The majority of the fleet will race fully crewed, but with the popularity of the Two-Handed class in recent years, the race is expected to have a record entry.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race starts on Sunday 7th August 2022 from Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK.

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is organised by The Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with The Royal Yacht Squadron.

It is run every four years. There have been nine editions of the Round Britain and Ireland Race which started in 1976 Sevenstar has sponsored the race four times - 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and has committed to a longterm partnership with the RORC

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is a fully crewed non-stop race covering 1,805 nautical miles and is open to IRC, IRC Two Handed, IMOCA 60s, Class40s, Volvo 65s and Multihulls that will race around Britain and Ireland, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes on the Isle of Wight starting after Cowes Week on Sunday 7 August 2022

The last edition of the race in 2018 attracted 28 teams with crews from 18 nations. Giles Redpath's British Lombard 46 saw over victory and Phil Sharp's Class40 Imerys Clean Energy established a new world record for 40ft and under, completing the course in 8 days 4 hrs 14 mins 49 secs.

The 1,805nm course will take competitors around some of the busiest and most tactically challenging sailing waters in the world. It attracts a diverse range of yachts and crew, most of which are enticed by the challenge it offers as well as the diversity and beauty of the route around Britain and Ireland with spectacular scenery and wildlife.

Most sailors agree that this race is one of the toughest tests as it is nearly as long as an Atlantic crossing, but the changes of direction at headlands will mean constant breaks in the watch system for sail changes and sail trim

Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Records:

  • Outright - OMA07 Musandam-Oman Sail, MOD 70, Sidney Gavignet, 2014: 3 days 03:32:36
  • Monohull - Azzam Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, VO 65, Ian Walker, 2014: 4 days 13:10:28
  • Monohull All-Female - Team SCA, VO 65, Samantha Davies, 2014: 4 days 21:00:39
  • Monohull 60ft or less - Artemis Team Endeavour, IMOCA 60, Brian Thompson/Artemis Ocean Racing, 2014: 5 days 14:00:54
  • Monohull 40ft or less – Imerys Clean Energy, Class40, Phil Sharp, 2018: 8 days 4:14:49