Displaying items by tag: blue flag marinas

26th May 2021

All Ten Irish Marinas Retain Blue Flag Status for 2021

All 10 marinas awarded a Blue Flag in 2020 have been awarded a Blue Flag for the coming season.

Of the 26 counties, four have two Blue Flags and two counties have one.

The International Blue Flag and Green Coast Award recipients for 2021 were announced by the Education Unit of An Taisce yesterday.

As Afloat reported, the number of Blue Flags awarded this season set a new record for the Republic of Ireland for beaches and marinas.

Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina on the Owenabue river in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour has retained its Blue Flag for 2021 Photo: Bob Bateman

The retention of Blue Flag status at both Kinsale Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club means that Cork has a total of 12 Blue Flag beaches and marinas a record annual haul for the rebel county.

Quigley's Marina, Killinure Point on the River Shannon in County West Meath has retained the Blue Flag awarded in 2020. Quigleys' Marina has been awarded every year since 2003.

The 10 marinas (from a coastal network of approximately 60 marinas and pontoons) that have achieved this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management.

The Ten 2021 Irish Blue Flag Marinas are:

WEXFORD

Kilmore Quay Marina
New Ross: Three Sisters Marina

CORK

Royal Cork Yacht Club
Kinsale Yacht Club

KERRY

Portmagee seasonal Visitors pontoon
Fenti Marina

CLARE

Kilrush Marina

WESTMEATH

Quigley's Marina

DONEGAL

Rathmullan Marina
Greencastle Marina

Published in Irish Marinas

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Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class

Two Irish hopes in the 2023 Fastnet Race from Cowes will compete first in a 20-boat Coastal Class at July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR).

Pre-event favourites must be the First 50 Checkmate XX, fresh from Sovereign's Cup victory (three wins from four races sailed) and the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom.

Four races and one discard for the coastal division will be under International Race Officer Con Murphy.

The course will be decided on the race day and communicated to each skipper via a dedicated Offshore WhatsApp group at least one hour before the start.

The finish will be between the Pier Ends at the Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance. The finishing time will be taken from the Yellowbrick tracker system.

The class will be the first to start on Thursday, with a warning signal at 1425 and 0955 on Friday. Coastal starts at 1055 on Saturday and 0955 on Sunday.

The course will use DBSC Marks, Volvo Yellow inflatable Top Hat and Shipping Navigation Marks.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class Entries

GBR 8859R Jackknife J125 Andrew Hall Pwllheli
GBR 8911R Jezebel J111 1.093 Cris Miles Pwllheli Sailing Club
IRL 3435 Albireo 0.928 David Simpson RIYC
IRL 9898 Indecision J109 1.007 Declan Hayes RIYC
IRL 811 RAPTOR 1.007 Fintan Cairns RIYC
GER 6577 Opal 1.432 Frank Whelan GSC
GBR 9740R SLOOP JOHN T SWAN 40 Iain Thomson
IRL 1507 1.057 James Tyrrell ASC
IRL 1129 Jump The Gun J109 1.005 John M Kelly RIYC
GBR 7536R Hot Cookie Sunfast 3600 John O'Gorman NYC
IRL 3471 Black Velvet 0.979 Leslie Parnell RIYC
IRL 4007 Tsunami First 40.7 Michelle Farreall National Yacht Club
IRL 66 Checkmate XX 1.115 Nigel BIGGS HYC
GBR 6695R Wild Haggis Farr 30 1.060 Nigel Ingram Holyhead
GBR 9496T Bojangles J109 0.999 Paul HAMPSON Liverpool Yacht Club
IRL 1367 Boomerang Beneteau 36.7 0.997 Paul Kirwan
GBR 8992R Lightning Farr 30 1.074 Paul Sutton Holyhead Sailing Club
GBR 9047R Mojito J109 Peter Dunlop Pwllheli SC - RDYC
GBR 9244R Samatom Grand Soleil 44R 1.134 Robert Rendell HYC
IRL 44444 Magic Touch 0.979 Steve Hayes GSC
IRL 3317 Scotia First 31.7 0.930 Terence Fair Ballyholme yacht club
GBR 5373 Honey Bee Hunter HB31 0.900 William Partington Pwllheli Sailing Club / SCYC