Trainees who made outstanding contributions to the Tall Ships voyages organised in 2022 by the charity Sail Training Ireland were recognised at the Annual Awards Ceremony at the Mansion House, courtesy of Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy (on Saturday, 28th January 2023).
The award winners were among the 546 trainees who sailed on voyages on tall ships last year. Since 2011, 3,000 young people from all backgrounds and abilities have availed of the opportunities provided by Sail Training Ireland (STIrl) to participate in training and self-development programmes. These are designed to offer a change in direction, perspective, attitude, and behaviour leading to self-confidence, motivation, and the acquisition of new skills.
Volunteer of the Year Anita Oman-Wrynn receiving the award from Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy and Sail Training Ireland Chairman, Seamus McLoughlin
“Sail Training Ireland promotes education and youth development through adventure, shared experiences, and challenge by introducing young people to life on a Tall Ship as a platform for personal development. The charity offers this opportunity to young people from all backgrounds and with all abilities. Dublin City Council and Dublin Port Company have been jointly supporting this Charity since the Tall Ships Race Festival in 2012 as a legacy to that festival and the benefits to the community, which it created. I am delighted that the generous contribution from Dublin City Council in 2022 has helped over two hundred young people from Dublin to participate” Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy
Trainees include young people from residential care homes, Garda Diversion Projects, Youth and Community groups and Schools, drug rehabilitation programmes, asylum seekers and young people with additional needs across Ireland.
The highlights of Sail Training Ireland’s programmes in 2023 will include:
- Erasmus+ Youth Exchange between Ireland and Malta.
- Two STEM at Sea voyages incorporating science at sea training workshops.
- Thirty young people from Dublin’s North-East inner city participating as part of the Taoiseach’s taskforce NEIC project.
- Regional sail training schemes (funded programmes) in Drogheda, Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Wexford, and Waterford.
- Cross Border voyages including young people North and South.
- As part of the Ability Voyage project, several wheelchair users will go on board the Tall Ship ‘Tenacious,’ a ship built specifically to cater to those with disabilities.
- The Government of Ireland (Department of Defence, Dublin City Council and Dublin Port Company continue to support the charity.
“The core aim of Sail Training Ireland is to ensure that all young people across the island of Ireland have access to the life-changing experience of a voyage at sea. 2022 has been a record year with over 546 trainees partaking in thirty voyages on five vessels. The Government funding provided again for 2023 will allow us to offer the opportunity to those who otherwise may not have been able to avail of such a chance. ” - Sail Training Ireland CEO - Daragh Sheridan
Anyone interested in partaking in a voyage or organisations that work with young people that may benefit from such an experience, should contact Sail Training Ireland at www.sailtrainingireland.com, email [email protected], or phone: 01 845 4773
