An Rás Mór, Cork harbour’s Ocean to City race, returns to the water this June after a break of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Registration will open on March 1st for the multi-craft rowing and paddling race set for June 4th, 2022.

Now in its 18th year, the all-inclusive rowing event welcomes traditional wooden working boats, gigs, skiffs, sloops, lifeboats, longboats, cutters and currachs, kayaks, canoes, ocean sliding-seat boats and stand-up paddleboards.

The last ”in-person” event attracted 600 participants in over 200 craft, a third of which came from abroad, the organisers state. The virtual events over the past two years involved over a dozen countries across four continents, they state.

Billed as Ireland's largest long-distance rowing and paddling race, Ocean to City has four-course distances to choose from across the 28 km course - as in two, seven, 12 and 15 nautical miles, all finishing in Cork city centre.

Budding participants are advised to check the terms and conditions of travel and accommodation arrangements.

This is “just in case Covid forces us to change tack”, the organisers state.

A “spot the boat” brochure has been published, and early bird deals are available. More details of this and registration are on the website here

Cove Sailing Club expect another vintage Quarter Tonner to join its fleet this season with the purchase of the UK yacht, 'Illegal'.

Former CSC Commodore Kieran Dorgan team is part of the syndicate to purchase the new boat that replaces their recently sold Quarter Tonner Diamond late last year.

Illegal is out of the water at present in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. According to CSC, the crew plan to do some early season racing in the UK before having her shipped home.

Cork Harbour sailors will be watching closely to see how she performs, given the success of sistership Diamond last season especially in the recently concluded RCYC December League where she was fast straight out of the box in the hands of new owners. 

The arrival of Illegal is another feather in the cap for the '25-footers' that are on the rise in Cork Harbour thanks to the fact that you can race with a small crew, often made up of just family and friends as Afloat reported previously here

Cove Marina has been given further protection with new anchors and moorings on the popular facility located in the heart of Cork Harbour at Cobh.

2021 saw the further enhancement of the marina with the addition of a new 20-metre breakwater located to the west of the marina.

As regular Afloat readers will know, in August 2020, Storm Ellen damaged boats and the facility itself shortly after it opened earlier that summer.

Along with many other upgrades and maintenance, further protection was also installed to the west with new anchors and moorings in 2021.

Cove Sailing Club says it has two available berths for the 2022 season in its latest newsletter. if you would like to apply for a berth, email [email protected] 

We’ve become sadly inured to reports of Denis Doyle’s exquisitely-varnished Crosshaven-built Frers 51 Moonduster of 1981-vintage mouldering mossily in the harsh climate of northern Norway. So when a certain nautically-minded antiquarian bookseller of the Roughty Valley in southwest Kerry mentioned he’d heard from Scandinavia of the super-star of 1974, the Ron Holland One Tonner Golden Apple built in Cork with Bushe family brilliance for Hugh Coveney, we prepared ourselves for bad news.

Not so. After going through a couple of post-Coveney ownerships in the south of England, many years ago Golden Apple went to Denmark. There, she has been much loved and kept in extremely good order thanks to wintering in one of those classy Baltic boat-sheds where the heating comes on if freezing temperatures threaten.

Were it not for the fact that we know so well when she was built, you’d think she was ten years old at most. But this is indeed the boat in which Harold Cudmore properly launched his stellar international sailing career, and he and she made such an impact in the Worlds at Torquay that everyone now tends to remember Golden Apple even though another boat was the actual winner, with Cudmore’s first Ton Class Worlds title coming two years later in 1976 with the Half Tonner Silver Apple - now owned by Conor Fogerty of Howth.

Golden Apple meanwhile - the pioneer of them all - is now a very manageable classic, and for sale at €60,400 – details and more photos here 

One year on since completion, the Haulbowline Island Recreational Amenity in the heart of Cork Harbour is the largest project of its kind to date in Ireland.

The Haulbowline Remediation by Cork County Council has transformed the former East Tip site into a 22-acre People’s Park in the middle of the Harbour.

And, as we celebrate the first anniversary of the park, Afloat's 'before' aerial photos below show what an amazing transformation has been carried out by Cork County Council. 

650,000 cubic metres of by-products from steel production were deposited here over a 40-year period Photos: Bob Bateman

Haulbowline, home to the headquarters of the Irish Naval Service, was also formerly the location of Ireland’s only steelworks from 1939 until its closure in 2001. 650,000 cubic metres of by-products from the steel production was deposited here over a 40-year period.

The extensive remediation of the site saw the delivery onto the island of over 15,000 HGV loads of material, 47,000 tonnes of rock armour material to protect the shoreline, 180,000 tonnes of subsoil and 37,000 tonnes of topsoil, transforming the site into the scenic landscaped recreational amenity it is today.

As Afloat previously reported, complete with 4kms of fully accessible pathways, a 1 km jogging circuit, playing pitches and seating areas that lend themselves to remarkable views of the harbour and wildlife observation, the island has hundreds of native tree mixes and plants to promote biodiversity.

Saturday, January 15th, was day two of Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s Laser Winter League in Cork Harbour.

A windless morning was in store for the competitors. The bay was calm and clear, and the air had a cold bite. Nonetheless, the ever-popular league had attracted a fleet of sixteen sailors who swarmed the sand quay in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The club hut was surrounded by hustling volunteers who prepared the equipment for the intense racing that was to unfold at Ten O'Clock. With the windward/leeward course set, crash boats launched and sailors dressed, racing could begin.

The first few lasers drifted their way out on a glassy bay. The view of white dinghies on a calm bay was lovely yet unpromising. Alas, the optimism of Race Officer Alan Fehily and his team could not be quenched, and the starting gun went on time.

MBSC Committee Boat and Race Officer Alan Fehily

The pin was crowded and it was a battlefield of lasers fighting their way off the start line for race one. The breeze picked up at a slow pace and the competitors sailed their boats with finesse around the course.

Taking an early lead was MBSC’s Ronan Kenneally who took on the shifty conditions at a rapid pace. Only a metre behind was Richie Harrington. The two pushed each other around the course for the duration of the race. Taking first place was Kenneally, closely followed by Harrington across the finish line.

Slightly more breeze filled the course for race two and an increased tidal flow made race tactics difficult. Battling it out for line honours were MBSC sailors Richie Harrington, Chris Bateman and Rob Howe. With an exciting tacking battle towards the finish line, Harrington took first place. Following in second was Bateman. Rob Howe finished in third, nearly overtaking first and second place boats while they battled it out.

Race three was the most difficult of them all. Tidelines and tricky wind conditions gave the competitors a traditional South Westerly Monkstown bay racecourse.

Excelling on all fronts was MBSC’S Paul O’Sullivan, who took an early lead. Untouchable for the duration of the race, he extended away from the fleet, finishing with a big lead. Ronan Kenneally followed in second place with the consistent Rob Howe finishing in third place.

Once again, the sailors were ashore before twelve noon. After putting the boats away, they converged in the Bosun to warm up chilly hands. It was another great morning’s racing on Monkstown Bay thanks to the fine race organisers and competitive sailors.

Local Laser sailor Chris Bateman emerged as the winner of today's three races of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's Yard of Ale Trophy in Cork Harbour. 

The 14-boat fleet braved strong gales for today's series, the first dinghy racing of the new year.

Second overall was Ronan Kenneally with third place going to Sunday's Well Sailing Club's Paul O'Sullivan. 

Monkstown Bay Sailing Frostbites Results 2022

On December 26th, Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's (MBSC) annual Christmas event was held on the tranquil waters of Cork Harbour.

On the early Sunday morning, sailors in competitive spirit showed up on time to make the early start of ten o'clock.

The bay gleamed in the winter sunshine as people began to arrive at the Sand Quay. Although the sunrise was a pretty sight, it revealed the harbour to be as still as a pond.

Alex Barry and Fred Cudmore were second in a pink RS400 Photo: Bob Bateman

Disregarding the light breeze, twelve boats lined up on the start line. Those boats were made up of a mixed fleet; Three 5o5's, an RS400, and the rest of the pack were made up of standard rigged Lasers.

Slight puffs of breeze began to show on the water just in time as the gun went off. This light wind theme continued for all three races.

Tight racing on the bay (Laser to windward is George Kingston, Laser in between Chris Bateman, blue 505 is Anthony Coole and Chris Granby) Photo: Bob Bateman

A very competitive fleet battled it out for their positions. John Downey and Sandy Rimmington's 5o5 dominated throughout the races, showing a turn of speed that put many Laser sailors in their place.

Laser sailor George Kingston (AUS210150) comes off the start line

The results were set after gently steering their boats around the courses all morning. Winning the Magner Cup was John/Sandy in their 5o5. The RS400 sailed by Alex Barry/Fred Cudmore followed up in second. In third place was Harry Pritchard sailing his Laser.

Brian Jones and Gary Frost in their 5o5 Photo: Bob Bateman

The racing was tight, on time, and the competition was intense. This is typical of Monkstown Bay and its club. Alan Fehily and his team did very well to finish the three races on time. Alan has never failed to get us in on time, and as promised, everyone was ashore by twelve o'clock.

Ronan Kenneally in Laser 192703 Photo: Bob Bateman

While the morning was a great success, it is only the start of Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's season. Coming up in two weeks is the beginning of the Laser Winter League, where Laser sailors from Cork and beyond will be treated to the best dinghy racing in Cork Harbour.

5o5 duo Sandy Rimmington (left) and John Downey Photo: Bob Bateman

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's St. Stephen's Day Race 2021 Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

St Stephen’s Day saw the inaugural launch of traditional Currach craft on the Owenabue River at Carrigaline in Cork Harbour.

Members of Naomhoga Corcaigh rowed from Wesley across to the Otter which is atop the plinth in the centre of the town opposite the Gaelic Bar.

It is hoped to make this an annual St Stephen's Day Event and ties in with wider community plans to turn Carrigaline into a beacon for watersports enthusiasts

Government funding is to be sought to drive the project to fruition.

An initial plan drawn up by municipal district council officials, with the help of a blueway expert, was presented to councillors last May which looked at the possible landing and launching sites for the project along the Owenabue river and estuary.

The plan focused on locations such as Carrigaline Community Park, the two bridges close to it, the town's former abattoir site as well as the Drakes Pool/Rabbit Island area.

Naomhoga Corcaigh members in Carrigaline for the inaugural Currach launch Photo: Brendan Nash

Fine Gael councillor Liam O'Connor, who was the first person to suggest the idea of developing facilities in Carrigaline, welcomed the initial report.

He maintained the ideal site to create permanent facilities for the project, such as toilets, changing rooms etc, was in the Drakes Pool/Rabbit Island area. However, he added that additional parking space would have to be created there to facilitate it.

“It's great that the council has expressed an appetite for this. We should look for this (government) funding for a feasibility study to kick-start this project,” Mr O'Connor told the Irish Examiner in May.

Naomhoga Corcaigh's ethos is to provide access to the River Lee and to encourage the sport of traditional Irish rowing with a bit of craic and beagáinín Gaeilge (a little of the Irish language)!​

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club (MBSC) will hold the only race in Cork Harbour over the Christmas period.

This is the annual St.Stephen’s Day event, also a fundraiser for the RNLI.

An early start is planned, with First Gun at 10 a.m., which will require quite a bit of commitment from those planning to sail after Christmas Day celebrations!

“It’s an open event, with a €10 entry fee and all are welcome,” MBSC says.