Kilrush Maritime Ltd has received two Blue Flags for its operations on the West coast of Ireland at Kilrush Marina on the Shannon Estuary and Portmagee pontoons in County Kerry.

Kilrush Marina, in Co. Clare, which was built in 1991 came under the ownership of Mr. Louis Keating in 2014 and has seen significant investment in infrastructure since. The marina has been managed since 2018 by former Commodore of West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association (WIORA), Simon McGibney. Kilrush Marina last held Blue Flag status in 2005.

Portmagee visitors pontoons

Kilrush Maritime Ltd also manages the seasonal 16-berth visitors pontoons in Portmagee, Co. Kerry. The pontoon, opened in 2014, operates annually from 1st April to 31st October. The berths provide shelter for visiting boats along the west coast and also provide a base for local Skellig tour operators.

The Blue Flag programme administered in Ireland by An Taisce, promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas first started in France in 1985. It is run by the non-profit organisation FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) and has become a global programme with an ever-increasing number of countries taking part.

Irish Sailing President Jack Roy officially opened the Kilrush Marina Training Centre on the Shannon Estuary in County Clare last Sunday.

“This is another great addition to the Clare region and an addition to the services provided at Kilrush Marina”, explained Training Centre Principal and Marina Manager Simon McGibney.

“We are delighted to be a recognised Irish Sailing Training Centre and look forward to providing courses in Powerboat, Shorebased Navigation and Keelboat instruction.”

Irish Sailing President Jack Roy has always been an advocate for shore-based courses giving a sound foundation in navigation and the large attendance at the official opening heard from Jack Roy of the importance of these foundations in emergency situations.

Jack also complimented Kilrush Marina for the boost it has given to sailing in the estuary in recent times, supporting local sailing club events and bringing new visitors cruising up and down the estuary. The attendance at the opening was from the general public, local businesses, local sailing clubs including the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland and Cullaun Sailing Club, members of the local RNLI, and junior and senior members of the local currach club who had been out training that morning in the marina.

Local councillor Mr Ian Lynch stated, “it’s great to see the marina bringing more courses to the maritime town which in turn brings more activity to the area”.

Kilrush Marina Training Centre also provides VHF and First Aid courses. For further information on Kilrush Marina Irish Sailing courses check out www.kilrushmarina.ie

A successful Irish University Sailing Association (IUSA) Intervarsity team racing championships concluded today at Kilrush Marina on the Shannon Estuary in County Clare.

To a bystander not familiar with team racing it may have appeared somewhat chaotic with lots of boats, whistle blowing and flags. Team racing encourages an indepth knowledge of the rules and the umpires did a fantastic job in ensuring racing went off smoothly. The round robin series consisting of one hundred and thirty seven races followed by twenty eight quarter final races were all completed on the first two days. On the final day's racing twenty three races were run to complete the semi finals and finals. Twenty eight teams representing eight Irish universities, two Scottish universities and one hundred and sixty eight competitors in total took part. Conditions on the final day were excellent for racing with a light to moderate westerly breeze.

Racing concluded with everyone off the water and tidyed up in time for the rugby match. Overall winners lifting the IUSA Plate were UCC 1. NUIG Galway, co-hosting with UCC for the first time reached the semi-finals in their fleet. Credit must go to the student organisers from both universities for an extremely well run event. Prizegiving takes place in the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis this Saturday night.

The universities represented were National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), University College Cork (UCC), University of Limerick (UL), Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU), Trinity College Dublin (TCU), Queens University Belfast (QUB), Stratclyde University (SU), Scottish Student Sailing (SSS).

Final Results:
Gold Fleet: 1st UCC 1, 2nd SSS 1, 3rd UCD 1
Silver Fleet: 1st UCD 2, 2nd UCC 3
Bronze Fleet: 1st DCU 1, 2nd UCC 4

Simon McGibney of Kilrush Marina with Kathy Hynes Development Officer for Clubs and Participation NUIG

West coast sailor Simon McGibney, originally from Tarbert in Co. Kerry has been appointed the new manager at Kilrush Marina in Co. Clare.

As Afloat.ie reported at the time, the marina came under new ownership in 2014 and has undergone considerable redevelopment since then with significant upgrades to the marina facilities and the boatyard.

McGibney is the current commodore of ICRA, the national cruiser–racing body.

The marina is now easily accessible through automated lock gates and offers 120 fully serviced pontoon berths with a maximum length of 30 metres, a beam of 8 metres, and a draft of 3 metres.

The marina centre provides visitor facilities including changing rooms, showers, toilets, lounge area and marina reception and offices.

One of the most recent instalments includes floating glamping pods overlooking the marina.

Marina services include a boatyard with full repair and service facilities including a 40–ton travel hoist, slipway, automated fuel berth and boat storage, both indoor and outdoor.

The marina provides a safe haven for boats afloat, either in summer or winter, located conveniently just 500 metres from local supermarkets, shops, pubs and banks.

Simon McGibney, who has extensive experience in the marine industry, tourism, marketing and IT, and is known to many from his roles as Commodore of WIORA and ICRA and currently a board member of Irish Sailing, takes up his appointment this week. 

The third and fourth keelboat races of the Royal Western Yacht Club October Series were sailed yesterday in some fresh conditions on the Shannon Estuary at Kilrush creek Marina.

Photo gallery by Kim Roberts below.

#kilrushmarina – Work on lock gates at Kilrush marina on the Shannon Estuary was completed in March, just in time for the first sail of the year over St Patricks weekend.

The 120 berth Kilrush Marina has recently been undergoing an exciting upgrade and modernisation under the new ownership of L&M Keating, Building and Civil Engineering contractors based in Kilmihill, Co Clare.

Kilrush Marina was taken over by operating company L&M Keating (Maritime) Ltd in July 2014, since when a one million euro investment has been taking place at this strategically important marina that stands at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary and the start of the Shannon system.

Under manager Kim Roberts the massive upgrade, which is almost finished, has marked the revival of the Marina to compliment the town of Kilrush, winner of the 2014 Tidy Towns gold medal award. Among the major work carried out was the renovation of the lock gates which necessitated the closure for 8 weeks in January and February. The gates are being currently automated so 24 hr access will shortly be available, the dredging on the channel is due to begin within weeks which will return the channel to 2.5 m below LAT.

Also at Kilrush, one of only three marinas on the west coast, the pontoon berths have been rewired and the pontoons repaired, a new floating breakwater is constructed and due to be installed shortly which will offer additional protection to an already well sheltered and safe marina.

A self service state of the art diesel system has been fitted in the marina with 24hr opening and which is operated using debit or credit cards. In the boatyard the marina haspurchased a 15-ton hydraulic trailer to compliment the 45-ton travel hoist, so Kilrush Marina can now offer indoor storage in addition to the extensive existing boatyard out door storage.

The Marina Centre has been modernised and upgraded with the approach roads and car parking re done along with landscaping to give a very attractive visual aspect to the town of Kilrush. Other facilities added include Wi Fi to all pontoon berths.
It has been a very exciting time for all our customers who can look forward to using the newly enhanced facilities and enjoying the high levels of customer service Kilrush Marina are now proud to offer.

Kilrush Marina and boatyard is strategically placed for exploring the unspoilt west coast of Ireland, including Galway Bay, Dingle, west Cork and Kerry. It also provides a gateway to over 150 miles of cruising on Lough Derg, the River Shannon and the Irish canal system. Accessed via lock gates, the marina lies at one end of the main street in Kilrush, the marina centre provides all the facilities for the visiting sailor. Kilrush is a vibrant market town with a long maritime history. A 15 minute ferry ride from the marina takes you to Scattery Island, once a 6th Century monastic settlement but now only inhabited by wildlife. The Shannon Estuary is reputed for being the country's first marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is home to Ireland's only known resident group of bottlenose dolphins.

Kilrush Marina,

Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland

Tel: 00353 65 9052072  Mobile: 00353 86 2313870

Email: [email protected]

VHF: Ch 80

Access: H24