Waterford Harbour (Dunmore East) Sailing Club

Founded in 1934 this is a family club with around 200 members. The clubhouse was extensively renovated in 2004. Visitors are most welcome and a limited number of visitor berths are available. Showers and toilets are also available to visitors in the summer. The clubhouse, with bar and snack meals, is open daily in the summer and at weekends during the winter. ISA Junior training courses and powerboat courses take place from late June until mid-August. Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore shorebased courses are available during the winter.

Left: The beach at Dunmore East

COURSES OFFERED – Dinghy: Up to Improving Skills, Advanced Boat Handling, Racing 1, Kites & Wires 1, Adventure 1. Power Boat: 1, 2 and Safety Boat. Cruising Shorebased: Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore

Waterford Harbour (Dunmore East) Sailing Club, c/o Derry O'Sullivan, The Harbour, Dunmore East, Co Waterford. Tel: 051 383389 and 383230, email: [email protected]

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Greystones Motor Yacht Club

Do you own a power boat or a yacht?

Do you moor or berth it elsewhere because of the poor condition of Greystones harbour?

Is it your intention to keep your boat at the new Greystones harbour?

Do you like having fun?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to the above four questions then we have some good news for you. As you will be aware a vibrant new community harbour and marina is to be built at Greystones. We welcome this improvement and all the facilities that are being put in for the existing clubs and for the general public who will be able to enjoy this great addition to our town.

We intend to set up the Greystones Motor Yacht Club. The purpose of this club will be to cater for the needs of both motor boats and yachts. As it stands there is no club for us to join in Greystones so it is our intention to start such a club.

Setting up the Greystones MYC has commenced but will take some time. However if you are interested in becoming a member please register your interest by emailing your details to us.

Greystones Motor Yacht Club, Greystones, Co. Wicklow. Tel: 085 788 9544 or email: [email protected]

or c/o Michael Quinn, 20 Main Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Tel: 086 2675382, 01 282 9541, or email: [email protected]

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Port of Ballina

Coordinates: 54°07′00″N 9°10′00″W / 54.1167°N 9.1667°W / 54.1167; -9.1667

Ballina (Irish: Béal an Átha or Béal Átha an Fheadha, lit. mouth of the ford) is a large town in north Co Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west. The town occupies two Baronies; Tirawley on the west bank of the Moy River, and Tireragh on the east bank.

The recorded population of Ballina's urban area is 10,409. Census 2006 figures released by the Central Statistics Office in September 2007 showed that Ballina had the highest rate of unemployment amongst large towns in the Republic of Ireland. Some 15.8% of Ballina's population was out of work when the 2006 census was taken. Unlike neighbouring towns such as Castlebar and Sligo, it is claimed that Ballina suffered from a lack of government investment for many years because it was not effectively represented in Dail Eireann.

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica the first signs of settlement on the site of the town dates from around 1375 when an Augustinian friary was founded. Belleek, now part of the town, pre-dates the town’s formation, and can be dated back to the late 15th century, or early 16th century. However, what is now known as Belleek Castle was built in 1831. Ballina was officially established as a town in 1723 by O'Hara, Lord Tyrawley.

Belleek Estate

The Belleek estate once occupied lands from the Moy River to the modern-day Killala Road. This included part of the ‘Old French Road’ which General Humbert marched on from Killala, and beside part of which in the Killala Road-Belleek area was Belleek’s reservoir – presumably destroyed in the construction of Coca-Cola’s ‘Ballina Beverages’ factory; the ‘Old French Road’ is now closed off at that point, with what amounts to diversion road signs claiming Humbert marched where he did not.

Old Borders

Ballina is located on the west side of the County Mayo - County Sligo border. Part of what is now the town was once (prior to the Local Government Act, 1898) part of County Sligo, with the border for the most part once being the River Moy, east of which was in Sligo, including Ardnare], and Crockets Town (the Quay).

Port of Ballina, River Moy Harbour Commission, The Quay, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Tel: 096 21208.

Sailing In Dublin Club (SID)

Sailing in Dublin Club (SID) is a small friendly club based in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Founded thirty years ago, the Club offers the opportunity of sailing regularly without having

to buy a boat. SID provides a fleet of dinghies and three yachts for sailing activities -

including racing and cruising – for a very competitive and affordable membership

subscription fee. The club welcomes adults who wish to enjoy sailing in Dublin Bay and

beyond.

If you are a beginner, you can sail on the club's 33ft Sigma and 23ft Ruffian keelboats with

experienced crew to build up your sailing skills and knowledge. If you have some sailing

experience, you can spend more time on the water dinghy sailing, on SID's 35ft cruising boat

Silver Wind, or on our keelboats where you can take part in all aspects of sailing, from

crewing to helming to navigation. SID gives you the opportunity of sailing with more

experienced sailors to build on sail training courses you may have taken elsewhere, or

perhaps before committing yourself to buying a boat.

Along with day sails in Dublin Bay and cruises further afield, all members are encouraged to

take part in races and regattas held in Dun Laoghaire during the summer months and the

'frostbite' series held on Sundays during the winter. Reflective of the club's voluntary ethos,

members take part in all aspects of running and organising the club and help with boat

maintenance. Boats, rescue cover and safety equipment are provided. Guest sails with the

club are available for those wishing to see what the club has to offer before joining as a full

member. The cost of a guest sail is redeemable against the full membership fee.

Regular weekend dinghy and yacht day sails and races continue over winter months subject

to suitable weather conditions. Club members are also encouraged to up-skill by

participating in on-shore training courses, attending talks. There are also opportunities for

socialising after sails as well as through Club dinners and other social events.

Club membership runs from January 1st to December 31st. In 2015 the annual membership

fee is €370. For details of any special offers throughout the year keep an eye on the Club's

website.

Further information on Sailing in Dublin Club and details of how to join can be found by

going to www.sailingindublin.ie or by contacting the SID Membership Secretary,
Email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/sailingindublin

Lough Derg Jet Ski Club

Lough Derg Jet Ski Club has become a reality thanks to a group of Jet Ski enthusiasts who are trying to safeguard the future of their sport, for themselves and for future generations.

After hearing the possibility/reality that Personal Water Craft (PWC) and powerboats were going to be banned on our waters, we came to a conclusion that if weren’t proactive about the future of our sport, and build a better relationship with both the general public, local authorities and other users on the water the inevitable was going to happen.

A committee was formed on the 26/03/2008 and with the help from Denis Dillon, the Motorboat Development Officer of the ISA, various channels of communications were opened with Waterways Ireland, Local Councils and the Irish Sailing Authority (the national body for boating in Ireland who are actively encouraging and promoting clubs in Ireland) and other authorities.

From general feedback from local authorities we understand that they don’t actually want to ban our crafts but it is necessary for them to be able to control and manage their use - which is not possible on an individual basis. In the UK the PWC users were looking at a similar ban until they formed clubs and took responsibility for their sport and became accountable to uphold certain standards, rules and regulations for their members.

Our Aim is to secure the future of our sport by developing our relationship with the relevant authorities, to show them that by promoting safe and considerate use of PWSs within club structures, is the way forward, to benefit all involved. 

Club mobile – 087 6614521

Chairperson – Alan Mooney – [email protected]

Safety Officer – Martin Tierney – [email protected] – 086 066 4137

Treasurer – Jon O'Shaughnessy – [email protected] – 086 2255 904

(The above information and image courtesy of Lough Derg Jetski Club) 

Lough Derg Jetski Club, Lough Derg Jet Ski Club, Ballina, Co. Tipperary

or c/o Joe Doolan, Secretary, Forthenry, Ballina. Tel: 087 661 4521, email: [email protected]

Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association

History

The germ of ISORA started after the war when Irish Sea racing was at an extremely low ebb, although there was a tradition of such races such as the Tranmere Sailing Club's Midnight Race, run since 1907, and the Llandudno Race run by the Royal Mersey Yacht Club as a feeder race for the Menai Straits Regatta.

In order to revive interest in offshore racing, Peter Brett and Mostyn Vicars formed the 'Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee' which laid the foundations of our present organisation. The following extract from the minutes defines its activities and make-up:-

"The purpose of the committee is to assist and encourage clubs in the Merseyside and North Wales area in the sponsoring of offshore races in the Irish Sea under the RORC rating and time scale. The Committee, which is composed of representatives of the RORC and certain local clubs, does not sponsor races itself. Offers from clubs in the district to sponsor such races will be very welcome, and every possible assistance will be given".

The statement of intent has been the basis os all our subsequent activities. Originally the races were confined to those offered by the Royal Mersey, Tramere, Royal Welsh, Royal Anglessey and Royal Dee Clubs, but by 1960 the objective of widened interest was being achieved and extra races under the burgee of South Caerarvonshire Yacht Club and Holyhead Sailing Club were included. The Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee continued to provide a central administration for all this activity, which by 1963 increasedto no less than twenty-one races. Such a programme was beyond the scope of the secretariat and it was feared that the original object of fostering interest might well be defeated through inadequate organisation.

At the annual meeting held at the Royal Mersey Yacht Club on 14th October, 1963 the Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee was dissolved and a new body to be known as the North West Offshore Association (NWOA) was formed. A committee under the Chairmanship of Michael Tomlinson was elected and they declared their aim:-

To organise, with the help of elected clubs, five offshore races each year. Four of those races were to be in excess of 70 miles, i.e. definitely offshore, and the fifth to be a RORC race in excess of 200 miles.

Still based mainly along the Lancashire and North Wales coastline, NWOA continued along the lines laid down by the founders, although a sixth race - the Tod Trophy, was included at a later date to allow the ever increasing 'B' fleet to have racing while their larger sisters were away taking part in the annual RORC event. Over the years it has become obvious that as well as good support for our races from the eastern shores of the Irish Sea, an increasing number of entries were from the Dublin Bay area. In 1971 these Irish entries equalled in number those from all other home ports.

It seems that once again the time had come to see if the NWOA needed bringing up to date, and so in line with tradition, a meeting was called at the Royal Mersey Yacht Club, to which representatives of almost every club around the shores of the Irish Sea were invited. It was suggested that it was time that the NWOA should widen its sphere of activity to include this whole area and representatives from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man and the whole of Ireland's east coast agreed that this was a good idea, and an attempt should be made to produce an integrated racing programme over this area.

It was decided to change the name to the 'Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association' as the most suitable indication of the area in which the clubs are situated. It was also decided that it would be possible to extend the racing programme to include boats from the Isle of Man, the North of Ireland and the Ribble without seriously changing the traditional races (which had been enjoyed so much over the past few years), by including races which the clubs in these areas had run in the past and in which boats from each area should be asked to travel to starts away from home twice, take part in a RORC race (or its small equivalent) as well as starting twice from their home ports. It was also agreed that in 1972 racing should be offered for a third class - namely class 'C' entries to which would be restricted to boats that had not got divided underwater profiles.

At the beginning of the 1972 season, Sandy Taggart from the Clyde approached the English part of the association and asked if we would be willing to include certain Clyde races in our programme and this we agreed to do so. Since the early 70s a week-long offshore regatta has become popular and developed – The Captains Cup in the South of the Irish Sea and the Comet Wheel Series on the Clyde. From these two events the bienniel ISORA Race Week evolved. 

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The Clubs

Holyhead Sailing Club

Howth Yacht Club

National Yacht Club

Pwllheli Sailing Club

Royal Alfred Yacht Club

Wicklow Sailing Club

Royal Dee Yacht Club

Royal St George Yacht Club

South Caernarfonshire Yacht Club

Offshore Rules

Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association

Above: the crew of Cork at the beginning of the Clipper Race 2009 

Lough Swilly Yacht Club

Lough Swilly Yacht Club is based in Fahan Creek on the shores of Lough Swilly, Co Donegal, three miles from Buncrana and ten miles from Derry.

Our membership consists of IRC-racing and cruising sailors as well as powerboat enthusiasts and some keen dinghy sailors. All club members enjoy spending time pottering about on the lough and many like to venture further afield; either to cruise or to represent the club in competition (see the Ships' Blog section for more).

Club History

The Lough Swilly Yacht Club was founded in February, 1955, when a meeting took place in the old City Hotel, with a view to forming a 'club' to encourage sailing and power boating in Lough Swilly by every possible means.

The first Officers of the club were: Commodore Dr. T.E. Hastings. Vice Commodore James McColgan. Rear Commodore Stephen Faller. Secretary Mayne Elliot and Treasurer Norvall Watt. A Committee was set up of men who between them had a wealth of sailing experience and whose enthusiasm and sheer hard work laid the firm foundation of today's thriving club.

The club was fortunate to have as a founder member Mr. James Whyte, Manager of the Lough Swilly Railway Co. and when the railway line from Derry to Buncrana closed in 1953 the club was able to purchase for a very nominal sum the old station waiting room and ticket office, as well as a considerable amount of ground where the old railway line ran beside the water's edge. This formed the nucleus of the present club and in subsequent years the slipway was built and extended, the caravan site erected and the clubhouse itself took in the old station house.

The first racing took place at 3.30pm (Swilly time) on Opening Day, Saturday 2nd July 1955, and there was a fine turnout of miscellaneous craft. After the day's racing all members and friends were invited to afternoon tea at the temporary club premises on the Railway Station Platform in Fanad, durning which prizes were awarded.

(The above information and image courtesy of Lough Swilly Yacht Club. 

 
Lough Swilly Yacht Club, c/o Karen Sleat, Fahan, Lifford, Co Donegal. Email: [email protected]

Garrykennedy Sailing Club

Garrykennedy Sailing Club was founded in The Barge Inn, Garrykennedy (now Larkins) in the first week of September 1985. The subscription was set at £5 and twenty people became members. Willie McGrath was the first Commodore. The first series prize was donated to the club by Joe Reynolds in memory of the late Eddie Regan and was sailed for in October of that year. The boats sailing ranged in length from 17ft to Jubilee B at 33ft. During that series there were about 12 boats in the fleet.

Left: Garrykennedy Castle 

(The above information and image courtesy of Garrykennedy Sailing Club) 

 
Garrykennedy Sailing Club c/o Jim Hughes, Garrykennedy, Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary. Tel: 067 23001, email: [email protected]

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Foynes Yacht Club

Foynes Yacht Club was founded in 1962, it has a modern club house with good facilities, bar, showers, changing rooms, kitchen and dance floor. Floating pontoons and deep water moorings allow ease of access to boats at all stages of the tide. Racing every Wednesday evening during the season. Membership is open to all, and Juniors are especially welcome.

Foynes Yacht Club – Its settings and origins – by R.J. Scott, 1991

In the age of commercial sail right up to the 1914–18 War, the Shannon Estuary was used regularly by coasting schooners and the like. Records show a considerable use of quays at Kilrush, Foynes, Kiladysert by these fine old wooden vessels. In fact, the Clare river (Fergus) was worked right up to Clarecastle in schooners and brigantines carrying as much as 320 tons of coal on 12.5 ft. draft, and that often without power other than flax, wind, a damn good kedge anchor and an even better six-man crew! Within the Estuary, as recently as 1954, the final cargo under sail was carried from Limerick when the late Johnny Davis put his 25-ton cutter Alzina on the mud at Labasheeda for the last time. Today motor craft have taken over from sea­going sail, fewer but bigger, and the lower Shannon sees them in all shapes of increasing ugliness, from 500 to 170,000 tons. In an age where carrying capacity is god and aesthetic beauty of line no longer of value in complex Balance Sheets, estuary craft like the Alzina, Edgar, Lahloo, Baron Joss, Mary Joseph and others have surrendered to the economics of road transport.

The traditions of sail have been passed on and nurtured to a degree by yachtsmen the world over. Yet strangely, the Shannon Estuary appeared to lose much of this contact, that is apart from a comparatively few individuals, hardly more than a dozen or two at one time between 1920 and 1962. Perhaps the best known figure of this era was the late Conor O'Brien of Foynes who, fifty years ago this year (1991), sailed round to Dublin and took his departure on 23rd June in his 20-ton Baltimore-built ketch Saoirse. Exactly two years later to the day, he arrived back to a massive welcome having circumnavigated the world. His craft was the first to carry the new Irish tricolour round the globe. Conor's writings are widely read and his home may still be seen, set amongst the trees on Foynes Island.

It was inevitable, of course, that with the increasing popularity of yachting on other coasts the pastime should develop in the Estuary. In July, 1962 seven boat-owners, five from Limerick, one from Foynes and one from Newcastle West,got together in a Foynes local and simply formed a club. So Foynes Yacht Club was born. For the record, the seven founders were: Dan O'Sullivan (Commodore), Dick Nash (Secretary), Peter Lawless (Treasurer) with Peter McKenna, Pat Dinneen, Joe Bottcher and Roger Bourke.

From this small beginning Foynes Yacht Club had grown to a membership of one hundred and eighty by 1973. That year marked a long sought milestone, the opening of the new clubhouse. With it's 250­ft boat slip built by members in 1971, it gave Foynes and the lower Shannon Region it's first major water based leisure facility.

Coincidentally, the West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association's Annual Championship for Cruisers, also established 1973, has been hosted successfully every third year by the club since then.

Dublin Bay Mermaids were very popular in the club during the early seventies, declined almost to extinction in the eighties, but have returned more popular than ever in the nineties. But, if the Mermaids numbers declined, interest by Mermaiders in Foynes didn't and the Mermaid National Championship was hosted by the club in 1973, 1977, 1984 and 1989 and is again scheduled for 1993. Meanwhile the club instituted The Munster Mermaid Championship in 1990 as an annual event which even attracts boats from the east coast to partici­pate.

Perhaps the busiest year for the club was 1989 when it hosted a GP14 Championship in May, the West of lreland Offshore champion­ship in July, the Mermaid Nationals in August and then revived the town Regatta in September. The club continued to improve by developing its facilities, reclaiming and rockfacing the foreshore, extending and paving the dinghy and car parks and widening the slipway. The Club constructed the first Marina on the west coast, a development which is being considerably extended and improved this year. Plans are also in hand to improve the clubhouse.

And today's club...

The river Shannon is the longest river in the British isles. It rises in Co Cavan and enters the Atlantic ocean in the southwest of Ireland. It is tidal west of Limerick city. It's estuary has a tidal range of over 5 metres and it can run at over 4 knots in places.

Foynes is located in the southwest of Ireland on the southern shore of the Shannon estuary on a channel formed by Foynes Island. It has a very busy commercial port and to the west of this Foynes Yacht club. It is about 25 miles west of Limerick city on the N69.

In the club there are about 12 yacht over 9 metres, eight in the 7–9 metre range and about ten active mermaids plus other dinghies. We race every Wednesday evening during the summer months and on Sundays in September as well as some annual weekend events. In all there are just over 130 members. 

Our facilities include a modern clubhouse with bar, dance floor, toilets and showers.

We have a pontoon which can accommodate approximately eight visiting boats, four club boats, the club crashboat and 12 dinghies.

All other boats are kept on swinging moorings on the east side of Foynes island. Additionally there is a wintering compound for 30 yachts and a launching slip.

(The above information and image courtesy of Foynes Yacht Club)

Foynes Yacht Club, Cooleen Point, Foynes, Co. Limerick. Tel 353 62 65261

or

c/o Elaine O' Mahoney, Coolen Point, Foynes, Co Limerick. Tel: 069 65261, email: [email protected]

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Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club

Dungarvan has always been noted for its sailors and its great sea-faring families and the tradition of the bygone days of the coastal schooners is reflected there today in the strong active sailing club which was founded at a public meeting in the Town Hall on Friday 2nd August 1946. The first officers were Bernard Mulcahy, Commodore, Reveille Farrell, Vice Commodore, Maurice Kiely, Secretary and Joe Donovan, Treasurer.

Left: The Clubhouse

The inaugural race of the club, for the newly presented Mulcahy Cup, was held over a 6½ mile course with a fleet of four boats; Mairead built by Tyrells and owned by Bernard Mulcahy, Maise formerly of Dublin owned by Maurice and Peter Kiely, Naomh Breandáin owned by Gerard Walsh, and Jane Shore owned by James Villiers Stuart. The race was won by Maurice and Peter Kiely.

Helvick based boats then showed an interest and these craft, mostly gaff rigged salmon boats crewed by fishermen from the Helvick and Ring Gaeltacht, were usually well placed. Amongst these 'Pauls Boat' and 'Slatterys Boat' were outstanding, leaving the 'yachts' a poor second on more than one occasion.

In 1948 Reveille Farrell bought Susanna, a nine-ton Bermudan cutter designed by Norman Dallimore and built in 1936. She was to become well known for her many cruises to the West Coast of Ireland, in the English Channel, and Brittany. The most famous of these was in June 1957 when accompanied by Gerard Walsh and John Ballot she sailed to Spain and back. This was a considerable achievement at the time as it was believed that the passage across the Bay of Biscay and back again was beyond the capacity of the average cruising yacht in the normal holiday period. Coincidental with the arrival of “Susanna” some of the older boats changed hands and were lost to the club and big boat racing activity declined. They were replaced by a number of one man canvas sailing canoes, owned and frequently capsized by Col. Jack Hockin, Maurice Kiely, and Tim MacCarthy – which were the beginnings of dinghy sailing in Dungarvan Harbour.

During the winter of 1958, John and Austin Flynn built a 16’ hard chine Petrel class dinghy from plans in an American magazine. Because the design was ideally suited for home construction many Petrels quickly followed and dinghy sailing really became established in Dungarvan. There was great rivalry and competition in the fleet and each new boat came with a further refinement or new 'secret weapon' not seen on previous models. Construction methods changed from larch planking and cotton sails to plywood and terylene. In all 50 boats of the class are known to have been built, the later ones of GRP construction. An unfortunate drawback of the Petrel was the fact it was unique to Dungarvan and those interested in inter club competition had to look to other designs to compete nationally.

GP14s were popular for a while during which period the club hosted the Purcell trophy. Nowadays the dinghy fleet comprises of Wayfarers, Lasers, Mirrors and Toppers sailed by a very active junior section.

The cruiser fleet has also expanded and the burgee of DHSC has been carried far afield and its members have logged many miles from Cape Horn to the Northern Latitudes.

Although once a busy commercial port, Dungarvan in common with many other ports of its size suffered when changes in shipping practices led to a decline in the number of vessels using the port and with trade totally finished many of the old warehouses along the quayside became derelict. Reconstruction has injected new life into this area of the town and created the opportunity for Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club to acquire a site on the quay front on which to build a clubhouse which is now the focal point of club activities.

The Town Council is currently progressing the construction of a marina, which together with the abundance of new restaurants and other onshore facilities available will firmly establish Dungarvan as a compulsory stopover for cruising yachts and greatly ease the current shortage of mooring space in the harbour.

DHSC is a family orientated club. Visitors by road and sea are welcome. Pontoons at quayside. Showers and toilets available in the Clubhouse to visitors. The Clubhouse and bar are open at the weekend from 5pm throughout the year, dinghy and cruiser racing and cruising in company during the summer. 

(The above information and image courtesy of Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club) 

 
Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club, c/o Andrew Corby, Davitt's Quay, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Tel: 058 45663, email: [email protected]

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