#loughderg – Iniscealtra Sailing Club and Garykennedy Sailing Club hosted the annual 24–mile long Gortmore Bell Race on Lough Derg at the weekend, 36 sailing boats ranging from one design types such as 1720s and J24s plus a good mix of 28ft to 34ft cruiser–racers competed. Conditions for the Lough's long distance race were ideal with wind speeds ranging from eight and 14 knots from the north–east.

The course for the 2014 race was from a start Line in Mountshannon Bay to the Gortmore Green Navigation Mark rounded to Port, thence to Coose Bay Red Navigation Mark to port, Mountaineer Green Navigation Mark  to starboard and a finish in Mountshannon Bay.

The winning boat boat was the Hanse 34 sailing cruiser, Dash, skippered by Dan O'Donnell of  Iniscealtra Sailing Club.

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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