The Department of Defence will continue to provide funding to Sail Training Ireland for three more years from this year, 2023.

This funding will provide sail training to young persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This funding is subject to compliance with two Performance Delivery Agreements, which were entered into between the Department of Defence and Sail Training Ireland.

The two Agreements will provide for; €100,000 to be provided by the Department of Defence in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025.

In addition, €50,000 will be provided in 2023 from the Dormant Accounts Fund.

Provision of this money will be subject to compliance with the Performance Delivery Agreements, particularly the provision of sail training to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including young people from Northern Ireland.

Fifty exceptional young Irish trainees, who took part in an intensive week-long voyage as crew members of three different sailing vessels, today received their certificates of completion from Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers at a special awards ceremony in Dublin’s Docklands today.

The fifty young people from thirteen counties had just completed an intensive week-long training course with Sail Training Ireland off the coasts of Ireland and the UK, on board three participating vessels – ‘The Brian Ború’, ‘Ilen’ and tall ship ‘Pelican of London’.

The ketch Ilen on the river Liffey

The trainees formed a special guard of honour as part of the 2022 ‘Asgard Armada’ - which saw a special lifting of the East Link Bridge on the River Liffey this morning to allow the three returning boats sail in formation into Dublin docklands, marking the conclusion of their training and just in time for the special presentation award event at the Mayson Hotel on North Wall Quay.

‘It is not so much learning to sail as learning from sailing’

The participants were nominated to take part by various youth organisations throughout the country such as Foróige Youth Diversion, Sailability Northern Ireland, Túsla - the Child and Family Agency, Family Resource centres, School Completion Programmes, Cork Life Centre, Manor St. John Youth Service, Waterford and South Tipperary Youth Service and Scouting Ireland. The 13 counties represented are Antrim, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.

The Pelican of London

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Leo Varadkar TD said: “I congratulate these 50 extraordinary young people who completed the course. In the process they have learned vital skills which will benefit them in their future lives and careers. Sailing is a great way to encourage youth development and train new leaders. This course in particular ensures that sailing does not discriminate against backgrounds or circumstances.”

The Brian Ború

Minister of State for Sport, the Gaeltacht and Defence and Government Chief Whip, Jack Chambers TD, praised the 50 participants. “This all-island initiative by Sail Training Ireland is to be commended. It is crucial for all sports to be inclusive and to give opportunities regardless of background,” Minister Chambers said. “Inclusivity and a SportForAll ethos is at the core of my policies as Minister and I strongly believe that all sports must be welcoming and inclusive, offering appropriate opportunities for participation and improvement to all, regardless of background, gender, disability, sexual orientation or ethnicity. Time spent involved in sports is crucial for young people. It gives them a sense of purpose and encourages them to make new friends and try new experiences. I am hugely impressed with the work Sail Training Ireland do especially with programmes like this one and I am delighted to be here today.”

Daragh Sheridan, CEO of Sail Training (second from right), Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers TD and STI trainees

Daragh Sheridan, CEO of Sail Training Ireland said: “We are delighted to be honouring the achievements of the 50 amazing young people who make up the 2022 Asgard Armada. This is always a special moment for each trainee, many of whom come home from even a quite short but intensive experience at sea with a changed view of life, a greater sense of purpose and a new perspective on their own capabilities. Sail Training Ireland brings a challenging, personal development experience which can really have a huge impact on those taking part. Our participants come from varied backgrounds, and many would typically never have such an opportunity open to them without assistance from a local community organisation. We could not do this without the continued support of our donors and the Department of Defence. We very much appreciate the presence of the Tanaiste and the Minister for Sport underlining the value the Government attaches to inclusive programmes.”

There is progress for sail training in Ireland with the “generous offer” of a potential tall ship, the Minister for Defence has acknowledged.

Dún Laoghaire Senator Barry Ward today (Thursday 14 October) raised the matter with the Minister Simon Coveney and emphasised the importance of funding for a new sail training vessel in Ireland to replace Asgard II.

Senator Ward also outlined the importance of sail training for people from diverse communities throughout the island of Ireland.

“Sail training is a really important vehicle to introduce people to the marine sector as a sporting and employment opportunity for them,” he said. “Asgard II provided generations of Irish people with a chance to experience sailing and being out on the sea in a way that they never normally would.

“Since Asgard II sank in 2008, there has been a gap in sail training in Ireland. It is high time that we put proper sail training back on track with a new tall ship, to allow people of all backgrounds to get on the water, to build a connection to the sea, and to feel what it is like to be on the sea all around this island.”

Paying tribute to the Atlantic Youth Trust — which has identified a 164ft schooner which could be used as a sail training vessel and is currently for sale in Sweden, as previously reported on Afloat.ie — Senator Ward called on the minister and the Government to commit to proceeding with this vessel as a new sail training vessel for Ireland.

Responding to the senator, Minister Simon Coveney stated his commitment to the project and confirmed that there was a generous offer in terms of the proposed tall ship.

Minister Coveney said that the Government is “supportive of the principles of a sail training programme”, that officials had met with the Atlantic Youth Trust yesterday (13 October) and that funding for sail training through Sail Training Ireland will be provided in 2022.

Senator Ward added: “Ireland is an island country and we need to build opportunities for young people to be connected with the sea.

“This is a real opportunity for Ireland to put itself back on the sail training map with a vessel that will operate as a sail training vessel but would also be available for research, innovation, diplomacy and a range of other facilities to the State.”

It has been a challenging year for sail training in Ireland, with 2020’s slate of tall ships voyages cancelled due to the pandemic and this summer’s schedule also looking unlikely.

But as chief executive Daragh Sheridan acknowledges in the Sail Training Ireland Annual Report 2020, which has just been published, the charity has been weathering the storm thanks to the support of its funders, and the dedication of its own team and vessel operators alike.

“With the mass vaccination being rolled out we look forward to 2022 with great optimism,” he writes. “We will be aiming to bounce back strongly, thanks to commitments from funders and new sources of funds which will see several new projects running alongside all our usual voyages.”

The report, which can be downloaded HERE, also details the experiences of some of these who were able to set sail on one of the few excursions that took place last summer — the Darwin200 voyage around the UK in preparation for the upcoming round-the-world trip following Charles Darwin’s journey on HMS Beagle.

Sail Training Ireland has announced the launch of its 2021 Tall Ship voyage calendar (download below) coming after the disappointing decision to have to cancel its 2020 voyages due to COVID-19.

Next year will see some new and exciting projects happening alongside Sail Training Ireland's usual local bursary scheme voyages.

Most of the charity’s voyages have generous bursaries available to reduce the cost to those who may not be in a position to avail of the opportunity because of their circumstances.

Due to pent up demand arising from this year, STI says it is advisable to book early.

“One of the key skills that sail training teaches is resilience. Our trainees, crews, supporters, sponsors, volunteers, vessel operators and the Board and staff have had their spirit tested during 2020 and come through it even stronger. We cannot wait for the 2021 season to start and will be working hard to make it the best one ever". "Please come and join us”, said Daragh Sheridan of Sail Training Ireland at the launch.

2021 Voyage Calendar (download below)

Despite having to cancel all voyages this year, Sail Training Ireland will publish its programme for next year in the next week. The organisation’s Chief Executive says they have been in discussion with vessel operators and will have an exciting new programme with a number of headline developments writes Tom MacSweeney

“We want to make it clear that our programme will continue and we are particularly anxious to encourage participation and looking to introduce new participants to sailing.”

Trainees learn new skills onboard a Tall Ship

Sail training vessel operators have also suffered the impact of the pandemic, with vessels being laid up and crews furloughed in the UK.

Daragh Sheridan, STI CEO, is this week’s Podcast guest. A solo sailor himself, a Laser winter sailor for many years in Howth and the recent new owner of an RS Aero, he has been able to get back on the water, which makes him all the more keenly aware of the disappointment for trainees on the voyage cancellations this year. When I talked to him, the positive news was that STI is about to launch its programme for next year, offering all this year’s trainees and new applicants the opportunity to switch to what he says will be an exciting programme next year.

This week’s Podcast below

Sail Training Ireland has been shortlisted for the Charity Impact Awards 2019 which are run by The Wheel, the national association of community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises.

As part of the next step there is a public vote accounting for one third of the total.

Friends of Sail Training Ireland are asked to follow the link to the Charity Impact Awards website and submit their vote: select Browse Entries, then Sail Training Ireland, Learn More and then Vote. You will then receive an email to verify your vote.

Sail Training Ireland has also launched the first edition of its new newsletter, Tall Ships And Friendships, which is now available online.

The newsletter is hoped to become a forum for everything sail training, and this inaugural edition features reflections from some of those who embarked on its tall ship sail training voyages over the past year.

Be sure to visit the Sail Training Ireland website in January for details of next year’s sail training voyages — a number of Transition Year voyages associated with Gaisce/The President’s Award are detailed in the newsletter.

The sixth annual Drogheda Sail Training Bursary Voyage set sail on Sunday 9 June when a new group of local teenagers boarded the tall ship Brian Ború at Fiddle Case Pier.

The teens, aged between 15-17, were nominated by their local schools Greenhills, Sacred Heart, St Mary’s and Gormanston and were raring to give it a go, having heard great things about the experience from previous trainees.

Skipper Peter Scallan greeted the trainees and quickly got to work with the safety briefing and emergency drills. Within hours the trainees, who were all strangers to each other, had begun to mix well and were busy in the ship’s galley preparing dinner.

Afterwards they assisted the captain in preparing the navigational plan for the week ahead and spent their first night onboard in Drogheda.

At 8am the following morning their adventure began. The first stop was Clogherhead — and a VIP tour of the village’s RNLI station to see one of Ireland’s newest lifeboats, the Shannon class Michael O’Brien.

From there the journey took them to Lambay Island — home to a colony of wallabies — then on to Howth.

The trainees had by now become a great team and strong friendships were forming. They were learning and growing in confidence with every nautical mile — 54 at this point.

Scrubbing the decks (also known as ‘Happy Hour’), preparing meals, keeping watch, writing logs, the young crew were working flat out.

After passing Ireland’s Eye and the Bailey Lighthouse, the Brian Ború arrived in Wicklow for some well-earned relaxation time spent fishing, swimming and enjoying the beauty of life at sea.

From Wicklow, the return passage took them to Dun Laoghaire Harbour for the night, then another overnighter, this time at Malahide Marina for some yacht-spotting, before the final 26 nautical miles homeward bound last Friday morning 14 June.

The newly skilled sailors received a warm welcome home at Harbourville from family, friends and bursary schene sponsors Irish Cement, Fast Terminals, Louth County Council and Drogheda Port Company.

The sponsors in association with Sail Training Ireland presented trainees with a certificate of achievement and commended them on embarking on this challenging adventure.

Next year’s voyages promise to be every bit as exciting. If you are interested in taking part, contact Drogheda Port Company for details.

Sail Training Ireland will hold its seventh annual prize-giving and season launch event this Saturday 2 February at the Mansion House in Dublin, courtesy of Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring.

The event will see awards being presented to trainees who made an outstanding contribution to their individual voyages and to the charity in 2018.

Sail Training Ireland helps young people from all backgrounds and abilities to participate on training and self-development programmes on tall ships.

The organisation is the beneficiary of new State funding to the tune of €85,000 for young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds to embark on tall ship training voyages.

Sail Training Ireland chief executive Daragh Sheridan hailed the announcement as “a hugely positive development” that would enable the charity “to offer the life-changing opportunity of sail training voyages to even more young people across the island of Ireland”.

Sail Training Ireland chief executive Daragh Sheridan has hailed the recently announced Government funding for young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds to take part in tall ships training voyages as “a hugely positive development for the charity”.

Sheridan added that the funding “will enable [Sail Training Ireland] to offer the life-changing opportunity of sail training voyages to even more young people across the island of Ireland.

“It will also mean that we can expand our inclusion voyages that ensure people of all abilities can participate.

“I believe that the Government decision was positively influenced by the highly respected individuals and organisations who already support us.”

Sheridan also expressed his thanks to Paul Kehoe, Minister of State at Department of Defence, and Finian McGrath, Minister of State for Disability Issues, for their support.|