The “Spirit of Rosslare Europort”, was the centrepiece of a traditional Irish ceremony in Dun Laoghaire Harbour this afternoon.  In an interdenominational event, the yacht took part in the “Blessing of the Boats” ceremony prior to setting out for the Round Ireland Yacht race.  The ceremony was conducted by Fr John McDonagh from Dalkey and the Rev. Gary Dowd from Glenageary.

The Blessing of the Boat’s ceremony is a widespread tradition all around the coast of Ireland and on inland waters.  Annual ceremonies take place in Bulloch Harbour in Dalkey, and in other centres around Dublin, including Poolbeg and Balbriggan, and are often a part of local festivals.  Boats of all sorts and sizes participate, ranging from sea going trawlers to sailing yachts, Galway Hookers, lifeboats and small craft.

Pictured at the blessing of The Spirit of Rosslare Europort yacht were Alan McGettigan, Fr John McDonagh and Rev.Gary Dowd, at Dun Laoghaire Marina, with crewmen Peter O'Mally and Paul O'Riain in the background. The 60 foot yacht is competing in this weekend's Round Ireland Race.

 
Speaking at the blessing, Fr McDonagh said “For centuries the Blessing of the Boats ceremony has been an expression of faith by sea going communities in Ireland and represents an age old tradition”.

The Rev Dowd said: “It is entirely appropriate that in our modern age this ancient tradition should be observed with the blessing of a high technology yacht that has been a leading competitor in round the world races and is now going to circumnavigate Ireland”.

The group sailing the yacht is led by Dalkey man Alan McGettigan whose initiative it was to bring the “Spirit of Rosslare Harbour” to Ireland and to conduct the ancient Irish traditional blessing.  An experienced sailor, Mr McGettigan has sailed in areas as far afield as the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, the South China Sea and the Mediterranean. He is a member of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The 60 foot long Spirit of Rosslare Europort has sailed around the world four times, competed in numerous transatlantic races and is expected to be the fastest boat in next week’s 704 mile race around the island of Ireland.  The yacht has been sponsored by Rosslare Europort and will be skippered by Steve White, the renowned solo round world sailor who’s company White Ocean Racing owns the vessel.

Sailing enthusiasts will be able to track the Spirit of Rosslare’s progress in the Round Ireland Race on Twitter and Facebook.  The Facebook page features photos and video footage thanks to onboard camera’s which will give people an insightful view of how sailors overcome the various challenges during the course of the race.

With 48 hours now to the start, Sunday's Round Ireland race is expected to get away in light northerly winds. Weather specialist Mike Broughton predicts winds will go right by Sunday evening off the Wexford coast. Broughton also favours stronger winds, up to 15 knots, offshore from a 030 direction. His analysis for the first 24 hours of the race plus a prediction of some good news for the small boats by Tuesday is on afloat.ie's podcast below.

Afloat.ie has teamed up with specialist sailing forecaster Mike Broughton of Winning Wind.Com to bring you a series of detailed Round Ireland race forecasts. Click back to the home page for regular weather updates from Mike.

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

An entry in the Round Ireland Yacht Race will be blessed in an interdenominational ceremony in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Friday, prior to departing for the race.

The blessing of boats going to sea is an Irish tradition practiced all around the coast of Ireland.

The yacht is the 60 foot "Spirit of Rosslare Europort" that has competed in Round the World Races on four occasions, the fastest boat entered in the race.

The ceremony at Dun Laoghaire marina will be conducted by Fr John McDonagh from Dalkey and Rev. Gary Dowd from Glenageary. 

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

Although five days out is still early enough for a forecast, the start of the 30th anniversary Round Ireland Yacht Race looks like it is going to get off to a gentle start. Specialist wind forecaster Mike Broughton says Sunday's noon start maybe yet be a drifter because a large high pressure is setting up for  Ireland and will be centred about 230 miles to the west of the country.

Although light northerlies may prevail there is also a chance of light sea breezes both on Sunday and Monday afternoon. Broughton, who is the Irish Commodores Cup team weather forecaster, says the fleet can expect more light southerly winds as it races along the south coast on Monday.

Afloat.ie has teamed up with specialist sailing forecaster Mike Broughton of Winning Wind.Com to bring you a series of detailed Round Ireland race forecasts. Click back to the home page for regular weather updates from Mike.

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

The entries for the 2010 Round Ireland Yacht Race are assembling. As predicted by race organiser Dennis Noonan 37 boats will make the line in
Wicklow on Sunday for the 30th anniversary race. We list the entrants below and wish them all fair winds

Alan McGettigan  -  Spirit of Rosslare Europort  -  RIYC

Dominic O'Keefe/Alan Hamilton  -  Water Venture  -  RIYC & UCDSC

P.W. Vroon  -  Tonnerre de Breskens 3  -  WV Breskens

Mick Liddy/ Mark Pollock  -  Daft.com  -  NYC & R.North Ireland YC

James Gair/David O'Gorman  -  Pride of Wicklow  -  WSC

Bernard Gouy  -  Inis Mor  -  Clifton Boat Club

Morgan O'Donovan  -  Calves Week 2010  -  Schull Harbour Sailing Club

Robin Wootton  -  Cheetah Cub  -  Isle of Man YC & RORC

James Allen  -  Jaguar Logic  -  RORC

Neil Eatough  -  Lancastrian  -  Royal St. George

Peter Ryan  -  Tsunami  -  National Yacht Club

Alan Hannon  - Bejaysus  - Royal Ulster YC

Sean Lemass  -  Galileo  -  RIYC/NYC

Philippe Falle  -  Visit Malta Puma  -  RORC

James Tyrrell  -  Aquelina  -  Arklow Sailing Club

Andrew Britton  -  British Soldier  -  Army Sailing Association

P & A Adamson  -  Sailing West Intuition  -  NYC / RORC

Matt Davis  -  Raging Bull  -  Skerries SC

J. Loden/Paddy Cronin  -  Psipina  -  RORC

Barry Hurley  -  Hannah White  -  Dinah / RIYC/RORC

Andrew Sarratt/ Justin Austin  - Team Windmill  -  Royal St.George YC / RIYC

Liam Coyne  -  Lula Belle  -  NYC

Keith Mander / Neil Shea  -  Mistral of St. Helier  -  Royal Welsh YC

Derek Gilmore  -  Gumdrop  -  Kircubbin SC

Michael Broderick/ David Gibbons  -  Joker  -  Kinsale YC

Brian Flahive/ Bryan Byrne  -  Noonan Boats Oystercatcher  -  Wicklow Sailing Club

Richard Mossop  -  Yahtzee  -  DMYC / RYIC

Terence Fair/David Fletcher  -  Twister

Michael Murphy / Alex Voye  -  Alchimiste  -  GBC

David Kelly  -  Spindrift  -  Kinsale YC/ Waterford Harbour SC

Jerry Collins  -  Persistence  -  Royal St. George

Eric Lisson  -  Cavatina  -  RCYC

Stan Edge  -  Rebel  -  Liverpool YC / RORC

R O'Siochru  -  Sailing West One Life  -  NYC / RORC

Michael Holland  -  Celtic Spirit  -  Royal St. George YC

Paul McDermott  -  DiabloJ  -  RORC

Listing as per Wicklow Sailing Club

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

Royal Cork yacht Cavatina (Eric Lisson), twice overall winners of the Round Ireland race is going round again in a bid top be the the first boat to win Ireland's classic offshore race three times. The news is one of a handful developments as the fleet gathers in Wicklow for the start at 12 noon on Sunday.

Paddy and John Loden sailing Psipsina were the winners of the RORC 'Morgan Cup' race to Cherbourg last week-end start as favourites on Sunday in the Round Ireland Yacht Race Double-handed division, a ten boat section of the 37-boat fleet.

With just 5 days to the off, it looks like the 2010 Conway Media Round Ireland Yacht Race will have an impressive total of 37 yachts participating in the country’s premier off-shore race.25 per cent of entrants this year are returning contestants hoping to make history on this milestone occasion.  With boats from France, Netherlands, UK as well as from all coasts of Ireland already signed up.  Race organiser Denis Noonan, running his 6th event, is confident this promises to be an interesting race.

“Cavatina has appeared to try and get that elusive third win and failing that, we are guaranteed a new name on the trophy, as they are the only previous winning boat entered.”

Skipper Eric Lisson (standing and thumbs in air) with the Royal Cork crew of Cavatina, twice overall winners of the Round Ireland race. The Cavatina crew will be competing again on Sunday. Photo: David O'Brien

Two of the favourites for the Round Ireland title topped out the RORC IRC overall listings last weekend at the Morgan Cup an overnighter to Cherbourg. The winning boat, Psipsina, was a double-handed entry sailed by Paddy Cronin and John Loden. They pipped Piet Vroon's Tonnerre de Breskens III for the overall trophy by just over two minutes on corrected time.

The largest boat entered is Celtic Spirit of Fastnet, a sturdy 72’ Cruiser/Racer which has been to the Antarctic in the recent past. Just behind them we have a real flying machine, Pride of  Rosslare Europort , an IMOCA 60, which will be expected to take line honours.

Local Wicklow boats are  Irish Popcorn  Pride of Wicklow, Noonan Boats Oystercatcher, both flying the WSC burgee and James Tyrrells latest Aqualina from Arklow.

The major focus of attention will be on Daft.ie with Mick Liddy and blind sailor Mark Pollock on board their two-hander.

Sailing Schools are also featuring with double entries from both Sailing West, Dun Laoghaire, Sailing Logic from the Hamble and a single boat from Conwy Yachting in N Wales. 

 Armchair spectators can follow the Conway Media Round Ireland Yacht Race on the Tracking system, supplied by RORC, through the race website www.roundirelandyachtrace.ie <http://www.roundirelandyachtrace.ie/> 

The Round Ireland is the longest race in the Royal Ocean Racing Club calendar. The first race took place in 1980 with only thirteen boats. Since then, held biannually, the fleet has grown steadily, and in the order of 40 yachts are expected to participate this year. The final date for acceptance of entrants to the 2010 Conway Media Round Ireland Yacht Race is this Thursday 17th June 2010

Wicklow businesses are hoping to follow the Galway example with the Volvo Ocean Race and build on the opportunity of hosting such a prestigious sporting event.  The Volvo Ocean Race stopped off in Galway for two weeks last summer and injected in the region of €50 million into the local economy.  Furthermore, the festivities surrounding the event attracted over  600 ,000 visitors from both abroad and other regions of Ireland. 

Wicklow has launched a gala Sailfest in the hope that the 30th anniversary of the Conway Media Round Ireland Yacht Race will have a similar positive impact on the area.

The local business community is fully on board.  Indeed the 2010 Round Ireland was without a sponsor up until recently with the previous arrangement – BMW – not renewing.  Local businessman Roy Conway, has now stepped in and taken up the mantle of title sponsor for both the 2010 Round Ireland Race and the Sailfest. 

Roy Conway already has a great affinity with the Race, having previously participated on a number of occasions. He is delighted to be in a position to be able to support the Race and the town

The Sailfest will see free open-air concerts from the American Drifters, Heathers, Luan Parle, Mo Hat Mo Gheansai as well as an extensive array of events for children including water sports, aeroplane, Drift Car displays and Bowling tournaments.  One of the major highlights is the Midsummer Mardi Gras ball at Wicklow’s Historic Gaol on Saturday 19th of June.  www.roundirelandsailfest.com

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

"It probably won't make 40 but 37 boats is highly likely" said Round Ireland Organiser Dennis Noonan tonight. It is the most accurate prediction for a fleet already assembling in Wicklow for the 30th edition of the Round Ireland race. Despite the size, nearly half that of the record numbers of the 1990s, it is a still a very respectable anniversary fleet. The race has also attracted a new sponsor, local firm Conway Media.

More on the Round Ireland Yacht Race:

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2010 Review

Round Ireland Yacht Race, Ireland's top offshore fixture

Two of the favourites for the Round Ireland title topped out the RORC IRC overall listings last weekend at the Morgan Cup an overnighter to Cherbourg. The winning boat, Psipsina, was a double-handed entry sailed by Paddy Cronin and John Loden. They pipped Piet Vroon's Tonnerre de Breskens III for the overall trophy by just over two minutes on corrected time.

“I am totally gobsmacked,” admitted John Loden. “I have been racing Psipsina for 11 years and this is the biggest win by a country mile.” 

Loden admitted that the falling breeze approaching Cherbourg was a decisive reason for the win and it went right to the wire. Psipsina beat Piet Vroon’s Ker 46,Tonnerre de Breskens 3, by just two minutes and thirteen seconds on corrected time to win the prestigious Morgan Cup.

The start didn’t go well for Psipsina, Loden and Cronin made a navigational error and nearly missed Trinity House buoy altogether but fortunately they managed to alter course, just in time. After that they hardly put a foot wrong.

“The majority of the fleet chose to go to the north shore in the Solent but we correctly chose to say island-side and enjoyed better breeze than our rivals,” explained Loden. “By the time we got to No Man’s Land Fort we were leading IRC Two on the water and going well. During Saturday we had a superb spinnaker run across the Channel,15 knots of steady breeze, warm air downwind sailing…terrific. One of the important factors in offshore racing is fatigue and we have never taken the macho approach of staying up when sleep is available and both of us got some rest during the day on Saturday which pays dividends.

By Saturday afternoon we were on our final approach to Cherbourg and paid great heed to the tide. Perhaps we were a little over cautious but we were going to make damn sure we were uptide and we worked hard to make this happen. As we approached the finish the wind died down to as little as 5-6 knots and we were headed. We used one of our secret weapons to make good our speed in these conditions; we have a very flat A5 which is designed as a storm sail downwind but it also doubles up as a very effective headsail in light air conditions closer to the wind.

We were pretty confident of the Class win and Paddy and I were enjoying a cold beer in the Yacht Club de Cherbourg when the RORC team told us the fantastic news. It is a moment I will treasure for a very long time.”

Piet Vroon’s Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens 3, won the Knightsbridge Cup for best yacht in IRC Zero and also took the RORC Salver for line honours by beating Tony Lawson’s Class 40, Concise 2, on the water. Peter Robson’s First 40.7, Playing Around Logic, took the Queensborough Cup for best yacht in IRC One. Matthias Kracht’s JPK 9.60, Ultreia! was best yacht in IRC Three, winning the Warsash Cup.

Ahead of the race, their third win in a row, Loden had said: "We had a very good reminder of what can happen if you lose your concentration in this game during the Cervantes Trophy Race. We got our approach to France all wrong and the resulting foul tide knocked us right down the pecking order. I have been racing short-handed for a few seasons now and I really enjoy the satisfaction of beating fully crewed boats. Also you learn so much when you have to do all of the work between just two of you. Probably the greatest pearl of wisdom I have learnt in short-handed racing is to take time to plan a manoeuvre, especially down wind. Gybe in haste; repent at leisure, would be a good way of summing it up."

Loden & Cronin now lead the double-handed standings, with Vroon leading RORC's overall IRC series.

IRC Morgan Cup Overall Results HERE.

Team Oystercatcher, a double-handed entry in the Round Ireland race, are holding a charity fundraiser on Saturday the 12th June.

Bryan Byrne and Brian Flahive are competing on behalf of the National Children's Hospital and hope to raise at least €2,000 for the charity.

The event takes place at 7pm in the 40ft bar, and there will be a raffle for prizes on the night. The pair are hoping to see a large contingent from the Match Racing Leinsters joining them for the evening.

For those unable to attend, you can donate online by clicking on the link HERE.

Over 65,000 young people attend The National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, every year.

The hospital prides itself on providing excellent care in a number of areas including, Endocrinology, Surgery, Radiology, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Asthma and allergies. There is also a very busy paediatric A&E department that sees over 30,000 children a year. The hospitals Outpatient department facilitates multidisciplinary care supporting its core services. Extensive research into the area of childhood illness is carried out in the hospital and Trinity College’s Paediatric Department is also based here.

There will be some in the 2018 race who remember the first Round Ireland Yacht race in 1980. Back then, within a few weeks of the preliminary race programme being published, more than 50 requests for it were received. As we all know the enthusiasm continues for the Round Ireland 38 years later on its 20th staging of the race. For those who’d like to see the original race details for the first time and for those folk who’d like a look down memory lane afloat.ie has published them below. Thanks to inaugural race skipper John Hall for keeping his copy nice and safe!