In the three decades and more of the Mitsubishi Motors/Irish Independent "Sailing Club of the Year" assessments, there has never been an organization only seven years old winning the title.

In fact, seniority has often won the day, though in a country in which the oldest sailing clubs date from 1720 (Royal Cork) and 1770 (Lough Derg), it's difficult to find clubs and associations which are anything less than centenarians, let alone not yet in double figures.

But it was only as recently as June 2003 that the Irish Cruiser Racing Association came into being. It was at the biennial Sovereign's Cup series in Kinsale that Fintan Cairns of Dun Laoghaire, enthusiastically supported by the late Jim Donegan of Cork and other key personnel, successfully launched the idea of a nationwide organisation to co-ordinate the racing sport of "boats with lids".

At the time, it was a leap of vision. Having successfully headed Dublin Bay Sailing Club at a time of rapid growth, he was able to see the picture more clearly than those who reckoned that offshore racing organisations should be related to bodies of water rather than a land mass, for all that we're on an island.

Then too, the new association was envisaged as using established clubs and their facilities to stage its championship. In other words, the ICRA organising team would be the travelling people of the Irish sailing scene. On top of that, handicap competition with cruiser-racers was derided as "truck racing" by the white hot one design and dinghy sailors.

Yet the idea took hold, and the annual championship was successfully staged at venues as various as Crosshaven, Tralee, Howth, Kinsale and Dun Laoghaire, with Denis Kiely the essential ace number-cruncher in the back office. And in May 2010, with the mighty machine of the Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire providing the administrative centre, the Liebherr Irish Cruiser Nationals in Dublin Bay attracted a fleet of 117 boats, with great sailing.

On that event alone, ICRA would have been among the front runners for Club of the Year. But the best was yet to come. In recessionary times, getting a three boat team together to make a worthwhile challenge for the biennial Rolex International Commodore's Cup was a matter of making the best of limited resources. But ICRA – currently under the leadership of Barry Rose of Cork - was up to the job.

The team of Anthony O'Leary's Antix, Dave Dwyer's marinerscove.ie, and Rob Davis and Andrew Creighton's Roxy 6, had a convincing win. Thus ICRA in one season had catered very well for general run of boats and crews at home, and had come out tops at the top level internationally. It doesn't get better than that, and we salute them as Sailing Club of the Year 2011.

The Maritime Institute of Ireland (M.I.I.) hosts a Winter /Spring lecture series. The first lecture of the new year is 'Historical Diving in Ireland' by Dr Edward Bourke.

The lecture is on 20 January and starts at 8pm and is to be held in the Stella Maris Seafarers' Club, Beresford Place. The club is located beside Busaras and faces opposite the rear of the Customs House. Nearby is the Irish Life Center (ILAC) which is convenient for car-parking and buses, the 'Red' Luas (Busaras stop) and DART stops at Connolly /Tara St. stations.

All are welcome, bar and refreshments and a voluntary contribution is appreciated. Further lectures will be held throughout the winter, mostly on the third Thursday of each month and in the Stella Maris. For further information about lectures and updates on the the M.I.I's maritime museum in Dun Laoghaire, logon to www.mariner.ie

Dissatisfaction is growing among SB3 sailors regarding the cost of parking and membership at Dun Laoghaire's top yacht clubs.

In correspondence seen by Afloat.ie, one leading sailor said that clubs "need to carefully consider their pricing policies or otherwise we are going to experience a more widespread abandonment of club sailing of SB3s".

Parking and racing fees that can top more than €2,000 per year are no longer "value for money", it is claimed, and have been blamed for membership drains as well as an increase in boat sales.

Yacht club parking fees cover the mooring and security of boats on the club's property.

Unequal treatment of boat classes has also been highlighed as an issue. One sailor said: "It strikes me as being ludicrous that we pay three times what a Flying Fifteen pays to take up not much more space."

Membership fees at Irish yacht clubs were the topic of much debate on the Afloat.ie forums last year and morte on this story HERE.

Click HERE to register and have your own say.

A leading bay sailor makes the following comment. "This is a very slanted article ignoring the fact that the SB3' s in the Royal Irish for example are dry-sailed so their costs includes craneage in and out for all their racing days. Also their fees for DBSC includes dedicated SB3 racing on Sundays. If the SB3s want to moan, let them put out the whole picture and not be selective. We consider it good value, not a rip-off. The clubs have to survive and are not out to reef sailors".

The RNLI lifeboat station in Dun Laoghaire is holding it's traditional ceremony at midday at a memorial stone close to the station.

The 15 volunteers lost their lives when their lifeboat capsized while attempting to rescue those on board the SS Palme that ran aground off Blackrock in Co. Dublin.

Those who also lost their lives this year while serving with the RNLI will also be remembered.

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The Dun Laoghaire Regatta team has announced its long term sponsor Volvo will continue their long association with the regatta.

Volvo Car Ireland will sponsor the 2011 event in association with Spirit Motor Group, a dealership for Volvo in South Dublin.

"Sailing is a global platform for Volvo with our global involvement in the sport including the Volvo Ocean Race and we are proud to continue our association with this superb inshore regatta organised by the 4 waterfront yacht clubs in Dun Laoghaire" commented David Baddeley, Managing Director Volvo Car Ireland.

Given the challenging economic environment this announcement illustrates the confidence of Volvo Car Ireland in the ongoing recovery in the Irish economy and the belief in the regatta as a marketing platform for the brand.

"Spirit Motor Group are delighted to work with Volvo Car Ireland and the Dun Laoghaire Regatta Committee to ensure a winning partnership for customers and the important sailing community that participate in the event" commented Alan Moore, Dealer Principal, Spirit Motor Group.

Adam Winkelmann, Chairman of the 2011 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Committee added "like all events we rely enormously on the support of our sponsors to run the event. The regatta relies heavily on sponsorship and an army of volunteers to deliver a quality event at an affordable price. We are really delighted that Volvo Car Ireland, our long-standing title sponsor, continues as our primary brand partner in that regard. We welcome Spirit Motor Group as a new and very important addition to the mix."

The biennial Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta will attract in the region of 500 boats and 3,000 participants along with families and friends to Dun Laoghaire in July next year. The sailors come mainly from Ireland and the UK from where we expect at least the same number of visitors as 2009. The event promises an important boost to the local economy of Dun Laoghaire town in the middle of the summer season. The regatta prides itself in delivering quality racing along with a wonderful festive atmosphere across the Dun Laoghaire waterfront.

This announcement is timed to coincide with the launch of the 2011 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta official Notice of Race and Online Entry which is now available on www.dlregatta.org

The selection procedure to designate the teams to represent Ireland at the ISAF Team Racing Worlds is underway. 

Teams wishing to be considered for selection should contact the Irish Team Racing Association a [email protected]. A selection committee will then invite teams to trials to be sailed early in 2011. Invitations will be issued on the basis of the results of all team members (helm and crew) in 2009 -2010.

The trials will consist of a multiple round robin event. The Youth trials will be sailed in Crosshaven, and the senior trials in Dun Laoghaire. Unfortunately, the number of places available for Ireland at the World Championships is not yet known, but ITRA will select two senior teams, plus a reserve team, and two Youth teams, plus a reserve.

Dun Laoghaire RNLI inshore Lifeboat Realt na Mara launched this evening at 5.02pm to rescue a woman who had fallen into the harbour close by the East Pier lighthouse.

It is believed the woman stumbled while walking along the popular pier and fell into the harbour.  Her cries for help were heard by people walking on the pier, who in turn contacted the Coast guard and threw a lifebuoy into the water to keep her afloat until help arrived.

The RNLI inshore lifeboat was quickly launched and on scene in minutes. It was dark with an easterly wind blowing in the harbour. The lifeboat volunteers recovered the freezing woman from the water and brought her alongside the pier. She was then winched onboard the Coast Guard Helicopter and transferred to hospital for medical treatment.

Stephen Wynne, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said, "This is a very lucky woman. Without the quick action of the members of the public who raised the alarm and gave assistance along with the rapid response of the Dun Laoghaire RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew, we would be dealing with a tragedy today."

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Mick Liddy is already picturing the magical scene of the international Figaro fleet inside Dun Laoghaire's harbour next August. He's one of Ireland's top offshore sailors but before Liddy can join the 55 boat fleet he has two months to raise the necessary campaign funds. It's a tall order but the 33-year old Dun Laoghaire helmsman is undaunted by the short time frame and insists that although 'the challenge is big, the opportunity is bigger'. Listen into the podcast here:

Today's Irish Times Piece on Liddy's Campaign HERE

Liddy's Figaro Facebook Page HERE

Figaro Race start images from Kinsale  by Bob Bateman HERE

The Figaro fleet depart Kinsale in August. Photo: Bob Bateman

Preparing for La Solitaire du Figaro here

Earl of Pembroke with helicopter above off The Muglins. Photo. Jehan Ashmore/ShipSNAPS

The two-part production starring Emmy award winning actor Eddie Izzard, is to play the role of iconic one-legged pirate, Long John Silver in the classic Robert Louis Stevenson 18th century tale of adventure and treasure. Also starring is Rupert Penry-Jones, best known for his spy role in the BBC TV series Spooks.

Since arrival to Dun Laoghaire in mid-November the 145-foot Earl of Pembroke has been undergoing modifications at the Carlisle Pier in preparation of the film. The barque is owned by the Cornwall based SquareSail which specialises in tall ships for film productions. The ship's silver-screen credits include Cutthroat Island, Frenchman's Creek, Hornblower Series III and Longitude.

The Treasure Island shoot involves two Dun Laoghaire based companies, Parallel Film Productions and the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) which is providing marine co-ordination services. The drama was commissioned for the Sky 1 HD TV channel and the director is Steve Barron (Arabian Nights, Merlin, England Manager).

The production follows 'Neverland' a two-part prequel to the Peter Pan story also produced by Parallel Films. Neverland was shot on the coast at Dalkey Sound, Killiney Hill in Co. Dublin and neighbouring Co. Wicklow. Both productions are part of a multi-million pound investment by Sky for their high-definition (HD) drama department.

In the New Year the Treasure Island production moves to Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. The drama is scheduled to be released in Christmas 2012.

Looking for further reading on Tall Ships in Ireland? Click the links below:

Click this link to read all our Tall Ships Stories on one handy page

Previewing Ireland's Tall Ships 2011 Season

Can Ireland Get a New Tall Ship?

Details for next year's course of the La Solitaire du Figaro race were revealed at the Paris Boat Show yesterday. The race will comprise four French towns and Dun Laoghaire will be the only foreign port of call when the boats are expected to arrive on 10 August.

In spite of Dublin airport weather delays a National YC contingent headed by Commodore Peter Ryan made it to Paris in time for the announcement.

Following several days for rest, the fleet shall once again set sail on 7 August for the second leg, of 470 nautical miles, that will take the Figaro Bénéteau 2 towards Dún Laoghaire. After leaving the Bay of Seine, a 40-mile or so run, the first obstacle will be the passage of the Barfleur point. The course remains inshore, as the single-handed sailors will sail along the Cotentin to the cape of the Hague, before heading towards the Channel Islands.

It will be compulsory to leave the islands of Aurigny, Herm and Guernsey to starboard. The skippers will then take on a long crossing of the English Channel, 120 nautical miles to Land's End. The last third of the course is a sail up almost full north over 190 nautical miles to reach Dún Laoghaire.

The Dublin Bay harbour is set to be a discovery for the visiting sailors and where the National Yacht Club are to be the host venue. After a few days rest and recuperation, the fleet then will set sail on 14 August to The Vendée and Les Sables d'Olonne. This third leg is long at 475 nautical miles with boats expected on 17 August.

Four days later and the final leg departs on 21 August with the boats setting a course for Dieppe, to arrive on 24 August. On the following day the Normandy port will also be hosting a closing regatta. For more information www.lasolitaire.com

Preparing for La Solitaire du Figaro here