Displaying items by tag: Disabled Sailor

31st March 2013

Disabled Sailing World Championship Heading for Kinsale

#disabledsailing – Kinsale in County Cork launches this summer's International Federation of Disabled Sailing (IFDS) World Championships on Friday.
It's a proud moment for local sailor John Twomey. Not only is he a former commodre of the host club but he's also Ireland's most capped Paralympian and current president of the IFDS.

Kinsale Yacht Club will host the 16-nation event from 22nd to 25th of August 2013. All three paralympic fleets be racing with participating sailors expected from more than 16 countries.

Ten time paralympic sailor Twomey is the new President of the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS).

Twomey was elected at the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Annual Conference in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin last November. The honour came two months after he competed at his tenth Paralympics in Weymouth, a record for any Irish person competing at either the Olympics or Paralympics.

The launch is expected to announce event sponsors and other plans for the event.

Published in Kinsale

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.