A fleet of 28 dinghies took to Galway Bay for the annual Cumann Seoltóireachta an Spidéil regatta at the weekend.

In spite of freshening southerlies and sporadic rain, eight hardy Optimist sailors completed a series of three races over a course set by race officer Stephen O’Gorman.

Winner in the Optimist class was Rian Baynes of Galway Bay Sailing Club (GBSC), while second place also went to a GBSC sailor, Killian Mathieu, and third to fellow club mate Sean Lemonnier.

Niamh Baynes of GBSC took fourth place, and the first CSS club sailor home was Sarah Donald who recorded fifth place overall.

Preparations underway for the 2021 Cumann Seoltóireachta an Spidéil regatta Photo: Dave Cahill

CSS Optimist sailors Realtín Boinnard, Padraic Halliday and Séadhna Ní Thuairisg also braved the conditions, with Boinnard and Halliday taking second and third club placings.

Conditions had freshened further in the afternoon when the mixed fleet took to the water, requiring a series of quick tacks to clear Spiddal’s rock-strewn coastal rim.

CSS Spiddal 2021 regatta race officer Stephen O'Gorman showing his county loyalties Photo: Dave Cahill

A crack shore team assisted visiting dinghies, with the rollercoaster launch off the Sean Céibh beach proving to be quite the spectacle from shore.

Classes for the mixed fleet series were 420/Laser 1 and Pico/Topaz.

There were several capsizes in the testing conditions during three timed races, with a fourth race requiring two laps of the course.

The first boat in overall on corrected time was a GBSC 420 sailed by Adam McGrady and Ally O’Sullivan.

CSS sailors Mac O’Brien and Eoghan Breathnach took second place in a 420, closely followed into third by a Galway City Sailing Club (GCSC) 420 crew of Colm Ó Fatharta and Rian de Bairéad.

CSS boats dominated the Pico/Topaz class, with James Harvey and Charlie Donald coming first, Aoife Ni Choncubhair and Hooriya Awan securing second, and Sarah Donald and Padraic Halliday taking third.

Awards for the first three CSS club boats in the mixed fleet went to O’Brien and Breathnach, Cathal and Méabh Mahon, and Orlaith and Liam Cahill – all sailing 420s.

Aoife Ní Chonchubhair of CSS, who came second with Hooriya Awan in the Pico/Topaz class at Spiddal regatta 2021, with commodore Dave Cahill. More prizegiving photos below. Photo: Jamie Donald

All the Oppie prize winners with CSS  commodore Dave Cahill ( from left) GBSC sailors Sean Lemonnier, Rian  Baynes, Killian Mathieu and CSS sailors Sarah Donald, Patrick Halliday and Realtin Boinnard

GBSC Dart 16 sailors Laurik and Killian Mathieu crossed the bay for the racing, while Galway City Sailing Club Topper sailors Ava McCarthy and Ava Halpin also participated - putting in very keen performances.

Last year, CSS initiated a new annual award in memory of late sea kayaker, mountaineer and circuit court judge John Hannan, who died in February 2020.

The Hannan trophy, a piece of glassware in the shape of a sailing dinghy on bog oak, was designed and made by Sue Donnellan’s glass craft design studio in An Ceardlann, An Spidéal.

This year’s award was presented by Marcus Hannan to the CSS 420 duo of Mac O’Brien and Eoghan Breathnach, who were the first club boat home.

Speaking at the prize giving, Marcus Hannan conveyed a special tribute penned by his mother, Stephanie Adams, who was CSS sail training organiser for many years before the family moved back to her native Australia in 2020.

CSS commodore Dave Cahill paid his own tribute to all the sailors, to the visiting clubs, and to the shore and RIB safety boat teams who were essential to the smooth running of the event.

CSS, founded in 2002, has no clubhouse, but was recently dubbed the "coolest place to sail" by Irish Olympic contest Sean Waddilove.

A special tribute has been paid to the late sea kayaker, mountaineer and circuit court judge John Hannan with a new annual trophy for sailors in An Spidéal, Co Galway.

John Hannan, who died after an illness in Galway in late February at the age of 56, was an experienced kayaker and mountain trekker.

He took up canoeing while studying in what was then University College, Galway in the 1980s, and participated in the Irish Himalayan Canoeing Expedition in 1987.

With him were paddlers Declan Gavin, Mick Feeney, Deirdre Fagan, Joe O’Connor, Humphrey Murphy and Ursula MacPherson and film-maker Billy Keady.

They were the first Irish kayaking team to navigate some of the roughest white water in the world, taking a 100-kilometre route down the Trisuli and Marsyandi rivers.

Originally from Limerick, John Hannan pursued a career in law, becoming a barrister and circuit court judge. He continued to pursue his passion for adventure through kayaking and mountaineering.

He and his wife Stephanie, from Melbourne, Australia, and children Marcus and Sarah were active members of Cumann Seoltóireachta an Spidéil (CSS) based in Spiddal, Co Galway – with Stephanie being club sail training organiser for several years.

Stephanie Hannan is presented with a Cumann Seoltóireachta an Spidéil flag by commodore Dave Cahill after the CSS 2020 regatta on September 19th, 2020 Photo: Bartley Fannin

The inaugural John and Stephanie Hannan Award was commissioned by the club as an annual prize. The piece of glassware in the shape of a sailing dinghy on bog oak was designed and made by Sue Donnellan’s glass craft design studio in An Ceardlann, An Spidéal.

It was presented at this weekend’s CSS regatta by Stephanie Hannan to Mark and Denise De Faoite, who were the fastest adult sailors in the 420 fleet.

Marcus Hannan was presented with third prize for his winning performance in sailing two of three races entered by Ekaterina Foyle in her Laser 4.7.

Winners of the 420 class at the regatta were Ciaran Reaney and Cathal Conneely, with Mac O’Brien and Eoin Cahill taking second place.

Club commodore Dave Cahill presents the first prize to the winning 420 crew of (left to right) Ciaran Reaney and Cathal Conneely at the CSS 2020 regatta Photo: Bartley Fannin

Sadhbh Laila Riggott and Catherine Harvey took first in the mixed fleet, sailing a Laser Pico, with Alanna Ní Thuairisg and Kate Ní Chonghaíle taking second place in a Topaz Uno.

A brisk north-easterly had made for challenging conditions for the Oppie fleet, forcing the abandonment of their race after they had valiantly put to sea.

Speaking at the prize-giving, CSS commodore Dave Cahill recalled how John regularly supported young sailors on safety RIB duty and shore recovery. He also paid tribute to Stephanie for her junior organiser role and presented her with a specially commissioned CSS flag.

Billy Keady’s documentary of the Irish Himalayan Canoeing Expedition was screened last year at a CSS event in Indreabhán attended by the Hannan family.