#FOYNES – Next Sunday the Dublin Bay Mermaid fleet of Foynes Yacht Club will be in action on the waters of the Shannon Estuary for the 'Inaugural' golden jubillee race writes Gerry Ryan

Mermaid class captain, Darragh McCormack is hoping to have a full fleet of Mermaid's (10 in all) for the race. . A special trophy as been commissioned for the winner.

Last weekend the first cruise of the season took place down the estuary to Loughill, with a north-west wind force 3-4, it was certainly a cruise to get all skipper's and sailor's in the groove for the coming season. A total 10 craft sailed on this venture.

The cruise started at 2pm and finished at Cooleen Point at 4pm, where a Bar-B-Que in the clubhouse was organised for the hungry 'Pirates'.

Culluan Sailing Club will host its annual Spring Regatta on Sunday, April 29. This is a mixed fleet open event, and entry from travelling boat's are always welcome.

Three races are pencilled in to take place with a briefing at 12.30pm. The first race will be at 1pm with an approximate finish for all races at 5pm. A special junior race is organised on this event. The entry fee per boat is €15.

The P750 Class Association of Ireland will be holding a Powerboat Race in conjunction with Riverfest on Sunday, May 6. The race will be starting at 3pm and finishing at 6.30pm.

The P750 craft will be racing between Shannon and Sarsfield Bridge. These craft will be be travelling at approximately 40kt's, and it is requested that during this time no craft will encroach on the course and other river users are aware of this event.

46 craft have put pen to paper for WIORA, and it is envisaged that 50 craft will be taking to the water's of the Shannon Estuary for Foyne Yacht Club's golden jubilee and it hosting of the West of Ireland Offshore Racing (WIORA) Championship's from Wednesday, July 11 to Saturday, July 14 writes Gerry Ryan.

Three classes will be organised for the event IRC, Echo and White Sails. Liam Dineen has been appointed Officer-of-the-Day for the championships.

This coming Saturday, April 14 'lift-in' is scheduled to take place for all craft at Foynes Yacht Club Officially, this will be the start of the much anticipated sailing season in Cooleen Point. While the standard around the 'can's' windward-leeward course's will be laid for the IRC and Echo fleets, more varied courses for the White Sails division will be set, taking the fleet to all parts of the Estuary.

Peader McGrath, who is rib manager for WIORA week has asked for rib drivers and assistants for this week. Any member's who would have time to assist are asked to contact Peader on 087 2600817.

To kick-off the season a cruise for all craft on the estuary is organised for Saturday, April 21, this will take place in the afternoon where a Bar-B-Que will take at the clubhouse after the cruise.

Brendan Buckley and Ciara McCormack on qualifying as dinghy instructions, one of their first briefs is to develop a plan for the junior racing during the season. These two individuals have a wealth of experience in the rudiments of sailing. It augurs for the junior member's of the club, where the sailing school is going from strength to strength.

The sailing school will officially start proceedings on Monday, June 11 until the end of July (it will not operate WIORA week).

The new club polo shirts, hoodies and jackets with the new 50th anniversary logo are available in the club. These are available in an assortment of colours and sizes.

#FOYNES –  LAST Friday evening the first 'kick-start' to the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the founding of Foynes Yacht Club was held writes the Club's Gerry Ryan.

A mass was concelebrated for deceased members, and present members by Cannon O'Keeffe and Fr. Noonan of Foynes Parish.

A magnificent turnout of members both old and young made this occasion a special one. The commodore, Tom Murray before the mass gave an introductory talk on the significance of the yacht club, and what the members down through the years have made it what it is today. He also spoke about the special significance that the club is held with members and the public alike.

In his homily, Cannon O'Keeffe said the mass was a great way to celebrate a truly remarkable club. He particularly thanked the committee in welcoming him and Fr. Noonan for what was a very proud day in the history of the club.

The mass was sung by St. Seanan's choir, where magificent harmonies could be heard in the ecclestical singing during the mass. The choir was accompanied by Bryan Meehan on keyboard.

After the mass a photographic exhibition detailing the club in black and white and colour photographs from 1962 and to the present outlined some fine craft on the Shannon estuary.

Refreshments were served by members of the social committee, Patricia McCormack, Emer Kirwan, Patricia Lowes, Niamh Finucane and Cora Windle.

On Saturday last a workday was organised where a great turnout of members did various tasks to ensure the clubhouse and the environs would be looking trim and prestein for the new sailing season.

The full calendar of events is up on the club website for the season, where extra activities are added for our golden jubilee year.

#WIORA– As a flagship event to mark their 50th year of sailing on the Shannon Estuary,  Foynes Yacht Club are setting an aggressive target to attract 50 boats to next year’s West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association (WIORA) sailing championships to be held from the 11th to 14th of July. The WIORA poster is below.

Ed Conway and Raymond McGibney are flying the flag for Foynes having being recently re-elected to the WIORA committee for another year.

IRC, ECHO and White Sails classes will be raced and the club says a festival atmosphere ashore will be 'guaranteed with well-priced, quality catering and top class live entertainment' provided at the recently renovated clubhouse. 

All boats entered will be given free and secure berthing.  Free lift-in/lift-out of trailer sailors will also be arranged.  Liam Dineen has been appointed OOD and already over forty boats have registered.

In addition to all Western clubs, Foynes will be canvassing sailors from the active racing fleet on Lough Derg to come by road or river to join in this celebration sailing event, last held in Foynes in 1998. 

While standard “around the cans” windward-leeward courses will be laid for the IRC and Echo fleets, more varied courses for white sails will be set, taking yachts to all parts of the scenic estuary. A special section is currently being added to the club website to cover all aspects of the event.

More on The Estuary here

The sailing season at Foynes Yacht Club has virtually ended, except for some of the boats, who are taking part in the October series of racing at the Royal Western Yacht Club in Kilrush writes Gerry Ryan.
Those participating are Golden Kopper, Kerry Dream, Dexterity, Tangalooma and Dis-a-ray. Unfortunately, for all the competitors the first two Sunday's in the month racing was cancelled due to weather conditions.
Racing took place yesterday with a 18 to 20 knots of south-south westerly breeze, however gusting up to 28 knots at times, which certainly proved challenging for all the competitors.
In Class 1 IRC, Dexterity from FYC took line honours and first place on corrected time, and in Class ! ECHO, Hero from RWYC sailed superbly to pip Dexterity on the line.
In the White Sails division, James McCormack on Alphara from FYC were the winners on corrected time..
The Mermaid October series continues every Sunday with first gun at 2pm.
Peader McGrath is organising a Power Boat level 2 course on Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6. This course is specifically geared towards members, who wish to learn more on power boating, and it is great value. Members are asked to contact Peader on 087 2600817 immediately to secure a place.
The lift-out day for all craft at Cooleen Point is scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 5, starting at 10am.
The annual general meeting of the club is pencilled in for Friday, November 25 at 8pm, and the laying-up supper will take place on Saturday, November 26 at 8pm. Music will be provided by Different Souls, and tickets are priced at €20, which can be obtained from any committee member.
Well, as all members may be aware the West of Ireland Offshore Racing Championship's will be held in Cooleen Point from Wednesday, July 11 to Saturday, July 14, 2012, and quite a lot of preparation is already underway. It is anticipated that an entry of 50 yachts will be racing in their respective classes. The championship's are co-inciding with the club's golden jubilee celebrations.

Ireland's leading fishing port of Killybegs, Co. Donegal, this morning received the 226 passenger yacht-like cruiseship Le Diamant, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In 2004 Killybegs received a significant boost in the completion of a €50m outer harbour with berthing quays totalling 350-metres long so to accommodate the north-west fleet and to include the 'supertrawlers'.

Despite the major port infrastructural investment, Killybegs has seen declining fortunes in the fish industry though in recent year's new business from the offshore exploration and cruise ship industries has assisted in generating new revenue.

Cruiseship passengers on board the Spirit of Adventure which anchored in Galway Bay today will have an opportunity of visiting the famous race course venue at Ballybrit, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The vessel first visited Galway in 2009 but this call will be her last year operating under the Spirit of Adventure cruise banner. The company are to replace the vessel  next season with the Saga Pearl II which will be transferred from the parent company Saga Cruises and renamed Quest for Adventure.

Prior to the Spirit of Adventurer's call, the 226 passenger Le Diamant arrived from St. Malo last Friday. She became the first vessel to make a call to the 'City of the Tribes' on behalf of her French operators, Cie de Ponant. Her passengers were taken on tours of the city, Connemara and the Aillwee Caves in neighbouring Co. Clare. The vessel is due to return early next month.

With three cruise-calls this year the port is set to increase this figure to 7 in 2012 arising from the ports campaign over the last two years. Paul Carey, Chairman of the Harbour Company, said "We are beginning to see the fruits of this campaign and look forward to growing Galway's association with the return of the majestic passenger liners to Galway".

"The passenger liner The World has been confirmed for a two-day visit in August 2013 which is a great endorsement of Galway as a cruise destination".

The call by the world's first ocean-going luxury resort vessel will also be another first for Galway. Operators of the 43,524gt vessel, Residences at Sea have made previous Irish ports of call to include Dublin, for more on her to the capital last August click HERE.

Next Sunday, May 29, Commodore's Day will be celebrated at Foynes Yacht Club. This sailing day is very special in the annals of the Cooleen Point based club, because it has been celebrated for the last 49 years.

Commodore Tom Murray has a host of events planned for the day, racing will take place in the harbour area starting at 2pm. This is for all classes, Class 1, 2, White Sails and Mermaids. The junior members of the club will be sailing the Topaz dinghies.

It is hoped to have a live commentary of the racing from the clubhouse, to let the onlookers know what is happening on the water.

After racing the annual blessing of the boats will be performed by Canon O'Keeffe and Fr. Noonan, this will take place on the marina approximately at 4pm.

When the blessing of the boats is over, member's are asked to retire to the clubhouse for a Bar-b-Que and a traditional Irish music session, which will commence at 5pm.

The Foynes Irish Coffee Festival is back this year. The club is hosting a 'Fun Day', on Sunday, June 5 at 2pm. More details on this will follow next week.

The Waterways Ireland Inter-Counties Sailing Championships will be taking place on the Grand Canal Dock on Sunday, June 26.
A fleet of one-design keel boats will be provided, and a series of sprint sailing races of 15-20 minutes leading to the final.

A team from the club, which is spear-headed by Donal McCormack, includes Elaine O'Mahoney and John-Paul Buckley, Donal has a vacant place on the team, so any member who would like to participate are asked to contact the secretary, Elaine on 086 1231864. As far as Foynes Yacht Club are aware only one team representing the Shannon Estuary will be competing.

Next weekend members of Foynes Yacht Club will be racing to the most westerly port in Europe at Fenit, Co. Kerry for the annual Gold Leaf sailing trophy.

The current holder of this trophy in the club is Brian O'Donnell, won last year on his yacht, Whyte Dolphin. Weather permitting it is expected that 10 yachts from Foynes Yacht Club will be competeing for line honours.

Members of Tralee Bay Sailing Club are due to sail to Cooleen Point on Friday to participate in the race. First gun will be a 9am start. On Sunday a cruise up the estuary is organised, where hopefully a spot of fishing will take place.

The first leg of the Estuary Bell race was cancelled last weekend due to the very strong winds, which were gusting 4 to 6.

The organisers, Cruiser Class Captain, Alan McEneff and Sailing Secretary, Liam Madden made the right decision in calling of the race for the safety of all competitors involved. It will be pencilled in the sailing calendar during the summer.

It is anticipated that a 'full house' sign will be the order of the day for Commodore's Day, on Sunday, May 29. Commodore Tom Murray, who has been at the 'helm' for the last few year's in the club is expecting a 'bumper' show of members, in what can only be described as the ultimate date in the calendar at Foynes Yacht Club.

Commodore's Day is open to all classes of craft, and racing will have a 2pm start. The blessing of the boats will take place at the marina after racing, and this task will be performed by Canon O'Keeffe and Fr. Noonan.

Marine surveyors are currently inspecting the German cargo ship which was refloated yesterday in Galway Bay after running aground early on Thursday.

The Irish Coast Guard confirmed to The Irish Times that no pollution had occurred in the grounding of the Pantanal on the south Connemara coast.

The 120m vessel was refloated at high tide yesterday morning with help from the Celtic Isle tug from Foynes in Co Limerick.

Ship managers Harren & Partner said the hull would undergo a diver inspection before the vessel sails for dry dock.

Yesterday Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney welcomed the "successful operation in very challenging conditions" and confirmed a thorough investigation of the incident by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board.

The ship had been sailing from the Mediterranean to Rossaveal to collect two monohull ferries, sold to Mauritius, that had been built to serve the Aran Islands route.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.