Sailing clubs were among the biggest beneficiaries of grants totalling more than €230 million for new and improved sports facilities and equipment throughout the country under the Community Sport Facilities Fund, formerly the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme, that were announced this week.
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin and Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne today announced the record funding, comprising 1,996 grants, at Cambridge FC in Ringsend, Dublin where they were joined by Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Pascal Donohoe.
The €230 million allocation follows May’s allocation of €26 million for sports equipment which brings the total investment in community sport and recreation in 2024 to an unprecedented €256 million. This is a 50% increase on the funding allocated in early 2022 under the 2020 round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme.
Over 40 separate sports, as well as multi-sport facilities throughout the country, will benefit from the community sport grants announced on Wednesday 25 September.
Among the sailing and boating clubs in receipt of grants under the new scheme (including previously announced equipment funding) are the National Yacht Club (€120,526), Howth Yacht Club (€30,000), Irish National Sailing Club (€48,840), Dublin Bay Sailing Club (€52,232), Rush Sailing Club (€89,488), Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club (€37,904 for the Dublin City Community Sailing Project), Skerries Sailing Club (€58,271 for disability access and new training boats), Galway City Sailing Club (€46,209 for new safety RIBs and sailing fleet additions) and Dingle Sailing Club (€60,144).
Other beneficiaries include rowing clubs, open water swimming clubs, kayaking and canoe clubs as well as sub aqua and marine rescue groups.
Each application was assessed under criteria including population density, deprivation and access to facilities. Unsuccessful applicants can appeal any grant applications deemed invalid.
Minister Byrne said: “The inspiring performance of Team Ireland at the Olympics and Paralympics recently in Paris demonstrated the positive power of sport and we understand that any sporting journey begins within the community. The record funding being announced today under the Community Sport Facilities Fund underlines this Government’s continued commitment to seeing Irish sport thrive into the future.”
The allocations announced this week are split into three categories: equipment funding (€3,791,906), local projects (€179m) and regional projects (€47.5m). The full breakdown of allocations can be found HERE, while the list of sailing, watersports and other outdoors aquatic clubs benefitting can be read below.
Carlow
Carlow Dragon Boat Club - Carlow Dragon Boat club €17,542
Cavan
Cavan Canoe Club €58,000
Virginia Kayak Club €10,300
Clare
Burren Sub Aqua Club CLG €70,000
Clare Water Safety €51,713
Cullaun Sailing Club Ltd €24,503
Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland Ltd €44,549
West Coast Surf Club - Changing Facilities and Storage. €16,960
Kilkee Sub Aqua Club - Centre of Excellence for Scuba Diving/Snorkelling €51,171
Cork
1st Cork Crosshaven Sea Scouts €24,636
Bantry Bay Sailing Club €76,817
Bantry Rowing Club €44,482
Castletownshend Rowing Club €1,989
Cork Boat Club €70,000
Cork Triathlon Club €2,774
Cove Sailing Club €36,863
East Ferry Rowing Club €6,990
Kilmacsimon Swimming & Rowing Club €59,136
Lee Valley Rowing Club €25,352
Passage West Rowing Club €21,900
Rosscarbery Rowing Club €69,999
ROWING IRELAND [Irish Amateur Rowing Union CLG] €524,289
Schull Yawl Rowing Club €23,741
Shandon Boat Club €81,228
Skibbereen Rowing Club €200,000
South Coast Triathlon Club €3,512
Whitegate Yawl Rowing & Swimming Club €15,832
Ardfield Rathbarry Galleyflash Rowing Club - Expansion 2023 €33,117
Castletownbere Rowing Club - Castletownbere Rowing Club (CTBRC) expansion €161,953
Courtmacsherry Rowing Club Ltd - Courtmacsherry RC Clubhouse Phase 4 - Final Phase €109,937
Inniscarra Sailing & Kayaking Club - Upgrade of Equipment at ISKC €39,314
Lee Rowing Club - Equipment, New Gym and Accessibility Upgrades €120,427
Myross Rowing Club Ltd - Rowing equipment (Boats/Oars/Gym Equipment) €20,441
Sailing Into Wellness Company Limited By Guarantee - Sailing PPE, Storage Containers & Trailer €32,119
Schull Triathlon association - Modified container for storage and club house €21,355
ROWING IRELAND [Irish Amateur Rowing Union CLG] - Essential work to the NRC Gym for Olympic Athletes €245,204
Donegal
Donegal Bay Rowing Club €71,161
Inishowen Sub Aqua Club €42,410
INVER ROWING CLUB €49,734
Killybegs Rowing Club €44,117
Kincasslagh Rowing Club €124,157
Liquid Therapy €10,000
Rathmullan Sailing and Watersports Club €27,033
Rosses Snorkelling Club €51,300
SwillySeals Amateur Swiming Club €13,265
Dublin
1st Port of Dublin Sea Scouts (Ringsend) €45,612
Balbriggan & Skerries Angling Club €8,225
CANOEING IRELAND [Irish Canoe Union CLG] €97,122
Celbridge Kayak Club Company Limited by Guarantee €55,998
Dublin Bay Sailing Club €52,232
Dublin Underwater Hockey Club €12,500
East Coast Garda Sailing Club €37,745
Fingal Rowing Club €29,450
Garda Sub Aqua Club €22,494
Howth Sea Scout Group €12,390
Howth Yacht Club Ltd €30,000
Locaste CLG T/A Irish National Sailing Club €48,840
Malahide Sea Scouts Limited €69,540
Malahide Swords Canoe Club €181,401
Marlin Sub Aqua Ltd €23,213
Neptune Rowing Club €14,500
Plurabelle Paddlers €11,324
Sailing in Dublin Club Ltd €60,000
Salmon & Sea Trout Recreational Anglers of Ireland €17,000
Sandycove Kayak Club €14,000
Seal Bay Divers SAC €28,500
Skerries Sea Scouts €41,985
St Michael's Rowing Club, Dun Laoghaire €27,500
St Vincents Waterpolo Club €1,512
Stella Maris Rowing Club €19,740
SWIM IRELAND [Irish Amateur Swimming Association CLG] €205,665
Swords Sailing & Boating Club €19,073
The National Yacht Club €120,526
Triathlon Ireland €30,125
Triton Rowing Club €35,983
Viking Sub aqua club €68,000
Wild Water Kayak Club €52,316
Commercial Rowing Club CLG - 2023 - Facility Upgrade €12,485
Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club - Dublin City Community Sailing Project. €37,904
Portmarnock Sub Aqua Club - 2023 - New storage containers and compressors €31,618
Sutton Dinghy Club - 2023 Extend Slipway and Replace RIB €31,296
63rd Dublin 14th Port Donabate Sea Scouts Group - Donabate Scouts Accessibele Surface €25,591
Skerries Sailing Club - Disability access & new training boats €58,271
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL - 2023 Lucan Demesne Water Sports phase 2 SCP23/02 €109,814
Galway
24th Galway Sea Scouts €47,690
Galway Hooker Sailing Club €30,000
Galway Sub Aqua Club €69,226
Galway Triathlon Club €6,273
Meelick Eyrecourt Kayak Club €31,719
Tri Lakes Triathlon Club €7,816
Tribesmen Rowing Club €15,225
Galway City Sailing Club - Safety RIBs Replacement and Sailing Fleet Addition €46,209
Galway Rowing Club - Install Solar Panels to reduce energy consumption. €34,023
Kerry
Caherdaniel Rowing Club €32,557
Cromane GAA Club €25,000
Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreanainn/Dingle Sailing Club €60,144
Fossa Rowing Club €40,000
Glen Ballinskelligs rowing club €30,000
Kenmare Bay Sailing club €27,100
Kenmare Bay Swim Club €8,130
Kenmare Rowing and Boating Club €80,240
Killorglin Rowing Club €84,000
Listowel Kayak Club €26,979
Portmagee Rowing Club €160,272
St Brendans Rowing Club €8,750
TARBERT ISLAND MARITIME CLUB €54,000
Templenoe Rowing Club €44,480
Tralee Bay Swimming and Social Club €9,251
Tralee Triathon Club €44,371
Workmen's Rowing Club €37,368
15th Kerry Sneem Scouting Ireland Group - Project Watersports Equip. for Sneem Scouts €24,233
Callinafercy Rowing Club - Essential Club Equipment €36,211
Kerry Canoe Club - Killorglin - KCC - kayaks/equipment/storage/clubhouse/trailer €53,508
Tralee Rowing Club - Enhancing Capacity and Fleet Development €182,714
Kildare
Athy Dragon Boat Club €28,363
Athy Rowing and Canoeing Club €9,215
Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club €18,184
Naas Triathlon Club €17,440
Poulaphouca Paddlers €54,998
Salmon Leap Canoe Club €28,000
Kilcock Canoe Polo Club - Canoe polo Equipment €23,720
Kilkenny
Graiguenamanagh Boat Club €91,760
Graiguenamanagh Canoe Club €22,715
Kilkenny Aqua Canoe Club €21,458
Nore Dragon Paddlers €4,726
THOMASTOWN PADDLERS CLG €7,735
Laois
Woodenbridge Paddlers Association €5,082
Leitrim
Carrick on Shannon Rowing Club €72,500
Lough Rynn Kayaking Club €18,366
LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL - 2023 Lough Rinn Rowing Centre €288,992
Limerick
Athlunkard Boat Club €91,229
Castleconnell Boat Club €42,388
Glin Triathlon Club €2,215
Limerick Academy & Scouts Kayaking Club €8,289
Limerick Boat Club €22,570
Limerick Dragons €10,499
Limerick Kayak Club €28,125
Shannon Rowing Club €153,755
St Michael's Sporting Club (Rowing Club) €70,000
Tarbert Coastal Rowing Club €55,521
Foynes Yacht Club - Sailing School Changing Facilities Refurbishment €48,101
Shannon Dragons - Dragonboat storage facility €33,879
Longford
Inny Kayakers Association €12,178
North Longford Angling Club €10,000
Abbeyshrule Canoe Club - Request: kayak equipment, trailer & dressing area €30,783
Louth
Dundalk Sub Aqua Search and Recovery €70,000
Irish Federation of Pike Angling Clubs €23,370
Boyne Fishermans Rescue and Recovery Service - Boyne Fisherman's Grant application €35,099
Dundalk & Carlingford Sailing Club - renovation of changing rooms / new RIB rescue boat €76,150
Inver Colpa Rowing Club - Construction of a Boathouse €149,380
Mayo
Ballina Rowing Club €29,722
Ballinrobe Kayak Club €11,704
Dragon Boat Club Ballina €14,022
Grainne Uaile Sub Aqua Club Ltd €29,963
River Moy Search and Rescue Ballina CLG €32,830
Teach an Uisce Sub Aqua €70,000
The Mayo Yacht Club CLG €47,000
Meath
Ribbontail Paddlers Canoe Club - Provision of LED Floodlighting and Kayaks €8,222
Monaghan
Monaghan Paddlers €36,785
Monaghan Sub Aqua Club €38,980
Rockcorry Divers & North Coast Search & Recovery €34,412
Offaly
Tullamore Canoe Club €62,500
Offaly Search and Recovery - slipway improvement and provide S&R equipment €127,835
Roscommon
Roscommon Sub Aqua Club €42,198
Sligo
Irish Surfing Association €50,000
Mullaghmore Sailing Centre ltd. €37,525
Sligo Kayak Club CLG €15,148
Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club €28,000
National Surf Centre, Strandhill - Equipment Purchase Programme €10,485
Sligo Triathlon Club - Growing an Equal, Diverse and Inclusive Tri Club €8,274
Tipperary
Carrick Paddlers €9,588
Lough Derg Sub Aqua Club €38,800
Waterford
Cappoquin Rowing Club €21,900
Dunmore East Swim Club €6,484
Metalman Paddlesports Club Waterford €26,237
Waterford Harbour Sailing Club €58,536
Waterford Harbour Sub Aqua Club €30,182
Waterford Boat Club - Waterford Boat Club Rowing Equipmnent Application €45,797
Westmeath
Lough Ree Yacht Club €25,165
Midland Triathlon Club €3,794
Mullingar Canoe Polo Club €74,800
Mullingar Sailing Club €28,876
Mullingar Sub Aqua Club €79,275
Athlone Boat Club - Facilities Enhancement Project €172,580
Wexford
BUNCLODY PADDLE SPORTS CLUB €25,091
Ferrycarrig Rowing Club €10,450
Killurin Rowing Club €7,500
New Ross Boat Club €97,021
Wexford Harbour Boat and Tennis Club €75,000
Wexford Sub Aqua Club Ltd. €34,283
Hook Sub Aqua Club - compressor and Nitrox system upgrade €26,707
Wicklow
9th Wicklow (port of Arklow sea Scout group) €30,000
Arklow Rowing Club €59,139
Arklow Sailing Club €99,415
Blessington Sailing Club €20,000
Bray Rowing Club €17,100
Bray Sailing Club €27,422
Fifth Wicklow Bray Sea Scouts €6,500
Greystones Sailing Club €10,300
IRISH FEDERATION OF SEA ANGLERS €13,500
Vartry Rowing Club €23,909
