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Displaying items by tag: Royal Cork

The final day of the Carrigaline Court Frostbite league at Royal Cork Yacht Club looked like it could live up to its name on Saturday, Nov 25th, as a large anticyclone settled in over the south coast, leaving clear skies and very little wind on the preceding days.

With not a breath of wind at the club at 11 am, the AP was raised while the optimism of the race officer, Ciaran McSweeney, was tested. He headed out to the bank with his mark-laying team, including his son David McSweeney and Sarah Kiely and found a steady breeze building.

Although the wind stayed mostly above eight knots and built to 13 at one stage, it still showed incredible fickleness with 120-degree wind shifts from 180 to 270 and finally back to 160 at the end of the day. At one stage, he had to clear the decks and start from scratch with all the marks moving.

420 dinghy racing at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Carrigaline Court Hotel Dinghy Frostbites420 dinghy racing at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Carrigaline Court Hotel Dinghy Frostbites

All boats were launched around noon, and fleets of ILCAs, Toppers and 420s were set off on a shifting breeze and a flooding tide that really started to show its influence in the first race.

Micheal O'Suilleabhain managed to pull another two bullets v Jonathan O'Shaughnessy's single win on the final day to consolidate his lead at the top with illness slowing Emmet O'Sullivan's challenge to the ICLA 7s in his RS Aero (raced with the ILCA 7 fleet on PY).

ILCA racing in Cork Harbour at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite League at Royal Cork Yacht Club ILCA racing in Cork Harbour at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite League at Royal Cork Yacht Club 
In ILCA 6, Andrew Kingston managed one bullet between two mixed races to consolidate his lead over the field, with Liam Duggan quietly slipping into second position ahead of Max Tolan. Phillip Doherty also performed well to finish fourth overall.

The O'Neill family dominated the ILCA 4 field, with Craig again pulling out three wins to finish well ahead of Shane Collins, who maintained his bulwark against the rising Andrew O'Neill in third and Julie O'Neill in fourth (and first girl). A welcome return for Sophie Crosbie in the ILCA 4, who managed a third in the final race with an extremely tight strategic downwind leg to keep the finish boat on their toes.

In the 420 fleet, Abbie Shorten, and Isha Duggan pulled out two wins to cement their first place, followed by Matt Mapplebeck and Billy Mallin.

Topper dinghy racing in Cork Harbour at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite League at Royal Cork Yacht Club Topper racing in Cork Harbour at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite League at Royal Cork Yacht Club 

In the Topper fleet, Ellen McDonagh also finished strong with a win in the final race to maintain an unassailable lead over Gwen Barry and Ruby Foley.

All results can be found below.

On the committee boat, Ciaran McSweeney, Stephen O'Shaughnessy and sub-RO Tim McCarthy managed to fill a full twelve races for the ILCA 7s and 6s in November and racing across five fleets in a very impressive manner, with sailors rarely having more than five minutes rest between racing. At this time of year, keeping the sailors moving was a priority.

On station - a view from the finish boat at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite league at Royal Cork Yacht Club On station - a view from the finish boat at the Carrigaline Court Frostbite league at Royal Cork Yacht Club 

Other volunteers across the series, Carla Miles (Safety lead), Ronan Duggan, Roy Sugar, Craig and Jenn O'Neill (wandering star - finish boat), Sarah Kiely, Muireann Fitzpatrick, David McSweeney, Michael Crosbie, Sophie, Angelo and Matt Hiras.

Many thanks to Maurice Collins as ever in one of his final events as rear Admiral of Dinghies and to the generous sponsorship from Carrigaline Court Hotel.

Published in Royal Cork YC
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Royal Cork Yacht Club's Wildcard Racing are flying the tricolour in at this year's J70 World Championships this week from October 17 to 22nd.

Wildcard is being helmed by Trinity College Dublin student Harry Twomey. At 19 years of age he is the youngest helm at the event this year.

Taking a place on the leaderboard for Wildcard Racing will not be easy as they are up against 90 international teams from 23 nations who have descended on the Principality of Monaco for this years J70 World Championships in the quest for glory.

The qualifying process has ensured the quality of the fleet and guarantees to be a week of exceptional sailing and high competition. Among the 90 crews are World Champions in this class, such as Luis Bugallo, Marshall King, Ian Wilson, Peter Duncan, Jud Smith and Paul Ward. Alongside are stars on the European scene set to put up a fight with the likes of Italian Luca Domenici, the Dane José María Torcida Seghers and British sailor Jonathan Calascione.

Every J70 World Championship is a battle of the very best to the end. This years event in Yacht Club de Monaco will be no exception with 400 experienced sailors roaming the quays. Amongst them the Irish flag will fly over Wildcard Racing and Harry Twomey, William Twomey, Richie Harrington and Cian Byrne from the Royal Cork will be hoping to repeat their form from last year when they won the Monaco the 2022 J70 Winter Series in the Corinthian division.

Published in Royal Cork YC
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The Royal Cork’s first female Vice Admiral has spoken of her pride at making history in the world’s oldest yacht club.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Annamarie Fegan was elected at the club’s 301st AGM in early January.

She is best known in sailing circles as co-owner of Nieulargo with husband Denis Murphy and daughters Molly and Mia.

The boat can count the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle and Fastnet 450 among its victories, and it’s one of the favourites for the Round Ireland Race in 2022.

Fegan will also co-chair Volvo Cork Week 2022 with Ross Deasy.

Speaking to EchoLive.ie, Fegan said of her pioneering new role: “I’m standing on the shoulders of lots of women who didn’t have the same opportunities. There’s a huge surge of support for me from both male and females.”

EchoLive.ie has much more on the story HERE.

Published in Royal Cork YC

The launch of the long-awaited 5o5 Book telling the story of the 5o5 and how it has come to dominate the performance dinghy scene will finally be launched at the World Championship in Cork.

2022 is already shaping up to be a great year for the 5o5 Class, for after being forced by Covid to cancel their last two World Championships, scheduled for Sweden and Bermuda, the good news is that this event will return to Cork, in Southern Ireland next August.

As Afloat reported previously, this will be the fourth time that the Royal Cork Yacht Club will have hosted this prestigious event, with 1959, 1964 and the 1982 World Championships being regarded as classics, held across a wide range of conditions.

With the Royal Cork being acknowledged as the world's oldest yacht club, it is fitting that mid-championship next year that they will be hosting the launch of the long-awaited book telling the story of the 5o5, and how it has come to dominate the performance dinghy scene.

There is a very good saying that warns readers to 'not judge a book by its cover' but this is one occasion when the cover itself will have a big part to play, as it will lead the reader into the detailed narrative set out in the book. There are lots of fantastic pictures of FiveOs out there, as the boat has always been very photogenic, but for the book cover something special will be needed.

Luckily, Christophe Favreau, the famous international marine photographer has long enjoyed a close association with the 5o5 Class, and over the years has captured the best of the action at events around the world. Now, as the book moves towards being launched, Christophe has generously donated a selection of some of his iconic photos, one of which will be selected on the book cover.

The 12 cover shots to be posted starting December 25.

More here

Published in Royal Cork YC
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27 knots of wind on day two of the AIB Laser Nationals at Royal Cork Yacht Club led to the abandonment of racing in all three fleets yesterday.

The combined 99-boat fleet is, however, preparing to go afloat this morning in lighter winds for day three of the Cork Harbour Championships with a scheduled launch time of 0930.

As Afloat reported previously, fleet leaders hold perfect scores after day one's four races of the championships.

The Race Committee has advised competitors it will be enforcing the 7-metre painter rule that must be carried by all competing boats.

The day three launch sequence in Crosshaven is Standards first, Radials second and 4.7s third to launch.

Published in Laser
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Last weekend's AIB Optimist National Dinghy Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club featured a 36-boat Regatta Fleet that features an introduction to sailing and welcomes children from 8-15yrs.

The fleet is designed to give children coaching and confidence in a fun atmosphere at an IODAI event with an emphasis on training. All this was certainly evident over the four days at Royal Cork Yacht Club, the hosts for the 2020 event where the regatta fleet sailed in the sheltered waters of Cork Harbour.

In the Regatta fleet racing, the Bateman family had great success with local sailor Ethel Bateman taking first place, closely followed by her brother Olin in second. Third place went to Henrietta Leech from Lough Ree Yacht Club, in fourth place was Fionn Hayes RCYC/MBSC and Maria Butler NYC finished in fifth place. 

Bob Bateman's Optimist Regatta Fleet SlideShow is Below

Published in Optimist
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After seven races sailed in light and tricky conditions in Cork Harbour, local Optimist dinghy ace Ben O'Shaughnessy of Royal Cork Yacht Club continues to lead the AIB sponsored National Championships overall. 

The 79-main boat fleet sailed again on day three of the championships on the Harbour's Curlane Bank in light winds.

The 14-year-old Crosshaven sailor is now nine points clear of nearest rival Johnny Flynn of Howth Yacht Club. Flynn has a similar cushion on his Dublin clubmate, Rocco Wright, in third place on 29 points. Full results are here

See Bob Bateman's photo slideshow below

Published in Optimist

Musto is the official clothing partner to Cork 300 — the Royal Cork Yacht Club's 300th anniversary celebrations in 2020 — and CH Marine is proud to be the exclusive supplier of the Musto Cork 300 Collection.

This select range of Musto garments and luggage, embroidered with Cork 300 branding, makes for wonderful gift ideas for this Christmas — along with CH Marine’s wide range of lifestyle and casual wear, nautical equipment and so much more.

CH Marine ships worldwide, with free delivery within the island of Ireland for orders over €50 — and all purchases made by 24 December stand a chance to win a huge €1,000 Musto voucher.

Published in CH Marine Chandlery

I attended the SCORA annual meeting this week. I was seeking a particular answer about boats. The attendance at the meeting was the biggest in some years, a tribute to the work which the South Coast Offshore Racing Association’s Commodore has put into the organisation.

Who says women can’t lead the men?

Johanna Murphy from Great Island Sailing Club has been doing a pretty good job at SCORA, where the main decision at the agm was that the combined Cork Harbour Clubs League will run next year in May/June and September, but not in July. The turn-out on Saturdays in July this Summer was regarded as not big enough in comparison to the Friday nights, to continue with it. August is a holiday month when many boats head west. On Friday nights in July the clubs can resort to their own events.

SCORA prizewinners with Commodore Johanna Murphy (centre) Photo: Bob BatemanSCORA prizewinners with Commodore Johanna Murphy (centre) Photo: Bob Bateman

Handicapping was a usual topic, ECHO handicaps are open to question. Not everyone is pleased with the current ones. The restoration of a handicapping committee is on the cards, The Queenstown Race from Dun Laoghaire for the RCYC Tricentenary was mentioned with detailed arrangements and the South Coast Racing Calendar to be drawn up in a few weeks.

So, with the meeting over I go to my purpose for being there – to ask the stalwart of the Association, its Secretary and Treasurer for many years, Michael Murphy, what is the attraction of a 40-year-old boat?

A few weeks ago at the RCYC there was a bit of celebration about his ownership of Shelly D for that length of time but no one got him to explain why he’s been a one-boat-owner for so long. I was curious, so I asked him and his answers are fascinating, worth listening to, because what he says and how he puts it, could not be conveyed adequately, solely by the written word.

So listen to him on the Podcast below.

Published in Tom MacSweeney
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#OptimistBaltimore Sailing Club have started preparations for the annual invasion of Irish Optimist sailors for the week from next Sunday 17 February.

The International Optimist Dinghy Association of Ireland’s (IODAI) team of coaches are making plans for training both on and off the water.

Participating sailors are reminded to check and label all their equipment before packing for the week, especially if it has been put away all winter.

“We are looking forward to a great week of fun, action and friendships both on and off the water,” the IODAI said.

Meanwhile, registrations are now open for the 2019 Optimist Trials which will take place as part of the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals at the Royal Cork from 25-28 April.

Entry is by invitation only based on 2018 season results. Entries made before 10pm on Thursday 28 March will avail of the early bird rate of €120 (entry thereafter is €200) with the final date for entries no later than 10pm on Thursday 11 April.

Published in Optimist
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The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020