Drogheda Port Company welcomed the Irish Cruising Club Rally to Drogheda on the weekend of Saturday 4th June for the first time in 41 years. The club last visited Drogheda in September 1975. The recent promotion and popularity of the river Boyne and the Irish Maritime Festival as key tourist attractions for visiting leisure boats was fundamental in attracting the club back to the Boyneside to have their annual rally.
The club visit consisting of 17 yachts and 60 visitors arrived from all parts of Ireland, north and south and were welcomed into the port on saturday morning on the high tide by the acting port Chairperson Gail McEvoy. The yachts were accommodated on the steampacket quay inside the town port.
Specially designed Drogheda burgees, with the eight pointed star and crescent from the port emblem of 1770, were presented to the captain of each of the visiting yachts as a memento of their visit by acting port chairperson Gail McEvoy, to spread the word to the yachting community that Drogheda is open to leisure tourism.
A welcoming hamper was also put on board each of the visiting yachts with samples of the best of local produce. The port company wishes to acknowledge the generous involvement of Dan Kelly’s Cider, Jack Cody’s Beer, Boyne Valley Foods, East Coast Bakehouse, Clarkes Fresh Fruit and Gerry’s Fresh Food, all playing their part to promote the region through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives such as this.
The visitors had a full itinerary organised for their stay and enjoyed the historic town with a walking tour arranged through the Old Drogheda Society and finishing with an evening meal in the town centre.
Tom Fitzpatrick Rally Captain thanks Drogheda port for the warm welcome the club received from Drogheda Port and commented on the lovely sail into Drogheda along Boyne which had surpassed everyone’s expectations. He presented a copy of the club burgee and annual from 1975 commemorating the last time the club visited.
Paul Fleming Drogheda Port CEO in welcoming the visitors agreed with the rally Captain that the most attractive way to arriving to Drogheda is on the Boyne on a sunny day, a pleasure few people get to experience, but thankfully this is changing. He also thanked the local food producers who all contributed to extending a local welcome which will be remembered.
The club was founded in 1929 and initially arranged offshore races as well as cruising activities and into the 1960s was organising the Irish Admiral’s Cup teams for their biennial foray to Cowes. Since the 1970s the focus of the club has been to promote cruising under sail and to provide publications and services for members and for the cruising community.
