The Cork entry in the Clipper Race hit a reef in the Java Sea in January and now the crew are continuing their journey onboard other entries such as Cape Breton Island, Spirit of Australia and California. Earlier this week (15 March) Clipper announced that a new Cork boat will re-join the Race in early May and that renowned ocean sailor Hannah Jenner will skipper the new entry.
Onboard Spirit of Australia Corkonian Sarah Boyle stated that she missed home especially celebrations with her family and friends, she continued ‘however we will celebrate with all the Clipper crew when we arrive in Kinsale in early July. Ireland knows how to party and I am sure there will be a great festival waiting for us.’
The Cork crew were delighted to share their national holiday with fellow sailors many of whom claim Irish roots. In fact over 70 million people worldwide claim Irish heritage and the St. Patrick's Festival is an opportunity to celebrate being Irish. The Feast of St. Patrick is now celebrated in nearly every country throughout the world where Irish descendents have continued to reinforce its popularity. Among the countries with strong traditions of celebrating St Patrick’s Day are obviously the United States, Canada and Australia, but also less obviously France, Argentina, Russia, Japan and even the Caribbean island of Montserrat. And now this year it is even being celebrated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
The entire world is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but nobody does it quite like the Irish at home in Ireland where there will be a veritable feast of street theatre, music, dance, carnivals, fireworks, food, treasure hunts, and a small little parade that will snake its way through the cities and towns to the delight of hundreds of thousands of Irish, and tourists alike!
The Clipper fleet will arrive into Kinsale and the Port of Cork on 02 July 2010 for a 7 day festival which will showcase the best of Cork to many thousands of family, friends and visitors and international media who will visit the region during the festival
