Cork's Lord Mayor Welcomes Clipper Fleet

8th July 2010

Last night the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Michael O'Connell honoured Skippers and Crew of the Clipper Round the World yacht race with a Civic Reception at Millennium Hall in Cork City Hall. The event was held to welcome the visiting crews to Cork and to recognise the exceptional feat of circumnavigating the globe by many of the Clipper Crews .
To celebrate the event artist Don Meany donated a painting of the Cork Clipper completed during the Clipper stay in Kinsale, to be hung in City Hall as a lasting legacy of the Clippers only stopover in Ireland. The Clipper Race is not only a nautical adventure but an exchange of cultures which was encapsulated by the UNESCO book exchange spearheaded by the Edinburgh Clipper. As the UNESCO City of Literature, Edinburgh is eager to create an international legacy of its global voyage in the 35,000 miles Clipper Round the World Yacht Race by exchanging books by local authors in ports of call around the world. The Cork City Lord Mayor took part in the cultural exchange by presenting Edinburgh Inspiring Capital Skipper Matt Pike with books by several local Cork authors.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Lord Mayor had greeted the Cork Clipper Crew as they arrived in a Parade of Sail into Port of Cork City Marina at 5pm. Each Skipper of the ten yacht fleet was invited on stage in the Race Village in Albert Quay and presented with a Cork Coat of Arms which features the appropriate Latin inscription 'Statio Bene Fide Carinis' – 'A Safe Harbour for Ships'.
The Cork Clipper Festival began in Cork City yesterday on Albert Quay in the specially constructed Race Village which is open daily from 10 am until 10.30 pm. The Festival features some famous names Cork chart-toppers Fred appearing at 8.45pm tonight. The festival will be closed by finale headliners Crystal Swing at 7pm and The Walls at 8pm on Friday night.

Published in Clipper Race

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About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.