Royal Galway Yacht Club Celebrates History at 2025 Cong Galway Race

10th July 2025

Afloat.ie Team

RGYC members present new burgees to race winners at the Cong Galway race, celebrating the club's historical significance. From left, Cliona Pierse DART, Kyran O Gorman CRYC, Sean Lemonier 420, Killian Mathieu 420, Laurik Mathieu Dart, Phil Parkes Laser, Patsy Casserly, president of the CRYC and Peter Fergus of the Lodge at Ashford

The Royal Galway Yacht Club (RGYC) held a special presentation to honour its contribution to the Cong Galway sailing race. This event took place during the 2025 race, which has roots going back to 1882.

Kyran O’Gorman, whose grandfather served on the RGYC committee in the 1890s, spoke about the club's history. He remarked, “The RGYC has a significant place in our sailing tradition.”

Photo of an original RGYC Burgee, which has been restored and mounted. New burgees were presented to the winners of the 2025 Cong Galway Race

As part of the celebrations, the RGYC presented a burgee to the top finishers in the Laser, 420, and Dart classes.

The Cong Galway Cup, awarded since 1972, features the inscription: “In Memory of the Royal Galway Yacht Club 1982 – 1935.”

RGYC promoters say this event highlighted RGYC's enduring legacy and its ongoing connection with the sailing community.

Published in Cong-Galway Race, Galway Harbour

Published in Cong-Galway Race

Tagged under

cong galway race

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The Cong-Galway: Ireland’s oldest inland sailing race

The annual Cong – Galway Sailing Race is Europe’s oldest and longest inland water sailing race.

The original Cong-Galway Race started at the Royal Galway Yachting Club in Galway City and travelled to Ashford Castle in Cong before returning to Galway City, a race distance of 61.5 nautical miles.

The 2020 race is the 137th such race.

The Cong-Galway Race was a huge social event in Galway until 1914. It never recovered after the First World War and was last held in its old format in 1931. The race was later revived in 1972. Now half the original length, the race starts at Lisloughrey pier, near Ashford Castle, and ends just past the Quincentennial Bridge in Galway City.

Cong Galway Race Course

The Cong to Galway Race start is from Lisloughrey Pier in Cong, Co. Mayo and is typically scheduled for 10.30 a.m. on a course through Upper and Lower Lough Corrib to the finish line at Corrib Village on the River Corrib in Galway. The race makes a stop for lunch at Kilbeg Pier, approximately half way, where timings will be taken for the restart.