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Coronavirus and Boating
Ballyholme Yacht Club during lockdown
In what will be a welcome decision by the Ballyholme Yacht Club, members will now be able to proceed, albeit slowly and patiently, towards a return to watersports. Commodore Aidan Pounder has emailed members with the news that SportNI has…
Marine Minister Michael Creed
Marine Minister Michael Creed has defended a new temporary tie-up scheme for fishing vessels which has been condemned by the industry as “designed to fail”. Four Irish fish producers have said the EU-funded scheme to compensate whitefish vessels which tie…
Glandore Harbour in West Cork where July's Classic Boat Regatta has been cancelled
Glandore Harbour Yacht Club in West Cork draws its membership from a wide catchment area. It is surveying the members to get their views on how the club’s sailing season can deal with the current restrictions imposed by government under…
J/109 action at Howth. With many of the members living within 5 kilometres of the clubhouse/marina complex, and with a strong tradition of family and household sailing, Howth Yacht Club is able to get some sailing again within the Covid-19 Protocols
Howth Yacht Club will be testing sailing options this weekend within parameters outlined by Commodore Ian Byrne in a missive direct to members and on the club website, issued late Thursday night. After more than two months of total Covid-19…
ISORA Champion Mojito – Her USA trip is off after the IRC Worlds in New York were cancelled
Despite a strong entry list from the United States and abroad including Ireland, and the exhaustive efforts of the New York Yacht Club along with the governing bodies for the ORC and IRC rating rules, the decision has been made…
Lough Erne
The Lough Erne branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) welcomes the return to Lough Erne where boat owners with craft on the waterways can enjoy once more the beautiful scenery of this part of County Fermanagh, with…
The Dragon Gold Cup at Kinsale has been cancelled
Kinsale Yacht Club have today confirmed that the 2020 Dragon Gold Cup, due to be sailed from the 5 to 11 September, has been cancelled. “Clearly the global COVID-19 crisis has already impacted many events and our thoughts and prayers…
2020 Offshore World Championship Cancelled Due to COVID-19
World Sailing has cancelled the 2020 Offshore World Championship, due to be held alongside October’s Rolex Middle Sea Race in Valletta, Malta, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The many uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the…
Ireland Marine Sector Collaborates to Celebrate European Maritime Day Virtually
In recognition of European Maritime Day on 20th May and World Oceans Day on 8th June, the Marine Institute and partners will celebrate our seas, our world’s shared ocean and our connection to the sea through our Oceans of Learning…
Concern Lockdown Will Take Considerable Time to Unwind: Restart Sailing Survey
The UK government’s easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions has brought relief to many aspects of life and, particularly certain sports. Sailing is one of those fortunate past-times that is now allowed in England, along with all other forms of watersports…
Zenith’s oil terminal in Bantry Bay
A small oil terminal in Bantry Bay has become an unlikely magnet for US tankers searching for places to store crude as supply outstrips demand in the coronavirus pandemic. In the last month, as gCaptain reports via Bloomberg, the terminal…
Coastal Rower Jane O'Connor back on the water at Portmagee Coastal Rowing Club
Portmagee Rowing Club was one of the first coastal rowing clubs in Ireland back on the water on Monday morning. The restrictions were lifted to allow single sculling to begin while using set precautions and observing distancing. Portmagee owns a…
RYANI Welcomes Executive Announcement Permitting Outdoor Activity
RYA Northern Ireland has today welcomed the NI Executive announcement permitting outdoor activity. The announcement paves the way for the boating community to return to the water, where social distancing and other parameters can be strictly adhered to. The guidance…
A yacht makes its way past Sandycove on Dublin Bay watched by a Stand Up Paddleboarder at the Forty Foot
After an absence of over a month, sails made a welcome return to the Dublin Bay horizon this morning after the Coastguard advisory was lifted and Dun Laoghaire marina reopened to boat owners. Almost as soon as Phase One of the…
Yacht racing on Dublin Bay: DBSC members have voted overwhelmingly for a return to racing when it is safe to do so
Although a few countries are still to ease their lockdowns, sailing is restarting around the world, including Ireland where a Coastguard advisory was lifted this morning and boating with social distancing made its debut as Irish clubs and marinas reopened…
John Leech of Water Safety Ireland
The Government has been warned of the risks of an increase in drownings in the next few weeks during an easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Water Safety Ireland chief executive John Leech has expressed concern about the risks if weather is…

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Irish Sailing & Boating

Since restrictions began in March 2020, the Government is preparing for a 'controlled and gradual return to sport' and the 2020 sailing fixtures are being tentatively redrafted by yacht clubs, rowing clubs angling and diving clubs across Ireland as the country enters a new phase in dealing with the Coronavirus. The hope is that a COVID-19 restrictions might be eased by May 5th as Sport Ireland has asked national governing bodies for information on the challenges they face. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.

To help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) everyone has been asked to stay at home. But some people may need to do more than this.

You may need to either:

You do these things to stop other people from getting coronavirus.

Read advice for people in at-risk groups

Read advice about cocooning.

Restricted movements

Everybody in Ireland has been asked to stay at home. You should only go out for a few reasons, such as shopping for food.

But you need to restrict your movements further if you: 

  • live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus, but you feel well
  • are a close contact of a confirmed case of coronavirus
  • have returned to Ireland from another country

You need to restrict your movements for at least 14 days.

But if the person you live with has had a test and it is negative, you don't need to wait 14 days. You should still follow the advice for everyone - stay at home as much as possible.

Close contact

This is only a guide but close contact can mean:

  • spending more than 15 minutes of face-to-face contact within 2 metres of an infected person
  • living in the same house or shared accommodation as an infected person

How to restrict your movements 

Follow the advice for everybody - stay at home.