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Coronavirus and Boating
John Blair is the Alliance Party’s MLA for South Antrim
A South Antrim MLA says fisheries staff in Northern Ireland have not been given enough time to prepare for the safe return of angling in the region, as the Belfast Telegraph reports. Alliance’s John Blair was responding to the decision…
CH Marine Counter Sales Partially Reopening This Week
“Safety is our priority — let’s reopen safely” is the message from CH Marine, which has announced its stores will partially reopen for counter sales with the start of the first phase of relaxing coronavirus restrictions from tomorrow, Monday 18…
Launching of boats will resume  from the high performance purpose-built pontoon in Dun Laoghaire Harbour
Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy could be back on the water next week as the Irish Olympic Sailing Team returns to its Performance Head Quarters at Dun Laoghaire Harbour from Monday, May 18. Murphy, along with three other single-handed trialists, had…
LÉ William Butler Yeats in Dublin on COVID-19 duties on the River Liffey
Naval Service patrol ship LÉ William Butler Yeats left Dublin today to return to routine security operations as Covid-19 community testing centres on ships are stood down. Six ships have rotated duty in the three ports of Dublin, Galway and…
Cushendall Sailing Club in County Antrim
In response to Tuesday’s announcement by the Northern Ireland Executive Office launching their “Approach to Decision Making” document, RYANI has been analysing and seeking clarity from government officials on the potential for boating activity in NI. In preparation for any…
The Cork Harbour One Design Elsie (Patrick Dorgan) at a previous Glandore Regatta. She was designed by William Fife in 1895
Glandore Harbour Yacht Club has cancelled its Classic Regatta which had been scheduled to start on July 18. Since it was first held on a July weekend in 1992 Glandore Classic Boats Regatta has developed into an outstanding event, “where…
Ronan Beirne
With the easing of access regulations on May 18th, a recent boat purchaser asked yacht broker Ronan Beirne of Leinster Boats what should he be looking out for not having been on board his boat for some weeks. Here is…
Mirror Sailing Ireland has postponed a second event in its 2020 calendar
Mirror Sailing Ireland has postponed another event in its summer regionals calendar amid the current Covid-19 disruption. The Mirror Western Championships, which had been scheduled for the weekend of 6-7 June at Galway Bay Sailing Club, will now take place…
RYA & RNLI Pave The Way For Safe Return To Boating In England
Following changes in UK government guidance for England, which allow people to travel to the coast and use the water, the RYA says it is engaging with the RNLI and representatives from the ports and leisure marine industry to help…
Castletownbere fishery harbour in West Cork
Marine Minister Michael Creed has called on the European Commission to strengthen its support for the fisheries sector in the fight against Covid-19. Speaking at a video conference of EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers earlier today (Wednesday 13 May), Minister…
Download the 'Return to Sailing' plan below
Harry Hermon, Irish Sailing Chief Executive, has published the "Return to Sailing” Scheme today (May 12 2020). The PDF document is downloadable below. The CEO says:  The Phase 1 Guidelines from the “Return to Sailing” Scheme are designed to support…
RYANI chief operating officer Richard Honeyford
The RYANI says it continues to support the Northern Ireland Executive’s guidance on coronavirus lockdown measures. It comes after the weekend announcement by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson easing lockdown restrictions in England only. The announcement, which followed the Republic…
Cruiser racing on Dublin Bay in 2019 in a Class Zero yacht (40-foot and above)
Olympic helmsman, professional sailor and coach Mark Mansfield takes a look at how it may be possible to return to keelboat racing while maintaining social distance onboard. The latest Government five-phase programme appears to allow the reinstatement of boating and…
Yachts tied up at Royal Cork marina in Cork Harbour
Cork Harbour Reader Robin Bateman questions the continuation of the 'no recreational use of the water' advisory issued by the Coastguard and the RNLI Sir, It seems to me that Irish Sailing is in a bind regarding its “return to…
More News on 'Return to Sailing Plan Early This Week', Say Irish Sailing
Irish Sailing hopes to have 'more information' early this week on its 'Return to Sailing' document, outlining guidelines for a return to the water as Government COVID-19 guidelines are eased. In his latest update, dated May 8th, Irish Sailing Chief…
File image of a HM Coastguard SAR helicopter
The number of recorded incidents dealt with by HM Coastguard yesterday has been the highest since the UK was put into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic in late March, the service has warned. Friday 8 May saw 97 incidents…

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.