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Displaying items by tag: Georges Street Upper Dun Laoghaire

The 'soft' re-opening of the Maritime Institute of Ireland's (M.I.I.) renovated maritime museum in Dun Laoghaire is this Sunday, though the opening is dependent to fire officer's approval, writes Jehan Ashmore.
For several years the museum has been closed due to extensive renovation that was urgently required in the former Mariners Church built in 1837. In 1971 the church closed and the museum moved into the building in 1976. The church retains many of the original features, including the prisoner's docks in the gallery and magnificent stained glass windows. Externally the building has also undergone external renovation with extensive cleaning of the structure's stonework.
It is situated between the town's main shopping thoroughfare on Georges Street Upper and Dun Laoghaire Harbour's East Pier. If you are arriving to Dun Laoghaire by DART, why not take the short stroll to the museum along The 'Metals' as far as the Christ the King sculpture opposite the East Pier. From here there are steps that lead up to Haigh Terrace and the museum.

At the end of this month the M.I.I. will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its foundation and it is the intention of the voluntary run museum to 'officially' re-open in March 2012.

To read more about the renovation programme click HERE. If you would like to assist through voluntary work, fund-raising activities or make a donation in addition to keeping abreast of the latest developments visit www.mariner.ie


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Published in Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Winter Series

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Turkey Shoot Series reached its 20th year in 2020.

The popular yacht series racing provides winter-racing for all the sailing clubs on the southside of Dublin Bay in the run-up to Christmas.

It regularly attracts a fleet of up to 70 boats of different shapes and sizes from all four yachts clubs at Dun Laoghaire: The National Yacht Club, The Royal St. George Yacht Club, The Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as other clubs such as Sailing in Dublin. Typically the event is hosted by each club in rotation.

The series has a short, sharp format for racing that starts at approximately 10 am and concludes around noon. The event was the brainchild of former DBSC Commodore Fintan Cairns to give the club year-round racing on the Bay thanks to the arrival of the marina at Dun Laoghaire in 2001. Cairns, an IRC racer himself, continues to run the series each winter.

Typically, racing features separate starts for different cruiser-racers but in fact, any type of boat is allowed to participate, even those yachts that do not normally race are encouraged to do so.

Turkey Shoot results are calculated under a modified ECHO handicap system and there can be a fun aspect to some of the scoring in keeping with the Christmas spirit of the occasion.

As a result, the Turkey Shoot often receives entries from boats as large as Beneteau 50 footers and one designs as small as 20-foot flying Fifteens, all competing over the same course.

It also has legendary weekly prizegivings in the host waterfront yacht clubs immediately after racing. There are fun prizes and overall prizes based on series results.

Regular updates and DBSC Turkey Shoot Results are published on Afloat each week as the series progresses.

FAQs

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome. Boats range in size from ocean-going cruisers at 60 and 60 feet right down to small one-design keelboats such as 20-foot Flying Fifteens. A listing of boats for different starts is announced on Channel 74 before racing each week.

Each winter from the first Sunday in November until the last week before Christmas.

Usually no more than two hours. The racecourse time limit is 12.30 hours.

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

Racing is organised by Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Series is rotated across different waterfront yacht clubs for the popular after race party and prizegiving. The waterfront clubs are National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC), Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

© Afloat 2020