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Displaying items by tag: Lord Mayor’s Awards

Sail Training Ireland was among three organisations and three individuals recognised by the Lord Mayor of Dublin for their contributions to the city in a special reception last Thursday (30 March).

The sail-training charity funds the development of young people from all backgrounds and all abilities on the island of Ireland by giving them the opportunity to participate on voyages on tall ships.

This experience often has a profound effect on young people’s outlook on life and allows them reach their full potential, providing them with valuable life skills.

Sail Training Ireland received their award in the Round Room at the Mansion House from Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy alongside An Taisce and the Irish Wildlife Trust.

Individuals awarded were Sandra Dillon, founder of The Meeting Place Club, the first integrated group for teens and adults with a wide range of special needs; ultra-endurance athlete Gerard Prendergast; and BAFTA-winning, Oscar-nominated actor Barry Keoghan, who was unable to attend due to filming commitments.

The Lord Mayor’s Award trophy for Sail Training Ireland | Credit: Fennell PhotographyThe Lord Mayor’s Award trophy for Sail Training Ireland | Credit: Fennell Photography

Speaking about the Lord Mayor’s Awards, Cllr Conroy said the ceremony “is one of the highlights of my term of office”.

She added: “I have chosen to honour individuals and groups from many different walks of life. They have helped make Dublin a better place through their tireless efforts in the fields of inclusion, health and well-being, the arts, heritage and biodiversity, conservation, and community and family support.

“I congratulate all the recipients and thank them on behalf of the people of Dublin for their contribution to this great city.”

Since 1989, this annual award ceremony is an opportunity for Dublin’s Lord Mayor to highlight and acknowledge, in a special way, achievements of both individuals and groups.

Previous winners of the award include the Ana Liffey Drugs Project, Imelda May, Maeve Binchy, Dave Fanning, Merchants Quay Ireland, Damien Dempsey and Commander Chris Hadfield.

Published in Tall Ships

The Kingstown to Queenstown Yacht Race or 'K2Q', previously the Fastnet 450

The Organising Authority ("OA") are ISORA & SCORA in association with The National Yacht Club & The Royal Cork Yacht Club.

The Kingstown to Queenstown Race (K2Q Race) is a 260-mile offshore race that will start in Dun Laoghaire (formerly Kingstown), around the famous Fastnet Rock and finish in Cork Harbour at Cobh (formerly Queenstown).

The  K2Q race follows from the successful inaugural 'Fastnet 450 Race' that ran in 2020 when Ireland was in the middle of the COVID Pandemic. It was run by the National Yacht Club, and the Royal cork Yacht Club were both celebrating significant anniversaries. The clubs combined forces to mark the 150th anniversary of the National Yacht Club and the 300th (Tricentenary) of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Of course, this race has some deeper roots. In 1860 the first-ever ocean yacht race on Irish Waters was held from Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) to Queenstown (now Cobh).

It is reported that the winner of the race was paid a prize of £15 at the time, and all competing boats got a bursary of 10/6 each. The first race winner was a Schooner Kingfisher owned by Cooper Penrose Esq. The race was held on July 14th 1860, and had sixteen boats racing.

In 2022, the winning boat will be awarded the first prize of a cheque for €15 mounted and framed and a Trophy provided by the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest yacht club in the world.

The 2022 race will differ from the original course because it will be via the Fastnet Rock, so it is a c. 260m race, a race distance approved by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club as an AZAB qualifier. 

A link to an Afloat article written by WM Nixon for some history on this original race is here.

The aim is to develop the race similarly to the Dun Laoghaire–Dingle Race that runs in alternate years. 

Fastnet 450 in 2020

The South Coast of Ireland Racing Association, in association with the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay and the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork, staged the first edition of this race from Dun Laoghaire to Cork Harbour via the Fastnet Rock on August 22nd 2020.

The IRC race started in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday, August 22nd 2020. It passed the Muglin, Tuscar, Conningbeg and Fastnet Lighthouses to Starboard before returning to Cork Harbour and passing the Cork Buoy to Port, finishing when Roches's Point bears due East. The course was specifically designed to be of sufficient length to qualify skippers and crew for the RORC Fastnet Race 2021.

At A Glance – K2Q (Kingstown to Queenstown) Race 2024

The third edition of this 260-nautical mile race starts from the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay on July 12th 2024 finishes in Cork Harbour.

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