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Coastival
Now in its 10th edition over 20 years, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta has grown into a major international event, with up to 350 boats and 1,600 sailors from over 56 yacht clubs worldwide competing across 36 classes on five courses, stretching from Howth to Dalkey.
The countdown is on to the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2025, which sets sail on Thursday, 10th July, with the firing of two historic guns by the Irish Defence Forces to mark the start of a brand-new Bay Race at…
The 74-metre superyacht Avanti was in Kinsale, County Cork, on Wednesday (June 25th), above, and is anchored off Dun Laoghaire's East Pier on Dublin Bay on Friday
Superyachts and Tall Ship visitors have sailed into Dublin Bay as Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Coastival summer festival opens this weekend ahead of Ireland's biggest sailing event, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta that starts on July 10. The first of the…
Busy time at the Magic Portal. Noted marine artist Richard Brydges Beechey captures the special nature of Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance in the 1860s with a tan-sailed fishing smack heading into port with a hobblers' dinghy in tow, while two yachts with coppered bottoms and black topsides head into Dublin Bay. Back in the harbour, a man-of-war gets under way with two of her enormous labour-intensive square sails set to provide steerage speed for a neat and unassisted exit from port.
"Artificial" is one of the last words that spring to mind when you've spent many years in and around Dun Laoghaire Harbour. It's all on such a scale, and constructed with so much locally-quarried material in a project begun 207…
Don O'Dowd, Chairman of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, An Cathaoirleach, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, County Council, Jim O' Leary, Maria McEnery, Volvo Car Ireland and Paddy Boyd, Event Director, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, pictured at the joint launch of the 10th Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta - Ireland’s largest sailing event which takes place from July 10th - July 13th - and the much-loved Coastival Festival which runs in the east coast town from July 6th – 13th
An Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, County Council, Jim O' Leary was on hand to make this week's joint launch of the 10th Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland’s largest sailing event and the town's Coastival Festival, which runs in July.…
Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Ambassadors horse-racing legend Rachael Blackmore and Rugby Star James Ryan pictured with Skipper of the Terra Nova, Peter Bowring, Paddy Boyd, Event Director and Maria McEnery, Volvo Car Ireland at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta launch Ireland’s largest sailing event of the year
Volvo Ambassadors Rachael Blackmore, horse-racing legend and winner of both the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup, who this week announced her retirement, alongside James Ryan, newly announced Lions squad member, three time six Nations Champion and Grand Slam winner,…
Coastival visitors explored  the Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘LE George Bernard Shaw’ at Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Carlisle Pier
Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Coastival Festival has been hailed as a success by organisers after a ten-day run that concluded with the Emergency Services and Naval Vessel Open Day on Sunday (7th July). The event featured over twenty services, comprising both…
Three of the restored Dublin Bay 21s during Sunday afternoon's Grand Parade of Classic Sail as part of the Coastival 2024 festival at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
The restored Dublin Bay 21s keelboats were centre stage in Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Sunday afternoon in the Grand Parade of Classic Sail, part of the town's nautical Coastival 2024 festival, running until next Saturday. One-design yachts and dinghies sailed past…
Free guided tours of the Naval Service patrol ship LÉ George Bernard Shaw are planned as part of the open day on Sunday, July 7th at Coastival in Dun Laoghaire Harbour
Blue light and voluntary rescue services will participate in an “emergency services open day” which is being held as part of the “Coastival” festival in Dun Laoghaire. Free guided tours of the Naval Service patrol ship LÉ George Bernard Shaw…
Dublin Bay 21s out practicing for The Grand Parade of Classic Sail which takes place on Sunday June 20th as part of Coastival in Dún Laoghaire from June 29th to July 7th. Coastival brings art, history, games, culture, sailing, family fun, music and more to the shore in Dún Laoghaire
On Sunday, June 30th, from 12-2pm, the East Pier at Dun Laoghaire Harbour will provide quite the nautical spectacle with The Grand Parade of Classic Sail as part of Coastival 2024. The "synchronised sailing" format for the event is simple…
On the 7th of September, the O’Connell Centenary Cup was presented by the Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown, Denis O’Callaghan, to the winning crew from St. Michael’s Rowing Club. The race was held for the first time in 1875, when a trophy was presented to the people of Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) and Dalkey, to commemorate the centenary of Daniel O’Connell’s birth. The race will be held every year, with more crews joining next year. The cup has now gone on public display in the entrance area in County Hall in Dun Laoghaire.
On September 7th, the O’Connell Centenary Cup was presented to the winning crew from St. Michael’s Rowing Club by Denis O’Callaghan, the Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The presentation ceremony was held at the County Hall and attended by councillors, members…
Dun Laoghaire's West Pier lighthouse is dressed in Coastival colours to welcome this week's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta
Met Éireann is forecasting southerly to south-easterly winds for Dublin Bay during the Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta this week. However, it cautions that the forecast is “more uncertain than usual for later this week, so the probability for change is…
Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School students in an RS Quest dinghy in Dun Laoghaire Harbour
As part of this week's Dun Laoghaire Harbour Coastival Festival, the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School team is hosting a free public talk in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Lexicon this Monday evening, the 3rd of July, from 6.30 pm. “Getting…
Dun Laoghaire's West Pier lighthouse was dressed in Coastival colours to welcome today's classic yacht parade
Due to strong winds, Sunday's (July 2) classic boat/yacht parade at Dun Laoghaire Harbour was cancelled this afternoon. This event was arranged in association with Dun Laoghaire's Coastival Festival, a week-long series of events and activities that culminates in the…
Over 370 boats will compete on Dublin Bay at this week's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, opening on Thursday, July 6th and running until Sunday, July 9th
If it’s July, it must be the return of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, along with Coastival, the new festival celebrating the rich maritime heritage of the south Dublin waterfront. Over 370 boats have registered for the regatta, opening on…
In July, a new classic boat/yacht parade is planned for Dun Laoghaire Harbour. This event is being arranged in association with Dun Laoghaire's Coastival Festival, a week-long series of events and activities that culminates in the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.…
Scroll down for a flipbook of event for the DLR Coastival Festival
 Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has launched a digital event brochure for its inaugural Coastival Festival that coincides with Ireland's largest sailing regatta, the VDLR, from July 6th. The flipbook contains the full programme for the eight-day event and is…

About the Coastival Festival

‘Coastival’, is a week-long family-focused festival for all, celebrating Dun Laoghaire’s maritime heritage on Dublin Bay with various events including Maritime Movies on the Green, Coastival Nights with live music and comedy, boat cruises, and free sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding.

Events include:

  • Maritime movies on the green,
  • Live music, including KILA, Jerry Fish, Mack Fleetwood and much more,
  • Comedy club with Dave McSavage and Dublin Improv,
  • Boat cruises and boat trips,
  • Family fun day at the DLR LexIcon Library,
  • Free sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding,
  • Summer of heritage events and much more!

 

At a Glance - Coastival 2027

  • The 2027 Dun Laoghaire Coastival will run from Sunday, July 4th to Sunday, July 11th 2027
  • This event will run alongside the Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Thursday 8th – Sunday 11th July 2027

The 2027 Dun Laoghaire Coastival will coincide with the Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland's biggest sailing event, making it a significant event for the region.

 

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