Displaying items by tag: Monkstown Bay

8th January 2022

Blustery Laser Racing for Monkstown Bay Sailors in Cork Harbour

Local Laser sailor Chris Bateman emerged as the winner of today's three races of the Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's Yard of Ale Trophy in Cork Harbour.

The 14-boat fleet braved strong gales for today's series, the first dinghy racing of the new year.

Second overall was Ronan Kenneally with third place going to Sunday's Well Sailing Club's Paul O'Sullivan.

Monkstown Bay Sailing Frostbites Results 2022

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

15th July 2021

Laser Sailor Ronan Kenneally Leads Monkstown Bay Dinghy League

At Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour, Ronan Kenneally leads the July dinghy league in his Laser on 2 points, with John Moynihan 2nd in another Laser on 5 and Michael and Sandy O'Brien sailing a 505 in third place on 7.

As regular Afloat readers will know, Cork Harbour is the venue for next year's 505 World Championships where MBSC members will compete on home waters in August 2022.

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

12th September 2019

'Goldie' Goes to Monkstown Bay Class Captain

The Goldie trophy presentation to MBSC's Henry Jefferies

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Cruiser Class in Cork Harbour honoured their Class Captain Henry Jefferies, awarding him the ‘Goldie Cronin’ Trophy for dedicated service to the Class.

The trophy race is in honour of the late ‘Goldie’ Cronin who was Race Officer for the Cruiser Class for many years. Before that she had served as OOD – Officer of the Day – for the Vagabond dinghy class which was once the biggest class of boats raced at Monkstown. Many of its members graduated, on age grounds as they became more mature (!) into the formation of the club’s Cruiser Class and ‘Goldie’ moved with them. She was a “commanding and resolute figure” on the Sand Quay as she ran races, members of the Class recalled.

In presenting the trophy to Henry Jefferies, the Class paid tribute to him for his years of dedicated service. “It is a testament to his commitment and dedication and to how he has kept the Class alive over the past two years with his tireless efforts both within MBSC and the combined Cork Harbour clubs,” the Cruiser Class tribute said.

The unique trophy recalls the former ‘Alta’ race mark at Monkstown, around which ’Goldie’ insisted that boats should finish at the Sand Quay club line, to demonstrate their sailing abilities!

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

2nd August 2019

Monkstown Bay Race Concludes Cork Harbour Cruisers League

Nine yachts entered last weekend's Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s Cruiser Class race

The combined clubs Cork Harbour league concluded on Saturday, run by Monkstown Bay Sailing Club’s Cruiser Class and with nine yachts racing writes Tom MacSweeney

The race started at No.9 buoy with a beat to No.5, then swinging on a starboard turn to the Cage, where the wind turned bit fickle as the nine boats were faced with a beat out to No.3. Having rounded there to starboard, the tide favoured them back to No.6, across the harbour to No.8, then crossing the harbour again to No.7, from there to No.9, No.13 and a very tricky last leg to finish at 18. That saw the fleet encounter particularly challenging wind patterns in a light breeze, before they got across the finishing line.

The IRC handicap Ward and Burke Trophy was won by Dave Doyle’s Musketeer from Great Island Sailing Club. Second was Esme, John and Fiona Murphy from the RCYC at Crosshaven and third Ria Lyden’s Ellida also from the RCYC.

In ECHO handicap Ellida was the overall winner of the Ward/Burke Trophy, with Sean Hanley’s Luas second and third was Esme.

Photos below by Bob Bateman

Chris Granby Jr’s Unhinged

The top Monkstown boat in the series was Chris Granby Jr’s Unhinged, which won the Charlie Hennessy Trophy, awarded in memory of one of MBSC’s legendary sailors. Second in the home club’s internal league, based on the overall results, was Sean McCarthy’s Sally. The June MBSC League prize was also presented after racing on Saturday and the winner was again Chris Granby.

(Above and below) Sean McCarthy’s Sally

MBSC Class Captain Henry Jefferies said the league had been a successful involvement between the three harbour clubs, with MBSC providing the race officer teams and RCYC compiling the results. The June League was run by Great Island Sailing Club and in September RCYC will organise the racing.

The IRC handicap Ward and Burke Trophy was won by Dave Doyle’s Musketeer from Great Island Sailing Club

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

Monkstown Bay

13th November 2017

Cork Harbour Slipway Extension at Monkstown Bay

Monkstown Bay is getting a slipway extension

Monkstown Bay in Cork Harbour is getting a slipway extension which will improve boat launching and recovery. The previously narrower slipway is being renewed and widened.

The slipway is at the upriver side of the Sand Quay which is primarily used by Monkstown Bay Sailing Club for launching dinghies, but it is a public slipway, also generally available.

MSBC has a club hut for race operations on the Quay. Its clubhouse is a short distance away at De Vesci Place in the village.

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

6th May 2017

Cove Sailing Club Announces Link-up With Monkstown Bay to Boost Cruiser Racing in Cork Harbour

Cove SC, MBSC and RCYC Club Officers at the Cove SC launch

Cove Sailing Club launched its programme for the season with confirmation of joint cruiser racing to be sailed with neighbouring Monkstown Bay SC in an attempt by both clubs to boost cruiser participation in Cork Harbour writes Tom MacSweeney.

Cove SC Commodore Joanna Radley and Monkstown Bay’s Cruiser Class Captain Henry Jefferies said that the development had been discussed for some time and that both clubs would continue to have their own dedicated events, while also combining racing which would be held alternately at Cobh and Monkstown. Both clubs had experienced declining fleet numbers over recent seasons and this was a determined attempt to reverse the trend.

Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Rear Admiral for Keelboats, Kieran O’Connell, who was present welcomed the development and said that the RCYC would look forward to the possibility of joining in next season when all three clubs could strengthen cruiser racing.

CORK HARBOUR JOINT RACINGPROGRAMME Cove Sailing Club Commodore Joanna Radley, Monkstown Bay Cruiser Class Capt Henry Jefferies and Cove Sailing Secretary Pat Coakley at the Announcement of the Joint Racing programme

“This is a wonderful harbour, with great opportunities for sailing, of which every opportunity should be taken,” is the approach being taken by the clubs. The joint Cove/MBSC events will concentrate on whitesail, which is the focus of Monkstown Bay SC cruisers. Cove includes spinnakers in its racing events.

The agreed approach, as previously reported by Afloat.ie will start with both clubs joining forces for the first time on Sunday May 21, starting together on the Cove SC line and again the following Saturday, May 27 On Saturday, June 3, the June Bank Holiday Weekend both clubs will race in Monkstown. The clubs will gather together again in Cobh on four Fridays in June – 9, 16, 23 and 30. A race to Kinsale, which will also be a ‘feeder’ for the Sovereign’s Cup there, is planned on Saturday, June 17. For boats not taking part in the Cup series, there will be a race back to Cork Harbour the following day.

KIERAN OCONNELL RCYC Kieran O'Connell RCYC Rear Admiral Keelboats – looks forward to the possibility of joining in next season when all three Cork Harbour clubs could strengthen cruiser racing

In July Monkstown will hold its ‘At Home Regatta’ on Saturday, July 8, which SCORA, the South Coast Offshore Racing Association, is expected to support and on Saturdays, July 15, 22, 29, Cove will join MBSC in racing at Monkstown. On Sunday, July 23 racing will be in Cove. On Saturday, September 2, the Ballinacurra Race will start from Cove and finish in East Ferry. Saturday, September 9, is the date scheduled for the annual Cobh-to-Blackrock Race and there are joint MBSC and Cove SC events planned on Saturdays September 16, 23 and 30.

“Hopefully, this inter-club initiative will boost cruiser racing in Cork Harbour,” officers of both clubs said.

At the launch in the Quays bar and restaurant on the Cobh waterfront, Cove Sailing Secretary, Pat Coakley, announced an extensive sailing programme for both the club’s dinghy and cruiser fleets. Saturday sailing will include a dedicated training schedule, outlined by Michelle Gray Mooney.

MAURICE KIDNEY COVE SC LAUNCH Maurice Kidney outlining the Rankin Dinghy Revival at the Cove Sailing Club Launch

Maurice Kidney detailed the revival of the Rankins, the historic dinghy associated with Cove SC. On Saturday, May 20, the Rankins are planning a gathering in Cobh and Crosshaven for Ida Hadley, the sister of boat builders Eric and Dave Rankin, who built these wonderful Cork harbour dinghies from the late 50s to the 80s.

Published in Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Tagged under

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.