The death has occurred of Donal Lynch, one of Ireland’s leading figures in traditional boats, as Tom MacSweeney writes.
Donal was one of the founding and leading figures in the development of Meitheal Mara, the community and traditional boatyard in Cork city.
A stalwart member of Glandore Harbour Yacht Club in West Cork and a former club officer, he led the development of the Classic Boat Regatta there as well as the Glandore Summer School about the marine.
He had also been one of the main group in the publishing of the class Traditional Boats of Ireland book.
Donal’s solid, committed and dedicated involvement in the traditional boating scene will be very much missed. He was always a fount of wisdom, knowledge and sound advice on maritime matters.
Donal had been ill for some time and died at Marymount Hospice in Cork.
Among the many tributes being paid, Cathy Buchanan, Meitheal Mara manager, said Donal was “a great maritime man and much else besides. Meitheal Mara would be very different without his influence, if here at all.”
