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Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

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Irish National Sailing School, West Pier,

Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

(01) 2844195 - [email protected] - Visit Website

Irish National Sailing School News
A busy scene at Blessington Sailing Club as the inaugural RS Fest Incorporating RS200 and RS400 gets underway in 2023. The 2024 RS Fest takes place on Lough Derg Yacht Club.
It promises to be another bumper year for the RS Racing Classes in Ireland with all classes confirming their event calendars for 2024. The Fevas will start off the season in Greystones Sailing Club on the East coast of Ireland,…
RS21s competing at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta on Dublin Bay in July 2023. The keelboat will race at Volvo Cork Week in July 2024
Brilliant events, informative shows and some new records broken by RS Sailing and RS sailors. It was a brilliant summer of events for RS Sailing. Highlights include the RS Feva World Championships which saw 422 sailors coming with their families…
Yacht Week and INSS Team Up for Summer and are looking for talented skippers and hosts to work in the Mediterranean this summer
Yacht Week is looking for talented skippers and hosts to work in the Mediterranean this summer. Dun Laoghaire Sailing School, the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School, has teamed up with the Yacht Week to get Irish sailors working in…
Lorcan Tighe (left) and Kenny Rumball of Marine Services completed intensive training, installation, and a maintenance course in the UK to become the first certified eSSA - ePropulsion Smart System Architecture technicians in Ireland
Always looking towards the future, MarineServices.ie has been very keen to become the first major player in Ireland to offer electric propulsion systems to the leisure and commercial marine sectors in Ireland. With some experience through the RS Sailing RS…
The River Liffey waterscape in Dublin City as seen from an  INSS Boat Trip via Dun Laoghaire Harbour
Dublin City Centre looks magical at night! The INSS.ie RIB Rides and Winter Lights has had a cracking first weekend exploring the river Liffey and Christmas lights. Over 40 participants of all ages joined the crew on passage from Dun…
Light airs dominated for the morning – which meant that the busy Shanahan Cup schedule of races was under great pressure at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
The Shanahan Cup returned for the 2023 and 2024 academic year again on Wednesday, 29th November. Gonzaga College and the Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School hosted 16 teams from 12 schools, with over 100 sailors racing in RS Fevas…
The RS Neo dinghy will debut at the Dun Laoghaire Super Series. The Irish National Sailing Club has invested in the ‘baby Aero’ over the last few years and now boasts a fleet of four boats
The RS Super Series is open to all RS boats, and the Waszps is back in action this Saturday, with racing also extended to the RS Neo. The RS Aeros weren’t able to join the first weekend of the RS…
There's no better way to embrace the festive spirit than embarking on a Christmas Rib Trip along the River Liffey!
Explore the Winter Lights on the River Liffey Like Never Before with the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School this Christmas! There's no better way to embrace the festive spirit than embarking on a Christmas Rib Trip along the River…
2023 Shanahan Cup winners St. Michaels College are presented with the trophy by Ruth Shanahan and pictured with Glyn Williams of the INSS. St. Michaels College Team Leader Max Cantwell holds the trophy and is accompanied by team members Christian Ennis, Rory McMullan, Peadar Doyle, Michael Byrne and Alex Deasy
The Shanahan team racing Cup returns for the 2023/24 season in a new format at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Hosted by the Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School in conjunction with Gonzaga College SJ, the event will be run over three…
A whopping 17 RS400s were on the water at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
November is here, and although some would call it winter sailing, conjuring images of hats, gloves, rain and all-round miserable sailing conditions, the reality is that the weather this time of the year is perfect for sailing! And not only…
RS Aero - Four rig sizes enable youths, women and men to enjoy the ride
There is a bumper-packed calendar for the RS Aero class, the rapidly growing singlehanded dinghy class; the RS Aero is the most technically advanced boat in its sector, which explains why it’s the most exciting and best-selling modern single-hander. And…
The 1720 class adopted the Sailmon live tracking system for their National Championships this year in Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
Is your class or event looking to stand out from the crowd next year? If so, please get in touch with Kenny Rumball ([email protected]) and the team from MarineServices.ie to book Sailmon tracking and video analytics for your event in…
RS Aeros sailing at Dun Laoghaire Harbour
The RS Sailing Super Series is about to kick off in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, bringing together sailing enthusiasts from various RS classes and the highly popular Waszp class. With an action-packed schedule, this series promises an exhilarating display of skill,…
Part of the Wicklow Swimming Pier installed by Airfloat
Airfloat Modular Pontoons has partnered with MarineServices.ie and Carbery Plastics to extend its modular pontoon range. The partnership will leverage the expertise and resources of both companies to expand Airfloat's market reach and cater to a broader customer base. Airfloat…
Heading out on a boat ride from Dun Laoghaire Harbour. These captivating excursions occur on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. throughout October. It's the perfect opportunity to gather your family and friends for a memorable outing
Are you in search of an exhilarating aquatic adventure this October? Look no further! The Irish National Sailing & Powerboat School are thrilled to introduce an exclusive offer that promises to make your weekend unforgettable. October Exclusive Season Finale: Boat…
An RS21 keelboat startline
Are you an avid sailor or boat enthusiast looking to upgrade your RS class sail(s)? If so, mark your calendars because the deadline for the RS Sailing Sail & Cover Pre-Order 2023-24 is fast approaching! Take advantage of this exclusive…

The Irish National Sailing and Powerboat School is based on Dun Laoghaire's West Pier on Dublin Bay and in the heart of Ireland's marine leisure capital.

Whether you are looking at beginners start sailing course, a junior course or something more advanced in yacht racing, the INSS prides itself in being able to provide it as Ireland's largest sailing school.

Since its establishment in 1978, INSS says it has provided sailing and powerboat training to approximately 170,000 trainees. The school has a team of full-time instructors and they operate all year round. Lead by the father and son team of Alistair and Kenneth Rumball, the school has a great passion for the sport of sailing and boating and it enjoys nothing more than introducing it to beginners for the first time. 

Programmes include:

  • Shorebased Courses, including VHF, First Aid, Navigation
  • Powerboat Courses
  • Junior Sailing
  • Schools and College Sailing
  • Adult Dinghy and Yacht Training
  • Corporate Sailing & Events

History of the INSS

Set up by Alistair Rumball in 1978, the sailing school had very humble beginnings, with the original clubhouse situated on the first floor of what is now a charity shop on Dun Laoghaire's main street. Through the late 1970s and 1980s, the business began to establish a foothold, and Alistair's late brother Arthur set up the chandler Viking Marine during this period, which he ran until selling on to its present owners in 1999.

In 1991, the Irish National Sailing School relocated to its current premises at the foot of the West Pier. Throughout the 1990s the business continued to build on its reputation and became the training institution of choice for budding sailors. The 2000s saw the business break barriers - firstly by introducing more people to the water than any other organisation, and secondly pioneering low-cost course fees, thereby rubbishing the assertion that sailing is an expensive sport.