![David Cullen's Half Tonner Checkmate from Howth Yacht Club is competing in today's ICRA Nationals off Howth. Read full entry list below.](/media/k2/items/cache/696ac04f8ba2cc9e6ebf519198824147_L.jpg)
Dublin Yacht Clubs Boast Biggest Entry At ICRA Nationals, Light Winds Forecast At Howth
10th June 2016 ICRA![Class one ICRA champion J109 Joker II skippered by John Maybury will defend their national title in Howth next Friday](/media/k2/items/cache/a13c045506f082d0407b9d73c23e9ea8_L.jpg)
![ISA Medals will be presented to the winners of next week's ICRA National Championships at Howth Yacht Club](/media/k2/items/cache/eed994e89a5285c4ec86d6463983b732_L.jpg)
![Harry Gallagher – Howth Yacht Club Race management. Watch video below](/media/k2/items/cache/55721a2732afb0ff20122f2c80267b71_L.jpg)
![The Kelly family's Storm will be a class one contender in June's ICRA National Championships at Howth Yacht Club](/media/k2/items/cache/ac2a1093db3b6a30782f33ccee5e0c47_L.jpg)
![ICRA has been unable to put a team together for July's Commodore's Cup in Cowes](/media/k2/items/cache/ad8ee3b9071ef1439443afed0ca48b0d_L.jpg)
![The race team got in seven races on a windward leeward course](/media/k2/items/cache/f30b1c86bd9e4b810f3e86505fe3beaf_L.jpg)
![Former champion, the XP33 Bon Exemple, skippered by Philip Byrne, will be a class one contender in June's ICRA National Championships at Howth Yacht Club](/media/k2/items/cache/542be37ee29ed7e64cca89a0094f3f73_L.jpg)
![A class C start at the ORC Europeans in Estonia in 2015](/media/k2/items/cache/ad5c931eeae93fd4d69845c908ad8500_L.jpg)
![ICRA Commodore Simon McGibney presents the 'Boat of the Year' Award to winning skipper George Sisk](/media/k2/items/cache/d964e9904df29b41f8bc3b71e8e2fff3_L.jpg)
![](http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00006_jlyk4LpT0/s/500/I00006_jlyk4LpT0.jpg)
![ICRA_conference_2016 ICRA_conference_2016](http://www.afloat.ie/images/news_content_images/ICRA_conference_2016.jpg)
![ICRA_2016 ICRA_2016](http://www.afloat.ie/images/news_content_images/ICRA_2016_cover.jpg)
![WOW_ICRA_champion WOW_ICRA_champion](http://www.afloat.ie/images/news_content_images/WOW_ICRA_champion.jpg)
![pat_lyons_simon_mcgibney_kieran_oconnell pat_lyons_simon_mcgibney_kieran_oconnell.](http://www.afloat.ie/images/news_content_images/pat_lyons_simon_mcgibney_kieran_oconnell.jpg)
![corkweekaerial corkweekaerial](http://www.afloat.ie/images/news_content_images/corkweekaerial.jpg)
The creation of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) began in a very low key way in the autumn of 2002 with an exploratory meeting between Denis Kiely, Jim Donegan and Fintan Cairns in the Granville Hotel in Waterford, and the first conference was held in February 2003 in Kilkenny.
While numbers of cruiser-racers were large, their specific locations were widespread, but there was simply no denying the numerical strength and majority power of the Cork-Dublin axis. To get what was then a very novel concept up and running, this strength of numbers had to be acknowledged, and the first National Championship in 2003 reflected this, as it was staged in Howth.
ICRA was run by a dedicated group of volunteers each of whom brought their special talents to the organisation. Jim Donegan, the elder statesman, was so much more interested in the wellbeing of the new organisation than in personal advancement that he insisted on Fintan Cairns being the first Commodore, while the distinguished Cork sailor was more than content to be Vice Commodore.
Initially, the highlight of the ICRA season was the National Championship, which is essentially self-limiting, as it is restricted to boats which have or would be eligible for an IRC Rating. Boats not actually rated but eligible were catered for by ICRA’s ace number-cruncher Denis Kiely, who took Ireland’s long-established native rating system ECHO to new heights, thereby providing for extra entries which brought fleet numbers at most annual national championships to comfortably above the hundred mark, particularly at the height of the boom years.
YEAR | BOAT | SKIPPER | CLUB | BOAT MODEL |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Rockabill VI | Paul O'Higgins | Royal Irish Yacht Club | JPK1080 |
2017-2018 | Checkmate XV | Dave Cullen | Howth Yacht Club | Half Tonner |
2016 | Joker II | John Maybury | Royal Irish Yacht Club | J109 |
2015 | WOW | George Sisk | Royal Irish Yacht Club | Farr 42 |
2014 | Antix Catapult Quokka |
Anthony O'Leary Mark Glimcher Michael Boyd & Niall Dowling |
Ker 39 Ker 40+ Gand Soleil 43 |
|
2013 | Full Irish | David Kennefick | Royal Cork Yacht Club | Figaro 2 |
2012 | NUI Galway | Cathal Clarke & Matin Breen | NUI & Galway Bay Sailing Club | Reflex 38 |
2011 | Storm | Pat Kelly | Howth Yacht Club & Rush Sailing Club | J109 |
2010 | Antix Mariner's Cove Roxy 6 |
Anthony O'Leary Dave Dwyer Andrew Creigton |
Royal Cork Yacht Club | Ker 39 Mills 37 Corby 36 |
2009 | Kinetic | Richard Colwell & Tom Murphy | Howth Yacht Club | Corby 25 |
2008 | Mariner's Cove Rosie |
Dave Dwyer Roy Dickinson |
Royal Cork Yacht Club Howth Yacht Club |
Mills 37 Corby 36 |
2007 | Jump Juice | Conor Phelan | Royal Cork Yacht Club | Ker 37 |
2006 | Chieftain | Jer O'Rourke | RWYC | Cookson 50 |
2005 | Antix | Anthony O'Leary | Royal Cork Yacht Club | Corby 36 |
2004 | Voodoo Chile | Eamonn Crosbie |