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Displaying items by tag: Foxford Co Mayo

Around 200 Argentinian military personnel reports RTE, travelled to Co Mayo to visit the town where the founder of the country's Navy was born.

Admiral William Brown hailed from Foxford and today’s (yesterday) trip was the largest to take place by officers from the Navy he led.

The visiting party was joined by members of the Irish Naval Service for the ceremonies.

The event also attracted many Argentinians living in Ireland, keen to meet up with their compatriots.

The Naval officers attended a memorial mass in the local church before continuing a parade through the town.

As Afloat previously reported the ARA Libertad is the sail training vessel of the Argentinian Navy which visited Dublin Port at the weekend. The five-day visit ends tomorrow afternoon. 

More here on the visit to Foxford.

Published in Naval Visits

#ADMIRAL BROWN – In addition to the 155th anniversary commemoration of the death of Admiral William Brown which was held in the Argentinian capital at the weekend, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, a second ceremony was held in Foxford, Co. Mayo, the birthplace of the admiral who founded the navy of the South American country.

In attendance were the Argentine Ambassador, Dr. Maria Bondanza, with Argentine Naval Attache, Group Captain Alejandro Amoros, and Irish Naval Service Commodore, Mark Mellett. For more about this story as reported by MayoToday click HERE.

Commodore Mellett who also hails from Co. Mayo was appointed Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service (FOCNS) following the retirement of Commodore Frank Lynch in December 2010.

The Mayo native will be addressing delegates this Friday at the inaugural IMERC Conference on Maritime Geostrategic Thinking for Ireland at the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) in Ringaskiddy.

IMERC which stands for the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster will host the conference in the college where guided tours of the facility will also be made available during the one-day conference. The conference is open to the public and free of charge, for more information including conference agenda click HERE.

Published in Navy

Irish Sailing

The Irish Sailing Association, also known as Irish Sailing, is the national governing body for sailing, powerboating and windsurfing in Ireland.

Founded in 1945 as the Irish Dinghy Racing Association, it became the Irish Yachting Association in 1964 and the Irish Sailing Association in 1992.

Irish Sailing is a Member National Authority (MNA) of World Sailing and a member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

The Association is governed by a volunteer board, elected by the member clubs. Policy Groups provide the link with members and stakeholders while advising the Board on specialist areas. There is a professional administration and performance staff, based at the headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Core functions include the regulation of sailing education, administering racing and selection of Irish sailors for international competition. It is the body recognised by the Olympic Federation of Ireland for nominating Irish qualified sailors to be considered for selection to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Irish sailors have medalled twice at the Olympics – David Wilkins and Jamie Wikinson at the 1980 games, and Annalise Murphy at the 2016 games.

The Association, through its network of clubs and centres, offers curriculum-based training in the various sailing, windsurfing and powerboating disciplines. Irish Sailing qualifications are recognised by Irish and European Authorities. Most prominent of these are the Yachtmaster and the International Certificate of Competency.

It runs the annual All-Ireland Championships (formerly the Helmsman’s Championship) for senior and junior sailors.

The Association has been led by leading lights in the sailing and business communities. These include Douglas Heard, Clayton Love Junior, John Burke and Robert Dix.

Close to 100 sailors have represented Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership of Irish Sailing is either by direct application or through membership of an affiliated organisation. The annual membership fee ranges from €75 for families, down to €20 for Seniors and Juniors.