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Displaying items by tag: Kevin Vickers

The Royal Irish Yacht Club looks forward to welcoming Kevin Vickers, the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, as its international guest speaker at a dinner next Friday 9 November.

Ambassador Vickers has served as Ambassador of Canada to Ireland since January 2015. He was previously Sergeant-at-Arms of Canada’s House of Commons and prior to that had a successful 29-year-long career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

He is a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Canada 125 Medal, and the RCMP Long Service Medal. He has also been recognised by the Community of Burnt Church for his outstanding service to their community, and by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Drug Enforcement’.

In 2014, Vickers was hailed as a hero by Canada’s parliamentarians and other prominent Canadian and international figures for his actions in stopping the October attack at the Parliament of Canada.

This event is open to all RIYC members and their guests and will cost €40 per person including a glass of Prosecco on arrival. A members’ table will be available. Online booking is available HERE.

Another date for your calendar is Thursday 22 November, when the RIYC Military History Annual Lecture is delivered by keynote guest Professor Saul David, well-known British academic military historian, author and broadcaster.

Prof David will deliver his lecture ‘The Force: The First Special Service Force and the Capture of Monte la Difensa’, telling the incredible true story of the assault on Hitler’s Winter Line in southern Italy in December 1943 – one of the greatest military feats of the Second World War – and the small group of elite US and Canadian soldiers who carried it out.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RIYC’s Christmas brochure details events planned at the Dun Laoghaire waterfront clubhouse throughout the upcoming festive season.

Published in Royal Irish Yacht Club
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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.