Conor O'Brien and Saoirse Circumnavigation Centenary Is Bringing Summer To Dublin Bay

16th June 2025

WM Nixon

The Ilen at sea, on passage this past weekend from Baltimore to Kinsale Credit: Sally Cudmore

The Conor O'Brien and Saoirse Circumnavigation Centenary Cruise-in-Company is well on its way from Baltimore towards Dun Laoghaire, with the 56ft ketch Ilen as flagship and Irish Cruising Club Rear Commodore Sally Cudmore of Crosshaven in charge.

They were seen festively on their way by the Baltimore-based Saoirse re-creation, and a stopover in Kinsale saw the flotilla being enhanced by the addition of David Beattie's steel cutter Reespray, a re-creation of Slocum's famous Spray, while the crews were well restored by a fine dinner in Kinsale Yacht Club.

They seem to be bringing the summer with them, and all are on track to be in Dublin Bay comfortably on time for Friday (June 20th's) Parade of Sail from Dalkey to arrive at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire at 17:00hrs, a hundred years precisely since Conor O'Brien brought the original Saoirse in from her great pioneering voyage.

The new Saoirse sailing in Baltimore Harbour.

Published in Conor O'Brien, Asgard II, Dublin Bay 21, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Ilen, West Cork, Dublin Bay

Published in Conor O'Brien

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Saoirse

About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour