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28th June 2017

Drogheda Sail Training Bursary Presentations Marks Fifth Year of Local Youth Initiative

#SailingBursary - As part of the Drogheda Sail Training Bursary Presentations to mark the fifth year of the local youth initiative a large gathering was held to celebrate the event.

The gathering was the largest ever event held in Drogheda for young sail trainees with over fifty trainees attending from three stunning vessels, the Irish Brian Boru, the English Maybe (as pictured) and the Russian Shtandart.

This year the Brian Boru arrived at the Irish Maritime Festival (held in mid June) carrying the first crew of Drogheda sail trainees who were being awarded with their achievement certificates at the event. They had spent five wonderful days sailing up the east coast learning new life skills and once on land they finished it off with a guided walking tour of historic Drogheda given by the Old Drogheda Society. The Russian trainees were particularly intrigued with the head of Saint Oliver Plunkett.

The Mayor of Drogheda welcomed all the trainees in from sea and also extended a warm welcome to the second group of young seafarers as they prepared to set off on their own adventure on the seas on the second bursary sail north. He acknowledged the importance of this bursary for the youth of Drogheda and surrounding areas and how it has opened the doors to the many maritime opportunities out there. ‘Meeting these new young mariners in the making along with their local corporate sponsors is testament of how much this youth development program has grown since its maiden voyage back in 2013’ said the Mayor.

MC for the evening, Nessa Lally of Drogheda Port Company thanked Sail Training Ireland for their role in making this bursary a success every year and extended a massive thank you to the four sponsors of the ‘Drogheda Sail Training Bursary’, Fast Terminals Ireland Ltd, Irish Cement Ltd, Louth County Council and Drogheda Port Company. This year these sponsors merged to form the Drogheda Sail Training Bursary scheme with a strong public private partnership approach and further develop the initiative into the future. ‘It is very heartening to see the interest these local companies take in the development of opportunities for the youth of the town.’

Captain Peter Scannal of the Brian Boru and trainee Rowan Latimer from Bettystown outlined the adventures and experiences they had on board the vessel to everyone assembled. It was a wonderful evening as finally all the incoming trainees were presented with their certificates of achievement by the bursary sponsors.

Published in Tall Ships

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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