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Displaying items by tag: Aran Islands Event

An Aran Islands lighthouse located on Inis Oírr, the smallest of these Atlantic isles in Galway Bay is the wonderful setting for this month's Aerial/Sparks: Island Time, written and performed by Kevin Barry.

Long, long ago, a melancholy lighthouse keeper on Inis Oírr dreams of a different life and of distant lands ... and of a woman in Ennistymon.

Island Time is a multi-media monologue created by Kevin Barry for Aerial/Sparks as part of the Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture programme. The sound design is by Foley artist Jean McGrath and the film produced by Louise Manifold.

The free event has elements both of radio play and of digital theatre, Island Time sounds a tragi-comic tone and is primarily inspired by its unique location, the Inis Oírr lighthouse with the kind support of the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

About this Event which takes place up to 27 September (Wednesday-Sunday) and has a duration of 30 minutes.

Group bookings: The lighthouse will accommodate a maximum of 3 people per 30 minute time slot to comply with physical distancing requirements.

Kevin Barry is the author of the novels Night Boat to Tangier, Beatlebone and City of Bohane, and the story collections Dark Lies the Island and There Are Little Kingdoms. His awards include the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Goldsmiths Prize, the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize and the Lannan Foundation Literary Award. His stories and essays appear in the New Yorker, Granta and elsewhere. He also works as a playwright and screenwriter, and he lives in County Sligo.

For information on booking online, noting some dates still available at time of writing, click Eventbrite to secure your tickets HERE plus accompanying social media links.

In addition for details on the programme and visitor information visit: www.aerialsparks.org

Published in Island News

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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