There were breezy conditions for the annual dinghy race from Cobh to Ballinacurra in Cork Harbour on Sunday.

Organised by Cove Sailing Club in conjunction with the National 18 Class, the race started as usual from the Spit Bank area off Cobh.

But with 18/20 knots from the east and a flood tide, it made for a tricky and wet beat from the start to the East Ferry turn before the relative calm of the narrow and shallower waters towards Ballinacurra village.

With 18/20 knots from the east and a flood tide, it was a wet start to the 2022 Ballinacurra Race for this 505 crew Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat reported earlier, racing is provided for Class 1, Class 2 and Cobh’s Rankin dinghies with National 18s, 505s and Lasers all setting out on the challenging course.

A visiting cruise liner near the start line added to the challenges for the dinghy sailors

The conditions put off some participants and there were a number of capsizes off Whitepoint with some boats returning to shore.

For all those that made it to Ballinacurra, close to Midleton, there was a carnival atmosphere, a prizegiving and a special celebration of a vintage 'T' dinghy outside Creenan's Brooklands Bar.

National 18 helm Charles Dwyer (left) receives his prize from Commodore Cove Sailing Club Niall Hawes, Anne Ahern CSC and winning crew Kieran Dwyer and Richie Harrington Photo: Bob Bateman

The overall winner of the 2022 Ballinacurra race was the National 18 trio Charles Dwyer crewed by Kieran Dwyer and Richie Harrington. 

Cliodhna arrives by road, not sea to Ballinacurra

A valiant attempt to honour the Cliodna's 75-year history by racing to Ballinacurra this year was stymied by the tough sailing conditions.

Having got to the start line off the east end of Haulbowline in the vintage clinker-built boat, the weather proved far too inclement so skipper Owen O'Connell and crew Eamonn Twomey were forced to retire. The safer option was to trailer the Cliodna to Ballinacurra for post-race celebrations where Cliodna was quite rightly centre stage.

Owen O'Connell with the 75-year-old Cliodna Photo: Bob Bateman

Cliodna was built by Eddie Twomey in 1947. She was the third T Class to be built, Eddie designed and built the first one called Darine in 1945.

Cliodna was built by Eddie Twomey in 1947 Photo: Bob Bateman

Eric Rankin built T2 called Murtoo with the last, T10 built in 1949. Eddie Twomey raced and won the Ballinacurra Cup in the Cliodna in 1947. 

He sold her in 1950 to Dr Scully of Crosshaven. She remained with the Scully family until 2016 when Eddie Twomey's daughter, Eithne, bought her.

She was restored by Jim Walsh over the following year and finally put back in the water this year.

The Ballinacurra Cup prizegiving had a special setting with Cliodna on her road trailer at Brooklands Bar Photo: Bob Bateman

2022 Ballinacurra Race Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

The home of Ireland’s last engineless freight-carrying schooner, the Brooklands, will be the centre of the popular Ballinacurra Race in Cork Harbour this Sunday.

Creenan’s hostelry in Ballinacurra village near Midleton in East Cork will be the mecca for dinghy sailors at the annual race from Cobh to Ballinacurra. Organised by Cove Sailing Club in conjunction with the National 18 Class, it will start at 3 p.m. from the Spit Bank area off Cobh.

This is a race for Class 1, Class 2 and Cobh’s Rankin dinghies that will take the fleet up past East Ferry through the narrow and shallower waters towards Ballinacurra village. This narrow and shallow area is challenging. The destiny of the Ballinacurra Cup can be decided in that final part of the race course.

Cobh’s Rankin dinghies are also taking part in the Ballinacurra Race Photo: Bob Bateman

Once a busy commercial port, from sailing ship days, through the tall ships era, to smaller cargo, coastal vessels that carried coal, timber, iron, slate, flax for the linen industry and malting, Ballinacurra Port closed to business in 1962. It was deemed too expensive by Cork Port to dredge the approaches to keep it clear of silting mud.

Venturing up that way in anything other than dinghies is definitely challenging!

The race is always well-supported by the dinghy sailors in the harbour clubs. Prizegiving will be in the famous “Jacko’s” which is Creenan’s village pub, hearkening back to the days of the family’s famous schooner, the Brooklands. The hostelry is across the road from the memorial to the local man who started his sailing career in waters off the village - Edward Bransfield, who discovered Antarctica.

Andrew Crosbie and Stephen O'Shaughnessy in the National 18 'Virtual MissFits' were the 2021 Ballinacurra Race winners hosted by Cove Sailing Club in conjunction with the National 18 dinghy class. 

Among other competing boats, Nine Eighteens contested the race that has traditionally been an annual pilgrimage from Royal Cork in Crosshaven to 'Jacko's Bar'.

As Afloat reported earlier, this year's Cove Sailing Club race was an open event and Commodore Niall Hawes gave a  start time at 3 pm near to the harbour's Spit Bank.

The race started from Committee boat Brisa Mar with OOD Joanna O’Brien onboard.

Class 1 started first with a quick dog leg down to 16 and back to no 20 then straight to Ballinacura.

Class 2 started straight after with a fleet of 9 with 4 Rankins in attendance with 2 young hopefuls Sam and Noah Dorgan racing Optimists.

The breeze began to drop as the fleet neared the corner of east ferry and the Race officer decided to finish Class 2 at the church in East Ferry.

Class 1 consisting largely of National 18’s carried on up the East Passage where the tide was flooding rapidly with the shifty breeze.

The race concluded with Class 1s finishing at South Quay in Ballinacurra with the committee boat Bris Mar braving the shallow channel to record the finish

There were two classes racing to Ballinacurra.

A number of Rankins (below), two catamarans (above), two RS400s and a few mixed dinghies including two Optimists also started the race.

An interesting course for Class 1 dinghies was set to send them round Spit buoy and run back to No. 20 buoy and then straight to Ballinacurra.

Winds were very light prior to the start with some boats towed the final quarter of a mile just to get to the line. 

The wind filled in for the start of the race to Ballinacurra with one National 18 dinghy over the line and having to return

Although largely a family affair, the race was not without some decent competition especially for the National 18 lead in Class One.

In very strong tide, the National 18s found it hard to keep spinnakers filled at East Ferry

Ballinacurra Race Results 2021

Class 1

1st National 18 Misfits Andrew Crosbie & Stephen O’Shaughnessy

2nd National 18 Puss in Boots Katie Dwyer, Tome Dwyer & Willy Healy

3rd National 18 Minnie’s Return Colin Barry, Ronan Kenneally & John O’Gorman.

Class 2

1st Rankin Maurice & Francis Kidney

2nd Rankin Owen O’Connell & Joe Keenan

3rd Rankin James & Suzanne Burke

There was also a special presentation to the youngest competitor Harry Coole who was just 10 years old.

Cove Sailing Club wish to thank all the competitors who ensured this historic race was well supported.

Thanks to Charles Dwyer of the National 18 class for helping organise with us, Joanne O’Brien and crew of the Bris Mar for providing committee boat duties, the Brooklands Bar for providing much needed libations and to Steven Byrne and Harry McDwyer for providing rescue cover.

Ballinacurra Race Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour is holding the Ballinacurra Race this Saturday (24th July) in conjunction with the National 18 dinghy class. 

The last race there was in 2019 but prior to that the 'Ballinacurra Cruising Club' would traditionally have an annual pilgrimage from Royal Cork in Crosshaven to 'Jacko's Bar'.

In part, the in-harbour cruise commemorated the fact that the Midleton pier was the final disembarkation point for the last commercial sailing ship in Cork Harbour.

The harbour channel for Ballinacurra is located near East Ferry but, say, harbour experts, it is slowly getting silted up and now limited to about five feet of draught.

Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour is holding the Ballinacurra Race to Midleton this Sat (24th July) in conjunction with the National 18 dinghy class. Photo: Bob Bateman

The channel to Ballinacurra is reportedly marked by plastic milk bottles and other similar buoyage.

Most boats venturing up that way go towards the top of the tide. But, say, locals, "you have to get out of it pretty sharpish or you can get caught".

The Cove Sailing Club race is an open event and Commodore Niall Hawes is keen to spread the news of the weekend fixture. 

The start time is 3 pm near to the harbour's Spit Bank.

There are three classes; class 1, Class Two (dinghies) plus local Rankin dinghies.

The prizegiving will be held outside Jacko's.

More here