If the varied range of clubs in the top four places at their National Championship is an indication of a class's health, then the Mermaids are thriving. Their Nationals 2024 at Howth have seen Brian Fenlon of Wexford Harbour Boat & Tennis Club take the overall win, sailing Wild Wind (ex-Paula) ahead of a swathe of former champions, with Endeavour (Darach Dinneen, Rush SC) second, This Is It (Mark Boylan, Skerries SC) third, and Three Chevrons (Vincent McCormack, Foynes YC) third.
The Boys of Wexford – 2024 Mermaid Champion Wild Wind, with owner-skipper Brian Fenlon on helm, crewed by Max Sweetman (centre) and Johnny Dillon (left). Max Sweetman (17) also won the Crews' Race. Photo: Patrick McCaughey
Gentle summer's day with Bean Adhmaid (Martin O'Toole, Skerries) neck-and-neck off the Fingal coast with clubmate Mark Boylan in This Is It. Photo: Patrick McCaughey
Even more clubs come into focus going down the line of this historic fleet, with Tiller Girl (Jonathan O'Rourke, ex-Clontarf and now flying the flag for the National YC of Dun Laoghaire) showing at ninth overall, while Paul Smith, racing Jill for 11th overall, lists the Royal Irish YC as home.
The number and variety of home clubs is surely good news. But the fact that the weather served up all four seasons during the championship was an indication of perhaps even more volatility in our already restless Irish climate, inevitably a matter for concern and maybe not good news at all. But it did mean that there was wind available – and sometimes wind to spare – every day.
COMPLETE PROGRAMME
So we seize the day and hail both a complete programme, and the re-appearance of Wexford in the prize lists, with Derek Joyce's Zuleika of Wexford also in the picture at 7th overall. It's a reminder that though they may live in a world of their own down there at the WHB&TC (tennis anyone?), when they do emerge, they can strike a sudden and mighty blow worthy of their Viking ancestors.
Summer returns for two of the newer boats, with Paul Smith's Jill (134) of the Royal Irish YC leading Sam Shiels' spruce-planked Azeezy (189) from Skerries
MALAHIDE MERMAIDS?
That said, down in the southeast the hospitality is such that, back in the day when the Mermaids were the premier class in Ireland, Wexford was a magnet for Mermaideers. So much so that in the great days of the Malahide Mermaids, the young crew of Richard & Johnny Burrows and their mate Robin Hennessy sailed from Malahide with their Mermaid and some camping gear all the way to Wexford for the Nationals, sailing and sailing and sailing down that very long and sandy and often difficult coast, near enough 80 miles in all. And they did it so well - whether cruising or racing - that they came back with the top trophy, together with several other valuable pieces of Mermaid silverware, stowed safely away under the foredeck.
Admittedly at first the 2024 Nationals were running according to script, with Skerries winning Race 1 in the form of Mark Boylan's This Is It, and Rush second with Darach Dinneen's Endeavour while Jonathan O'Rourke took a third for Dun Laoghaire with Tiller Girl, and Three Chevrons was fourth for Vincent McCormack and Foynes.
WEXFORD KEEPS IN TOUCH
But the boys of Wexford were keeping in touch and sussing out the fleet with a fifth for Wild Wind, and that – believe it or not – became their main discard. Then with eight races in the can, the second discard became available, and Wild Wind could drop her fourth in Race 8.
Gentle sou'east to east breeze with Irelands Eye astern, Gentoo (186, Brian McNally, Skerries) and Ariel (192, Anthony Weldon, Rush SC) lead from Maybe (191, Paddy Archer, Rush) and Cara II (135, Frank Browne, Rush)
MONEYSWORTH FOR MERMAID SAILORS
All eight scheduled contests were sailed as the Howth race team – led by Scorie Walls – got their teeth into the business of giving the Mermaids their moneysworth. The word is they felt they got it, both afloat and ashore. Wild Wind's crew certainly do, as once they'd found their stride with that fifth, they logged a total scoreline of (5)1,1,1,2,3,2,(4 ).
BIG PARTY IN WEXFORD
Other firsts were taken by Mark Boylan's This Is It (twice), Vincent McCormack's Three Chevrons (twice), and Darach Dinneen's Endeavour. Nevertheless the generosity of the discards gave Wild Wind just 10 points to the 16 of Darach Dinneen's Endeavour, and the 19 of Mark Boylan's. A win of such clarity deserves a spot of celebration in Wexford. And they're getting it in a big way. The Fleadh Coil is in Wexford for the first time. All week.
Results below
