Displaying items by tag: Clipper Boat Race Funday

16th July 2016

Northern Adventure: Ferries Across Loughs Link Wild Atlantic Way And Causeway Coast

Magilligan in the distance and ferry, Foyle Venture off Greencastle, Co. Donegal where tomorrow (Sunday, 17 July) takes place the Clipper Family Funday (3-5pm) before the race begins at 6pm.

#NorthernLoughs – Inishowen Peninsula, Co. Donegal is unique on the island of Ireland given that two coastal 'car' ferry routes run from both sides of the peninsula, one of which is also a cross-border link, writes Jehan Ashmore.

On the eastern side of the peninsula is where the Lough Foyle Ferry Company operate a 15 minute route between Greencastle, Co. Donegal to Magilligan, Co. Derry-Londonderry. At Greencastle, tomorrow (Sunday 17th July) is to be held the Clipper Family Funday (3-5pm) before the race begins at 6pm.

The year-round Lough Foyle operated route is up and running since Fraser Ferries acquired the cross-border ferry link (see also Passage East Ferry) that was closed last year by a previous management as reported on Afloat.ie.

It transpires that since that report, the original ferry, Foyle Venture (300 passenger / 44 cars plus lorries) has been retained operating on the Foyle and under Fraser Ferries. The double-ended loading ferry operates 7 days per week and takes 15 minutes crossings. Fares are 20% cheaper, claims the new operator than those of the predecessor in 2015.

Frazer Ferries are also planning to develop another cross border link (Co. Louth/Down) on Carlingford Lough between Greenore and Greencastle, not to be confused with its Donegal counterpart. Another similarity, it that the crossing times would be the same, 15 minutes.

Returning to the Inishowen Peninsula and that of the other side, is where motorists can also benefit travelling onwards in either west or east directions on the seasonal-only Lough Swilly Ferry service. This is the longer of the two routes, taking around 25 minutes to complete between Buncrana and Rathmullan also in Co. Donegal.

A daily service is provided until September, then the only option is by road to Letterkenny.

Likewise of the Foyle route, this service had been under different ownership but since last year having begun using the Coll. The name of the bow-only loading ‘Island’ class ferry reveals her Scottish Western Isles namesake origins.

Entering service in 1974, Coll with a 96 passenger/6 car plus lorry capability, originally served Caledonian MacBrayne/CalMac. The Scottish government owned ferry operator in the Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles has an extensive network. Afloat.ie will be reporting on routes among those on the Forth of Clyde.

Elder sister, Rhum, by only a year, also retains her Scottish isles naming theme albeit now serving in Irish waters and on a mainland-island link. This is between Burtonport and Aranmore Island in northwest Co. Donegal and operated by Aranmore Ferry, a sister company of the operator on Lough Swilly.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019