Apparently someone in the Department of the Marine doesn’t accept that the Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven is correct when the club says it is “the oldest in the world...” writes Tom MacSweeney.
On behalf of Marine Minister Michael Creed the Department issued a press release today congratulating Cork on being chosen as the city to host European Maritime Day in 2020. The press release said: “European Maritime Day 2020 will also coincide with the 300 year anniversary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC), one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world.”
The RCYC has always stated itself to be “the oldest yacht club in the world.....” The club describes itself as: “The Royal Cork Yacht Club is based in Crosshaven, Cork, Ireland and is the world's oldest yacht club founded in 1720.”
Cork City Council repeated the Department statement in its press release. A few years ago at the opening of Sea Fest in the National Maritime College in Ringaskiddy a Junior Minister used the same Department description of the RCYC. Seems somebody up there in Dublin doesn’t appreciate the RCYC!!! My information is that it the Department disputes the RCYC claim and references the Neva Yacht Club in St Petersburg!!!! Whatever about the Department, does Cork City Council take the same view, I wonder?
The Neva Yacht Club, is a sailing club located in Saint Petersburg, close to the Neva River. Wikipedia says it that was founded in 1718, and was re-established as a club in 1958. There is no evident claim to this on its own club website. Could Putin have his eye on the RCYC’s claim?
Tom MacSweeney is a member of RCYC