Finbarr and Colm O’Regan’s Kinsale Yacht Club J109 Artful Dodger takes IRC and ECHO Spinnaker 1 honours as Royal Cork Yacht Club celebrates its 2026 Autumn League winners despite the cancellation of the final day’s racing.
Storm Boelo may have prevented the final day’s racing in the Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League on Sunday (25 October), but the weather failed to dampen the prizegiving celebrations at Crosshaven, where Kinsale Yacht Club’s Artful Dodger was among the leading winners.
Finbarr and Colm O’Regan’s J109 completed an impressive autumn campaign by taking both IRC and ECHO Spinnaker 1 honours, with the prizes presented by Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy.
The final day’s racing had initially been delayed until 11.55am as Storm Boelo approached, but conditions ultimately prevented any further competition.
The cancellation left eight races completed over the preceding four Sundays, with the final standings determined from the racing already sailed. The prizegiving was held at Royal Cork Yacht Club on Sunday afternoon.
Artful Dodger Completes Autumn Double
The O’Regans’ Artful Dodger had established a commanding position during the series and its IRC and ECHO Spinnaker 1 victories were confirmed at Sunday’s prizegiving.
Simon Coveney’s RCYC Corby 34.7 Waterfront finished second in both IRC and ECHO, while Mark Mansfield and Jon McClean’s Resolute took third in IRC. Tim McCarthy and Wan Waterman’s J111 Joyride completed the ECHO podium.
The Kinsale J109’s success adds to its 2026 season, which included Calves Week success in Schull in August.
Don’t Dilly Dally and Miss Whiplash Share Spinnaker 2 Honours
Michael McCann’s RCYC Etchells Don’t Dilly Dally secured both overall IRC and ECHO honours in Spinnaker 2.
Podium Recognition – Gavin and Grace Lawlor of Genesis at the Royal Cork Autumn League prizegiving, where the Kinsale Yacht Club entry featured among the Spinnaker 2 prize winners. Photo: Robert Bateman
John and Ronan Downing’s Andrieu Half Tonner Miss Whiplash finished second overall under IRC and third under ECHO, while also winning the separate ICRA IRC classification and the Half-Ton Cup.
Half-Ton Honours – The Miss Whiplash crew receive their Autumn League prize from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy at Crosshaven. The boat won the ICRA IRC Spinnaker 2 division and the Half-Ton Cup. Photo: Robert Bateman.
Pat Tanner’s Bateleur 88 took the ICRA ECHO title, with Miss Whiplash second and Gavin and Grace Lawlor’s Genesis third.
Dilly Dally Double – Michael McCann's Don't Dilly Dally crew receive their prizes from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy after winning both overall IRC and ECHO Spinnaker 2 honours at the 2026 Autumn League. Photo: Robert Bateman
In the overall Spinnaker 2 standings, Genesis finished second under ECHO and Bateleur 88 third under IRC.
Illegal, Summer Light and Obsession Feature in Spinnaker 3
Illegal Honours – Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher receive the IRC Spinnaker 3 (Class 3) prize for Illegal from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy at the 2026 Autumn League prizegiving. Photo: Robert Bateman
Coleman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher’s Quarter Tonner Illegal secured IRC Spinnaker 3 honours, ahead of Barry and Marina Rose’s Albin Express Obsession and Paddy Good’s Laser 28 Summer Light.
Guiding Light – Paddy Good and daughter Hazel receive the Lighthouse Trophy from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy at the 2026 Autumn League prizegiving, where Summer Light also won ECHO Spinnaker 3 honours. Photo: Robert Bateman
The ECHO honours went to Summer Light, with Obsession second and Diarmuid Foley’s Snoopy third. Paddy Good also received the Lighthouse Trophy for Summer Light.
Big Mac and If Take White-Sail Victories
Family Honours – The McGrath family, including Tom's mother and father, receive the IRC Non-Spinnaker 1 prize for Big Mac from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy at the 2026 Autumn League prizegiving. Photo: Robert Bateman
The McGrath family’s Big Mac won IRC Non-Spinnaker 1, ahead of Kieran and Fiorentina O’Brien’s Magnet and Andy Jenkins’ Morning After.
Alan Coleman’s Blue Oyster topped the ECHO classification, with Big Mac second and Magnet third.
Oyster Triumph – Alan Coleman receives the ECHO Non-Spinnaker 1 first prize for Blue Oyster from Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Denis Murphy at the 2026 Autumn League prizegiving. Photo: Robert Bateman
In Non-Spinnaker 2, Kieran Collins’ Folkboat If completed an IRC and ECHO double, ahead of Dave Hennessy’s Holly Blue in both classifications.
Folkboat Honours – A trophy presentation at the Royal Cork Autumn League prizegiving, where Kieran Collins’ If completed an IRC and ECHO Non-Spinnaker 2 double. Photo: Robert Bateman
Sean Hanley’s Siamsa finished third under IRC, while Gary O’Neil and James Kelleher’s Musketeer took third under ECHO.
The prizegiving brought the 2026 Autumn League to a close after a series that attracted 41 boats across 15 classifications, with racing held both inside and outside Cork Harbour. Despite Storm Boelo’s intervention on the final Sunday, the series concluded with a full presentation of class prizes and special trophies.
Royal Cork Autumn League 2026 — Prize Winners
| Division | Rating | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinnaker 1 | IRC | Artful Dodger | Waterfront | Resolute |
| Spinnaker 1 | ECHO | Artful Dodger | Waterfront | Joyride |
| Spinnaker 2 | Overall IRC | Don’t Dilly Dally | Miss Whiplash | Bateleur 88 |
| Spinnaker 2 | Overall ECHO | Don’t Dilly Dally | Genesis | Miss Whiplash |
| Spinnaker 2 | ICRA IRC | Miss Whiplash | Bateleur 88 | Genesis |
| Spinnaker 2 | ICRA ECHO | Bateleur 88 | Miss Whiplash | Genesis |
| Spinnaker 3 | IRC | Illegal | Obsession | Summer Light |
| Spinnaker 3 | ECHO | Summer Light | Obsession | Snoopy |
| Non-Spinnaker 1 | IRC | Big Mac | Magnet | Morning After |
| Non-Spinnaker 1 | ECHO | Blue Oyster | Big Mac | Magnet |
| Non-Spinnaker 2 | IRC | If | Holly Blue | Siamsa |
| Non-Spinnaker 2 | ECHO | If | Holly Blue | Musketeer |
Special trophies: Half-Ton Cup — Miss Whiplash (John and Ronan Downing); Lighthouse Trophy — Summer Light (Paddy Good). Source: photographed RCYC prizegiving sheet.
Sean Hanley’s Siamsa finished third under IRC, while Gary O’Neil and James Kelleher’s Musketeer took third under ECHO.
The prizegiving brought the 2026 Autumn League to a close after a series that attracted 41 boats across 15 classifications, with racing held both inside and outside Cork Harbour. Despite Storm Boelo’s intervention on the final Sunday, the series concluded with a full presentation of class prizes and special trophies.
