The Royal Irish Yacht Club Drumshanbo Gin Regatta completed its scheduled two-race programme for the cruiser fleets on Saturday but race officials cancelled racing for a number of other classes as strengthening southerly winds approached.
Forecasts indicated southerly winds of 15–18 knots with gusts approaching 30 knots later in the day.
Regatta Ready — The Royal Irish Yacht Club clubhouse is dressed overall with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin branding during the 2026 RIYC Regatta at Dún Laoghaire, where competitors raced across cruiser and one-design classes. Photo: Afloat.ie
Those that did race enjoyed a full day's programme with a large Dublin Bay swell, with two races deciding the overall honours across the IRC, ECHO, ORC and bigger one-design keelboat classes.
Perfect Score — Sean Lemass's First 40 Prima Forte on her way to a clean sweep of Cruiser 0 honours at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta, winning the IRC, ECHO and ORC divisions. Photo: Afloat.ie
Sean Lemass's Prima Forte of the host club dominated Cruiser 0, winning both IRC and ECHO with two race victories. The First 40 also topped the ORC standings ahead of clubmate Tim Kane's Extrreme 37 WOW.
Double Winner — Barry Cunningham's J/109 Chimaera races to victory in Cruiser 1 ECHO at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta. The J/109 also finished third in IRC and runner-up in ORC. Photo: Afloat.ie
Cruiser 1 produced the closest racing within the J109 class. Barry Cunningham's Chimaera won the ECHO division with two race wins, while Richard and Timothy Goodbody's White Mischief claimed the IRC and ORC titles after finishing level on points with Chimaera in ORC and taking the overall win on countback. Brian Hall's Something Else completed the IRC podium.
Class Act — Jim McCann's Mustang 30 Peridot claimed the Cruiser 2 ECHO and ORC titles at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta after two races in Dublin Bay. Photo: Afloat.ie
In Cruiser 2, Jim McCann's Mustang 30 Peridot won the ECHO and ORC divisions, while the H Boat Honey Bee (McStay McSwiney) secured IRC honours after winning the second race. Philip Lovegrove's Sigma 33 Rupert finished runner-up in the ORC standings.
Top Handicap — The McStav/McSweeney's H-Boat Honey Bee races to Cruiser 2 IRC victory at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta. Photo: Afloat.ie
Among the smaller cruiser fleets, Bill Quigley's Hanse 371 Misfits completed a clean sweep in Cruiser 4a/5a, winning both ECHO and VPRS, while Howard Knott's Calypso headed Cruiser 4b/5b in both handicap systems.
Clean Sweep — Bill Quigley's Hanse 371 Misfits completed a double by winning both the Cruiser 4a/5a ECHO and VPRS divisions at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta. Photo: Afloat.ie
The Beneteau 31.7 class was won on countback by Michael Blaney's After You Too after finishing level on points with Michael Bryson's Bluefin Two. Brian Geraghty's Camira completed the podium.
Countback Success — Michael Blaney's Beneteau 31.7 After You Too secured overall honours on countback after a close duel with Bluefin Two in the Beneteau 31.7 class at the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta. Photo: Afloat.ie
One-design honours went to Ronan Murphy's Serafina (Dragon), Peter Murphy and Ciara Mulvey's Hera (Flying Fifteen), Michael O'Connor's TED (SB20), Alain Deladiennée's Poppy (Shipman) and Probably (Sportboats).
Spinnaker Run — Enda O'Coineen's SB20 Bad/Kilcullen flies her asymmetric spinnaker during the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin 2026 Royal Irish Yacht Club Regatta at Dún Laoghaire. Photo: Afloat.ie
Racing for some of the smaller keelboat and dinghy classes was cancelled.
Today's regatta followed last weekend's Classic Boat regatta marking the club's 195th anniversary. The Royal Irish YC event formed part of a busy weekend of sailing around Ireland. For a broader look at the history and tradition of the Irish regatta season, read W M Nixon's feature It's Regatta Time in Ireland with Competing, Haggling and Selling at Retail.
ECHO and IRC results are below and ORC results are here
