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Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin A96 RC84

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Royal Irish Yacht Club News
RS21 action returns to Dublin Bay this winter with Kenny Rumball's entry into the DBSC Turkey Shoot Series in November
Dublin Bay Sailing Club has issued the advance notice of its popular 'Turkey Shoot' winter sailing series that starts on Sunday, 5th November. Now in its 23rd year, the AIB-sponsored seven-race series will be co-hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire…
Racing over three consecutive weekends, from August 30th to September 1st, the Royal Irish Yacht Club will stage the ICRA Nationals 2024, then the Key Yachting J-Cup Ireland 2024 and conclude with the IRC European Championships 2024 on 10th to 15th September
The Royal Irish Yacht Club will capitalise on its position as the leading Dun Laoghaire Harbour keelboat club when it hosts three major keelboat regattas in September 2024. Racing over three consecutive weekends, from August 30th to September 1st, the…
British yachtswoman Pip Hare (49) was an entrant in the 2020 Vendée Globe round-the-world yacht race
Pip Hare picked up a magazine one day to read about the BOC challenge, which was the forerunner to the Vendéé Globe. “And all of a sudden, there is Isabelle Autissier, absolutely kicking arse and being written about in the…
The IRC Euro Championships is open to all IRC-rated boats and Ireland's biggest IRC fleet is on Dublin Bay
London's Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has announced Dun Laoghaire as the venue for its IRC European Championships in 2024. While a host club has yet to be named, RORC's provisional programme 2024 says the eighth championship edition will be…
Tim Goodbody's J109 White Mischief
Tim Goodbody's J109 White Mischief won the penultimate Saturday race in Dublin Bay Sailing Club's AIB Summer Series on September 23rd.  The Royal Irish crew finished Saturday's IRC Cruisers One race in a corrected time of one hour 37 minutes and…
British yachtswoman Pip Hare, who turned 46 in 2021, made history by becoming the eighth woman to complete the Vendée Globe non-stop around-the-world yacht race
Dun Laoghaire Harbour's Royal Irish Yacht Club and professional services firm BDO will co-host an exclusive evening with Pip Hare, the solo ocean sailor, on Thursday, October 5 at 7:00 pm. As Afloat reported at the time, Hare, who turned…
Dun Laoghaire's Tim Goodbody Junior is lying fourth at the OK Dinghy European Championship on Lake Garda
Britain’s Nick Craig has taken the lead at the 2023 OK Dinghy European Championship on Lake Garda with Charlie Cumbley in second, Germany’s Jan Kurfeld in third, and Dun Laoghaire Olympian Tim Goodbody Junior fourth (racing under Spanish sail insignia) with…
Paul O'Higgins's JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI of the Royal Irish Yacht Club Dun Laoghaire is the 2023 ISORA champion after a 19-race series
Despite placing fourth and a strong final challenge from Welsh yachts in Saturday's end-of-season ISORA cross-channel race, Paul O'Higgins's Rockabill VI of Dun Laoghaire maintained her overall advantage and was crowned 2023 ISORA champion by a 3.1 points difference. In the…
J109 National Champion Barry Cunningham of the Royal Irish Yacht Club
The first J/Cup Championship in Irish waters on Dublin Bay in August 2023 saw several classes of this leading marque represented in the 40-strong fleet, but there was little doubting that the most intensive competition was in the J/109s. This…
Pat O'Neill, skipper of Mojo (second from left), is presented with the J Cup Ireland after his four wins from five races in the J80 class. Pictured with O'Neill is Mark Mansfield J Boats Ireland and Royal Irish Yacht Club Commodore Jerry Dowling
The first overall J Cup Ireland winner was awarded to Pat O’Neill’s J/80 ‘Mojo’ on Sunday afternoon for scoring four out of five wins across two days of racing at Dun Laoghaire. All J Cup One Design classes completed three…
J24 action from day one of the Key Yachting J Cup Ireland on Dublin Bay hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club
Day one of the inaugural Key Yachting J Cup Ireland was successfully completed on Saturday. An impressive 40 boats entered the brand-new regatta at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay. Boats are fairly equally split…
Royal Irish Yacht Club Saskia Tidey (left) has qualified Britain for Paris 2024 by coming home fifth at the World Sailing Championships in The Hague with new helm Freya Black
Two Dun Laoghaire Harbour sailors are a step closer to the Paris 2024 Olympics thanks to their performances at last week's World Sailing Championships in The Hague. In addition to the National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch gaining Ireland's only place so…
Early Arrival - Robin Young's Jings from the Clyde in Scotland moored at the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. Jings is one of ten J109s competing in this weekend's inaugural Irish J Cup on Dublin Bay
J boat enthusiasts are gearing up for the first-ever Irish J Cup, set to take place this weekend at the Royal Irish Yacht Club at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Organised by Key Yachting, agents for J/boats and Grand Soleil yachts, the…
Classic J/133 Pintia takes a mighty leap to reveal her keel in the rough early stages of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2023, in which she won Class 1
The international J Boat fleet, with its many variants, fills a special role in world sailing, with an underlying sense of family permeating this attractive no-nonsense craft. For it all of course, stems from the initial creative introduction – explosion,…
Colin Byrne's XP33 Bon Exemple from the Royal Irish Yacht Club
Royal Irish's Tim Goodbody sailing the J109 White Mischief, won Thursday night's DBSC Cruisers IRC One race on Dublin Bay in a corrected time of 51 minutes and 41 seconds The win puts the RIYC crew three points clear in Thursday's…
Successful offshore racer Michael Boyd in non-competitive mode at the Fastnet Rock
Former RORC Commodore Michael Boyd of the Royal Irish Yacht Club is one of the commentary team on the RORC's live Youtube broadcast on Saturday (July 22nd)'s Rolex Fastnet Race 2023 start, with transmission beginningat 12:30 hrs. A very experienced…

Royal Irish Yacht Club - Frequently Asked Questions

The Royal Irish Yacht Club is situated in a central location in Dun Laoghaire Harbour with excellent access and visiting sailors can be sure of a special welcome. The clubhouse is located in the prime middle ground of the harbour in front of the town marina and it is Dun Laoghaire's oldest yacht club. 

What's a brief history of the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

The yacht club was founded in 1831, with the Marquess of Anglesey, who commanded the cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo being its first Commodore. 

John Skipton Mulvany designed the clubhouse, which still retains a number of original architectural features since being opened in 1851.

It was granted an ensign by the Admiralty of a white ensign with the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Ireland beneath the Union Jack in canton.

Many prominent names feature among the past members of the Club. The first Duke of Wellington was elected in 1833, followed by other illustrious men including the eccentric Admiral Sir Charles Napier, Sir Dominic Corrigan the distinguished physician, Sir Thomas Lipton, novelist, George A. Birmingham, yachtsman and author, Conor O'Brien, and famous naval historian and author, Patrick O Brian. 

In the club's constitution, it was unique among yacht clubs in that it required yacht owners to provide the club's commodore with information about the coast and any deep-sea fisheries they encountered on all of their voyages.

In 1846, the club was granted permission to use the Royal prefix by Queen Victoria. The club built a new clubhouse in 1851. Despite the Republic of Ireland breaking away from the United Kingdom, the Royal Irish Yacht Club elected to retain its Royal title.

In 1848, a yachting trophy called "Her Majesty's Plate" was established by Queen Victoria to be contested at Kingstown where the Royal Irish Yacht Club is based. The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland at the time, George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon suggested it should be contested by the Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Royal St. George Yacht Club in an annual regatta, a suggestion that was approved by both clubs with the Royal St. George hosting the first competitive regatta.

The RIYC celebrated its 185th Anniversary in 2016 with the staging of several special events in addition to being well represented afloat, both nationally and internationally. It was the year the club was also awarded Irish Yacht Club of the Year as Afloat's W M Nixon details here.

The building is now a listed structure and retains to this day all its original architectural features combined with state of the art facilities for sailors both ashore and afloat.

What is the Royal Irish Yacht Club's emblem?

The Club's emblem shows a harp with the figure of Nice, the Greek winged goddess of victory, surmounted by a crown. This emblem has remained unchanged since the foundation of the Club; a symbol of continuity and respect for the history and tradition of the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

What is the Royal Irish Yacht Club's ensign?

The RIYC's original white ensign was granted by Royal Warrant in 1831. Though the Royal Irish Yacht Club later changed the ensign to remove the St George's Cross and replace the Union Jack with the tricolour of the Republic of Ireland, the original ensign may still be used by British members of the Royal Irish Yacht Club

Who is the Commodore of the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

The current Commodore is Jerry Dowling, and the Vice-Commodore is Tim Carpenter.

The RIYC Flag Officers are: 

What reciprocal club arrangements does the Royal Irish Yacht Club have?  

As one of Ireland's leading club's, the Royal Irish Yacht Club has significant reciprocal arrangements with yacht clubs across Ireland and the UK, Europe, USA and Canada and the rest of the World. If you are visiting from another Club, please have with a letter of introduction from your Club or introduce yourself to the Club Secretary or to a member of management staff, who will show you the Club's facilities.

What car parking does the Royal Irish Yacht Club have at its Dun Laoghaire clubhouse?

The RIYC has car parking outside of its clubhouse for the use of its members. Paid public car parking is available next door to the club at the marina car park. There is also paid parking on offer within the harbour area at the Coatl Harbour (a 5-minute walk) and at an underground car park adjacent to the Royal St. George Yacht Club (a 3-minute walk). Look for parking signs. Clamping is in operation in the harbour area.

What facilities does the Royal Irish Yacht Clubhouse offer? 

The Royal Irish Yacht Club offers a relaxed, warm and welcoming atmosphere in one of the best situated and appointed clubhouses in these islands. Its prestige in yachting circles is high and its annual regatta remains one of the most attractive events in the sailing calendar. It offers both casual and formal dining with an extensive wine list and full bar facilities. The Club caters for parties, informal events, educational seminars, themed dinners and all occasions. The RIYC has a number of venues within the Club each of which provides a different ambience to match particular needs.

What are the Royal Irish Yacht Club's Boathouse facilities?

The RIYC boathouse team run the launch service to the club's swinging moorings, provide lifting for dry-sailed boats, lift and scrub boats, as well as maintaining the fabric of the deck, pontoon infrastructure, and swinging moorings. They also maintain the club crane, the only such mobile crane of the Dun Laoghaire Yacht Clubs.

What facilities are offered for junior sailing at the Royal Irish Yacht Club?

One of the missions of the Royal Irish Yacht Club is to promote sailing as a passion for life by encouraging children and young adults to learn how to sail through its summer courses and class-specific training throughout the year. 

RIYC has an active junior section. Its summer sailing courses are very popular and the club regularly has over 50 children attending courses in any week. The aim is for those children to develop lifelong friendships through sailing with other children in the club, and across the other clubs in the bay.
 
Many RIYC children go on to compete for the club at regional and national championships and some have gone on to represent Ireland at international competitions and the Olympic Regatta itself.
 
In supporting its young sailors and the wider sailing community, the RIYC regularly hosts junior sailing events including national and regional championships in classes such as the Optmist, Feva and 29er.
 
Competition is not everything though and as the club website states:  "Many of our junior sailors have gone on the become sailing instructors and enjoy teaching both in Ireland and abroad.  Ultimately, we take most pleasure from the number of junior sailors who become adult sailors and enjoy a lifetime of sailing with the club".