#WATERFRONT PROPERTY - The Irish Times features a selection of serene lakeside properties to suit a variety of tastes and budgets.

Urrahill in Ballycommon, Nenagh, Co Tipperary is a detached home overlooking Luska Bay and Lough Derg and comprising three levels.

The upper level features living rooms and a kitchen with large windows and stunning views. The middle level has four bedrooms, with the main en-suite on the lowest floor with sliding doors to a private terrace.

Colliers International is asking €1.5 million for this ultra-modern property.

Meanwhile in Kerry, a four-bed country house on 1.5 acres is less than a mile from Waterville yet features its own pier with boathouse on Lough Currane, known for its salmon and trout angling.

The house has central heating throughout, oak flooring, a lounge with its own wood-burning stove, a fully fitted kitchen, car garage and utility shed. Kerry Property Services is asking €580,000.

Last but not least, those looking to renovate would surely be attracted to Eden Point in Rossinver, Co Leitrim, a two-bed, two-bathroom detached home on the shores of Lough Melvin.

Eden Point boasts "hundreds of metres" of foreshore, as well as a boat house and quay, and included in the sale is a share in the Rossinver Fishery Sundicate (worth €5,000) which allows free use of the Rossinver Fishery. Fermanagh Lakeland Properties is asking €250,000.

#WIORA– As a flagship event to mark their 50th year of sailing on the Shannon Estuary,  Foynes Yacht Club are setting an aggressive target to attract 50 boats to next year’s West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association (WIORA) sailing championships to be held from the 11th to 14th of July. The WIORA poster is below.

Ed Conway and Raymond McGibney are flying the flag for Foynes having being recently re-elected to the WIORA committee for another year.

IRC, ECHO and White Sails classes will be raced and the club says a festival atmosphere ashore will be 'guaranteed with well-priced, quality catering and top class live entertainment' provided at the recently renovated clubhouse. 

All boats entered will be given free and secure berthing.  Free lift-in/lift-out of trailer sailors will also be arranged.  Liam Dineen has been appointed OOD and already over forty boats have registered.

In addition to all Western clubs, Foynes will be canvassing sailors from the active racing fleet on Lough Derg to come by road or river to join in this celebration sailing event, last held in Foynes in 1998. 

While standard “around the cans” windward-leeward courses will be laid for the IRC and Echo fleets, more varied courses for white sails will be set, taking yachts to all parts of the scenic estuary. A special section is currently being added to the club website to cover all aspects of the event.

More on The Estuary here

23-year old sailor George Kenefick of Royal Cork Yacht Club is the 2011 Waterways Ireland All Ireland Sailing Champion after the tightest of finishes on Lough Derg this afternoon. Kenefick tied with club mate Mark Mansfield on 12 points but won on the tie break rule.

George Kenefick, Mel Collins and John Downey celebrate their win on Lough Derg. Photo: Brendan Fogarty/ISA. More Photos below.

Kenefick with a last minute crew combination of  Mel Collins and John Downey led the fleet over eight windward leeward courses in strong and breezy conditions. The J80 fleet were used in reef down mode as the breeze topped 20-knots. Mansfield was on top after race seven but a final race win for the Half Ton class representatitves gave victory to the young Crosshaven helmsman.

11 points adrift, Olympic 49er campaigner Ryan Seaton from Belfast lough finished third. Full Results below.

The youngest of the 16 competing helms Kenefick was up against some tough opposition. A previous winer of the Junior All Ireland Sailing Championship in 2006s he won the Half Ton Cup in 2011. Kenefick becomes the sixth consecutive Royal Cork winner of the ISA Salver trophy.

Kenefick is back on the water in France later this month as Captain of the CIT entry at the Student Sailing Championships in La Rochelle.

FINAL 2011 ALL IRELAND RESULTS

Name	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts	Disc	Net
George Kenefick	Royal Cork Yacht Club	1	1	2	1	5	3	3	1	17	5	12
Mark Mansfield	Royal Cork Yacht Club	2	2	1	2	1	5	1	3	17	5	12
Ryan Seaton	Ballyholme Yacht Club	3	2	2	3	7	1	5	5	28	7	21
Ben Duncan	Howth Yacht Club	4	6	4	8	3	4	2	2	33	8	25
Flor O’Driscoll	Howth Yacht Club	1	1	3	4	8	6	6	6	35	8	27
Gordon Patterson	Royal North Yacht Club	4	4	4	6	2	2	8	7	37	8	29
Noel Butler	ISA	2	3	6	7	4	7	7	4	40	7	33
Adrian Allen	Ballyholme Yacht Club	8	3	3	5	6	8	4	8	45	8	37

All Afloat's All Ireland coverage here

Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, was requested by Valentia Coast Guard to go to the assistance of 3 persons, on board a 28ft motor boat, that had suffered engine failure and was adrift in Force 4 winds last night.

At 19.31hrs the lifeboat launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and Ben Roynane on board. Winds were west south-west, Force 4, visibility was fair with darkness falling. After drifting for some distance, the skipper had dropped anchor to prevent being grounded. They were located by the lifeboat behind the Carrigeen Islands, close to the County Clare Shore.

The three persons on board were all safe and wearing lifejackets. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 28ft motor boat at 19.50hrs. With an RNLI crew member on board, a tow line was set up. The anchor was held fast and given the conditions and nightfall, it was left behind. The vessel was towed to Dromineer Harbour and tied up safely alongside at 20.40hrs. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 21.00hrs.

At 5pm this afternoon Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to investigate reports that a 33ft cruiser, recently grounded off Ryan's Point, inside the Mountaineer Buoy, was without its crew.

At 17.05hrs Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Ben Ronayne on board. As the lifeboat made its way to the casualty vessel, it was established that the skipper of the vessel, safe and unharmed, had been taken by a passing motor boat to Garrykennedy Harbour. It was noted that some boats, having seen the cruiser, were navigating the wrong side of the Mountaineer. The lifeboat took the skipper back to his vessel. The craft was not holed but had suffered damage to its props. With the boat's skipper and a lifeboat crew member on board, the vessel was taken off the rocks and towed to Williamstown Harbour, where it was tied up safely alongside at 18.40hrs. The lifeboat returned to station and were ready for service again at 19.00hrs.

Earlier today, at 10am Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of 4 persons on board a 40ft cruiser that had run aground close to the mouth of the river in Terryglass Bay. The crew had hoisted their distress flag to draw attention to their dilemma.

At 10.45hrs on Sunday August 22, the crew of Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat, helm Peter Clarke, Dom Sharkey and Ben Ronayne came across a vessel aground and flying her distess flag whilst out on exercise at the northern end of Lough Derg. They alerted Valentia Coast Guard that they were going to assist. Winds were westerly force 3 and visibility was very good. The vessel, which had been aground for two hours, had four crew, two of whom were in the water inspecting the hull. They were advised to get back onboard and to change into warm dry clothes. Having establishing that the boat was not holed, the lifeboat took her off the rocks and towed her to the safety of Portumna Castle Harbour, where she was tied up alongside at 11.20hrs. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 12.57hrs

This morning Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat assisted a person who had been stranded overnight when his vessel had run aground on rocks at the mouth of the river Shannon, at the most northerly part of the lake..

At 09.20hrs on Thursday morning, June 30, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of a person, who had been stranded since the previous afternoon, when his vessel had grounded on rocks at the mouth of the river Shannon in Terryglass Bay, at the most northerly part of the lake. The skipper of the vessel is a diabetic.

At 09.05hrs, Thursday June 30, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist a person whose vessel was on rocks close the mouth of the river Shannon, in Terryglass Bay. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Robbie Garland on board, launched at 09.20hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 2-3, visibility was very good. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 23ft cruiser, at 09.45hrs. There was one person and his faithful dog on board.

The vessel had been grounded since the previous afternoon, and the skipper and his dog had remained stranded overnight. The skipper, a senior individual, told crew that he had got into the water and made two attempts to get the boat off the rocks himself, but without success. The alarm was raised by a local who heard his calls for help.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene, the person was quiet but alert and able to give a full history of events, he had kept warm overnight. He was assessed by Lifeboat crew and didn't give any medical history.

With a lifeboat volunteer on board, the vessel was taken off the rocks and to a landing point at Portumna Bridge closeby, 10.10hrs. Lifeboat Operations Manager Charles Stanley-Smith had called ahead and asked Deputy Launching Authority Fergal Kerney, who was in the area, to meet the lifeboat with food and a warm drink for the casualty.

Two friends of the person, who had been looking for him after it was noticed that his vessel was not at its mooring, also met the lifeboat at Portumna Bridge. They informed crew that the person suffered from diabetes.

The person, alert and able, was given food and drink and immediately taken for a medical assessment. A Garda from Portumna Garda Station was also on scene and Valentia Coast Guard had an ambulance on standby should it have been required. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 11.15hrs

Nenagh resident and inland waterways enthusiast, Nick Theato, single-handed aboard 'Bo-Bo, a five metre Pedro trailer/sailer and Pat Kelly, Killadangan, with his son Andrew in 'Shu-Ra-Nu', a 6 metre Etap 20 trailer/sailer, plan to raise funds for Lifeboats Ireland by undertaking the IWAI Green & Silver Challenge in June, 2011. Their fundraising target is €5,000.00.

On the 25th June, 1946, Tom and Angela Rolt left Athlone aboard 'Le Coq', a 28ft.x8ft. converted ship's lifeboat on a voyage that would inspire contemporary and successive generations of inland waterways enthusiasts.

Tom Rolt wonderfully documented the voyage in his book 'Green & Silver', published in 1949, which has since become a classic. This work was instrumental in inspiring the small group who founded the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland in 1954, whose objective was to save the Shannon navigation from strangulation by low bridges. Indeed, the colour scheme of the IWAI's logo and burgee derive from the cover design of Rolt's book.

With the re-opening of the Royal Canal in October 2010, it is now possible to retrace Rolt's journey in full and complete the circular route formed by the Royal Canal, River Liffey, Grand Canal, River Shannon and Camlin River.

To celebrate this event, the IWAI has initiated the 'Green & Silver Challenge' in an effort to encourage people to make the circular journey. Nenagh resident, Nick Theato single-handed aboard 'Bo-Bo, a 16 foot Pedro trailer/sailer and Pat Kelly, Killadangan, with his son Andrew aboard 'Shu-Ra-Nu', a 20 foot Etap trailer/sailer, plan to raise funds for Lifeboats Ireland by travelling the full Green & Silver Route throughout June 2011.

Departing on June 1st, they will travel from Dromineer through Lough Derg and Lough Ree and enter the Royal Canal at Richmond Harbour. They plan to cross the Liffey in Dublin 17 days later, where they will take a welcome day off before commencing the return journey via the Grand Canal to Shannon Harbour. The journey will take approximately 28 days, will cover a minimum of 333 km. and navigate through 92 locks (some double), 91 of which are manual. Their fundraising target is €5,000

Nick Theato is Treasurer of the Lough Derg RNLI Fundraising Branch and Lough Derg Lifeboat Station at Dromineer.

Pat Kelly is Secretary of the Lough Derg RNLI Fundraising Branch.

Nick and Pat welcome all sponsorship, however modest. Contributions can be pledged online at http://www.mycharity.ie/event/green_silver_event/. Nick may be contacted on 086 1738014 ([email protected]). Pat is at 087 6908099 ([email protected]).

For further details / interviews / photos: Contact Pat Kelly at 087 6908099 ([email protected]). Support photography: Gerardine Wisdom 087 6522582 ([email protected]).

Killaloe Coast Guard Unit was tasked  to a 60' barge that was sinking at its mooring on Lough Derg on the inland waterways this afternoon. The Killaloe Coast Guard Unit dispatched two vehicles with crew and salvage pubs by road and the rescue boat "Dalton" was sent to place anti-pollution booms.

According to the Coastguard after many hours it was obvious that even with four pumps and a slurry tank the barge had sat on the bottom listing to starboard. A second slurry tank and the fire and rescue service from Nenagh also assisted.

 

Lough Derg Lifeboat assisted a person on board a 26ft–yacht after it grounded on a sand back north of Kilgarvin on Lough Derg On Thursday evening. Lough RNLI Derg lifeboat Toshiba Wave Warrior towed a 26ft yacht to safety after it agrounded as it tried to make for harbour.

At 18.37 the lifeboat launched with helm Colin Knight, Eleanor Hooker and Ger Egan on board. The lake was calm and with good visibility from the moonlight when night fell. The lifeboat came alongside the casualty vessel at 19.05hrs and found that the person on board was safe and unharmed. The lifeboat took soundings in and around the entrance to the private harbour and having decided that there was not sufficient depth for the draft of the vessel, took the vessel off the sandbar and then towed her to the safety of the public harbour of Kilgarvin Quay a short distance away.

The skipper of the vessel thanked the crew of the lifeboat. He said that he was 'very glad you came out, I was preparing myself to sit here all night'.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 20.50hrs

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On Sunday morning February 6, at 11.20hrs, Lough Derg lifeboat Toshiba Wave Warrior towed a 26ft yacht to safety after it got into difficulty in strong winds.

Whilst on exercise on Sunday morning February 6, the Lough Derg Lifeboat, with helm Peter Clarke, Owen Cavanagh and Ger Egan on board, was requested to go to the assistance of four persons on board a 26ft sailing yacht that got into difficulty in strong winds in Dromineer Bay. Winds were south-westerly, Force 6 with a large swell.

The lifeboat came alongside the casualty vessel at 11.09hrs and found that two of the yacht's crew had been taken onto another vessel. The yacht, which had grounded in shallow water, was listing to starboard. With an RNLI crew member on board, the yacht was taken off the shallows at 11.20hrs and towed to the safety of the public harbour in Dromineer. RNLI lifeboat helm, Peter Clarke, said that "given the wind and lake conditions it was a challenging enough rescue and speed and efficiency was paramount."

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 12mid-day.

Related Safety posts

RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland

Safety News

Rescue News from RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland

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