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'Once you have buy-in from the local community you are more than half-way along the way' was the summing up of one of the key themes of the Cork Harbour Summer School by Capt. Pat Farnan, Harbour Master and Deputy CEO, Port of Cork. The example of Aghada was cited where the local Save Aghada Pier group raised awareness and funds locally in a two-year campaign to upgrade their underused and deteriorating pier. Their efforts led to the Port of Cork and Cork County Council co-operating with them in a €350,000 upgrade of their pier which will see it developed this season as a new destination for visiting boats in the lower harbour.

Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney, in his address to the participants, emphasised the importance of the maritime sector and his determination to oversee a major growth in added value for the fishing industry.

The very successful Summer School on Friday 10th June on the theme 'Recreation in a Working Port'  saw 8 speakers address an audience of 60+ representatives from a wide range of interests on topics ranging from the history and heritage of the harbour, its potential for  recreation and its presence in art an imagination . Key speakers included Louis Duffy of Cork County Council, who presented the Council's hot off the press Cork Harbour Study, Arend Lambrechtsen from the Netherlands, Jim Murphy of the Passage West & Monkstown Harbour Users' Group, Clare Wright of CAAN, who outlined the exemplary programme for development of canoe trails in Northern Ireland, Josephine O'Driscoll of Failte Ireland and Ryan Howard of SECAD, the Leader group which covers the harbour area. Session chairmen were Cathal O'Mahony of UCC's Coastal and Marine Research Centre (CMRC), who set Cork Harbour in its place in the world, Cork City Council's Damien O'Mahony and Tom MacSweeney who led the question and answer session. The event concluded with Seamus Harrington reading his poem Blind Harbour.

Pádraig Ó Duinnín outlined the journey undertaken by Meitheal Mara in arriving at the promotion of their first Summer School. The event was organised by Marina Sheehan of Meitheal Mara in the splendid boardroom of the Port of Cork overlooking their new city-centre marina.

Published in Cork Harbour
On an annual basis an election is held by the Irish Underwater Council to elect its officers for the forthcoming year, the most important of these positions is that of the National Diving Officer and is considered a very prestigous post. The new National Diving Officer is Martin Kiely from Aughinish Sub Aqua Club in Limerick and takes over from Niall Stapleton of Curragh Sub Aqua Club in Dublin who stepped down after a very successful two years in the position. Best of luck to Martin in his new position.
Published in Diving
14th December 2010

No Passage Through Achill Sound

Mayo County Council has advised it will not be possible for boats to pass through Achill Sound until further notice.  The announcement came in a Marine Notice issued on December 10th. This is due to on-going works connected with the bridge at the location.

Further details are available from Mayo County Council at telephone +353 (0)98 41169. A new Marine Notice will issue once passage through Achill Sound becomes possible again.

 

Published in Coastal Notes

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award

This unique and informal competition was inaugurated in 1979, with Mitsubishi Motors becoming main sponsors in 1986. The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs. 

In making their assessment, the adjudicators take many factors into consideration. In addition to the obvious one of sailing success at local, national and international level, considerable attention is also paid to the satisfaction which members in every branch of sailing and boating feel with the way their club is run, and how effectively it meets their specific needs, while also encouraging sailing development and training.

The successful staging of events, whether local, national or international, is also a factor in making the assessment, and the adjudicators place particular emphasis on the level of effective voluntary input which the membership is ready and willing to give in support of their club's activities.

The importance of a dynamic and fruitful interaction with the local community is emphasised, and also with the relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level. The adjudicators expect to find a genuine sense of continuity in club life and administration. Thus although the award is held in a specific year in celebration of achievements in the previous year, it is intended that it should reflect an ongoing story of success and well-planned programmes for future implementation. 

Over the years, the adjudication system has been continually refined in order to be able to make realistic comparisons between clubs of varying types and size. With the competition's expansion to include class associations and specialist national watersports bodies, the "Club of the Year" competition continues to keep pace with developing trends, while at the same time reflecting the fact that Ireland's leading sailing clubs are themselves national and global pace-setters

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award FAQs

The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs.

A ship's wheel engraved with the names of all the past winners.

The Sailing Club of the Year competition began in 1979.

PR consultant Sean O’Shea (a member of Clontarf Y & BC) had the idea of a trophy which would somehow honour the ordinary sailing club members, volunteers and sailing participants, who may not have personally won prizes, to feel a sense of identity and reward and special pride in their club. Initially some sort of direct inter-club contest was envisaged, but sailing journalist W M Nixon suggested that a way could be found for the comparative evaluation of the achievements and quality of clubs despite their significant differences in size and style.

The award recognises local, national & international sailing success by the winning club's members in both racing and cruising, the completion of a varied and useful sailing and social programme at the club, the fulfilling by the club of its significant and socially-aware role in the community, and the evidence of a genuine feeling among all members that the club meets their individual needs afloat and ashore.

The first club of the Year winner in 1979 was Wicklow Sailing Club.

Royal Cork Yacht Club has won the award most, seven times in all in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2015 & 2020.

The National YC has won six times, in 1981, 1985, 1993, 1996, 2012 & 2018.

Howth Yacht Club has won five times, in 1982, 1986, 1995, 2009 & 2019

Ireland is loosely divided into regions with the obviously high-achieving clubs from each area recommended through an informal nationwide panel of local sailors going into a long-list, which is then whittled down to a short-list of between three and eight clubs.

The final short-list is evaluated by an anonymous team based on experienced sailors, sailing journalists and sponsors’ representatives

From 1979 to 2020 the Sailing Club of the Year Award winners are:

  • 1979 Wicklow SC
  • 1980 Malahide YC
  • 1981 National YC
  • 1982 Howth YC
  • 1983 Royal St George YC
  • 1984 Dundalk SC
  • 1985 National YC (Sponsorship by Mitsubishi Motors began in 1985-86)
  • 1986 Howth YC
  • 1987 Royal Cork YC
  • 1988 Dublin University SC
  • 1989 Irish Cruising. Club
  • 1990 Glenans Irish SC
  • 1991 Galway Bay SC
  • 1992 Royal Cork YC
  • 1993 National YC & Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreannain (Dingle) (after 1993, year indicated is one in which trophy is held)
  • 1995 Howth Yacht Club
  • 1996 National Yacht Club
  • 1997 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 1998 Kinsale Yacht Club
  • 1999 Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club
  • 2000 Royal Cork Yacht Club (in 2000, competition extended to include class associations and specialist organisations)
  • 2001 Howth Sailing Club Seventeen Footer Association
  • 2002 Galway Bay Sailing Club
  • 2003 Coiste an Asgard
  • 2004 Royal St George Yacht Club
  • 2005 Lough Derg Yacht Club
  • 2006 Royal Cork Yacht Club (Water Club of the Harbour of Cork)
  • 2007 Dublin Bay Sailing Club
  • 2008 Lough Ree YC & Shannon One Design Assoc.
  • 2009 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2010 Royal St George YC
  • 2011 Irish Cruiser Racing Association
  • 2012 National Yacht Club
  • 2013 Royal St George YC
  • 2014 Kinsale YC
  • 2015 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 2016 Royal Irish Yacht Club
  • 2017 Wicklow Sailing Club
  • 2018 National Yacht Club
  • 2019 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2020 Royal Cork Yacht Club

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