The coveted Irish Sailor of the Year title will headline the 2025 Irish Sailing Awards at the National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire on Thursday, 5 March.
The annual ceremony celebrates Irish sailing talent at home and abroad. It also recognises clubs, volunteers and training centres driving standards in leadership, training and innovation.
Among those in contention for Irish Sailor of the Year are Olympians and Sailing Grand Slam medallists Eve McMahon and Finn Lynch, the J/24 World Champions Headcase team, and the organisers behind the ILCA U21 World Championships in Ireland. Read the shortlist here.
A new Race Official of the Year award will debut, recognising volunteers who dedicate time and expertise to race management.
Recent additions also return. Event of the Year highlights standout regattas nationwide. The Dubarry Team of the Year will again present the perpetual “Dubarry Boot” Trophy, sponsored by Dubarry of Ireland.
Three sailors are shortlisted for Youth Sailor of the Year. Adam Greene of Lough Erne placed fifth at the Topper World Championships. Sienna Wright of Howth Yacht Club claimed ILCA 6 Youth European silver in Portugal. Lucy Ives, representing Ballyholme and Royal St George Yacht Club, finished 11th at the same event.
The Irish Sailing Woman on the Water Award, now in its third year, features three nominees recognised for inspiring participation at home and abroad.
Tim Bourke, CEO of Irish Sailing, said 2025 was “another outstanding year” with podium finishes at World Championships, Sailing Grand Slam success and a World Sailing Conference hosted in Ireland.
“These nominations highlight the outstanding depth of talent in our sport,” he said. “We are particularly looking forward to recognising the achievements of our international sailors and celebrating the invaluable contribution of our race management community.”
The awards will be hosted by Irish international Class 40 sailor Pamela Lee, joined by Justin Cullen of Skerries Sailing Club.
The Categories and Nominations for 2025 are as follows:
Irish Sailor of the Year
Mark Lyttle (Services to Sailing)
The Goodbody Family (Family Sailing)
Andy George & John Beckett (Regatta)
Don O’Dowd (Services to Sailing)
Peter Ryan (Services to Sailing)
Andy Sargent (Regatta)
Pat Tanner (Offshore)
David & James Dwyer (Offshore)
Baltimore Sailing Club (Team Racing)
Niall O'Brien & Ronan O Briain (National)
Cillian Dickson & 'Headcase' (International)
Daniel Copiethorne and Matt Mapplebeck (Junior)
Andrew & Sam Hall (Offshore)
Daniel & Henry Thompson (Int. Dinghies)
Ross & Aoife McDonald (Sportsboats)
Michael O’Connor (One Design Keelboat)
Fiachra McDonnell (Solo Dinghies)
Rob O'Reilly (Regatta)
Sienna Wright (Female, Int Dinghies)
Patrick Boardman (International Keelboats)
Chris Johnston (Regatta)
Atlee Kohl and Cathal O'Regan (Dinghies)
Tom Kneen (Offshore)
Ian Bowring & Jenny Needham (Services to Sailing)
Finn Lynch (Olympic)
Eve McMahon (International)
Johnny Mordaunt (International Offshore)
Johnny Murphy (Offshore)
Nigel Biggs & Dave Cullen (Regatta)
Fionn Lyden (Sportsboats)
Brian Hall (Regatta)
Eve McMahon (International)
Bobby Driscoll (Juniors)
Sienna Wright (Youth Internationals)
Finn Lynch (Olympic)
Paul O’Higgen’s (Offshore)
Rob O’Leary, David Kelly & Patrick Boardman (Regatta)
Alex Barry (Dinghies)
Alan Markey (Cruising)
John Maybury (Keelboats)
Cian Guilfoyle (Offshore)
Gerry Jones (Services to Sailing)
Power of One Transatlantic team (Ocean Rowing)
Chris Bateman & Lucy Loughton (International Dinghies)
Johnny Mordaunt (Ocean Racing)
Frank O’Leary (Offshore)
The Irish Sailing Youth Sailor of the Year
Lucy Ives, Ballyholme Yacht Club, Royal Saint George Yacht Club
Sienna Wright, Howth Yacht Club
Adam Greene, Lough Erne
Irish Sailing Cruising Award
Norman Kean, ICC
Cormac Mac Donncha
Paul O’Reilly, Mullingar Sailing Club
Irish Sailing Club of the Year
Announced on the evening
The Dubarry Team of the Year
Erin McIlwaine & Ellen Barbour, RSGYC/Newcastle YC and County Antrim BC
Ben O’Shaughnessy & Ethan Spain, Royal Cork YC & National YC
Headcase: Lough Ree Yacht Club, Mayo Sailing Club, Howth YC, Baltimore Yacht Club
Irish Sailing Event of the Year
The Dublin Match Cup – International Match Racing Tour, IMRA / National YC
ICRA Nationals, Kinsale Yacht Club
Mayo Mayhem, Irish Windsurfing Association, Achill Island
Irish Sailing Race Official of the Year
Philip Scallan, Wexford Harbour
Michael Conway, National YC
Dave Mullaly, Killaloe
Irish Sailing Training Centre of the Year
Lough Derg Yacht Club
Galway Bay Sailing Club
Atlantic Marine Training
Irish Sailing Class of the Year
Ruffian 23
Fireball
Squib
Irish Sailing Volunteer of the Year
Ruairi Finnegan, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club/ Royal St George YC / IMRA
Nicola Harris, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
Gary Cullen, Howth YC
Irish Sailing School of the Year
St Andrew’s College, Co. Dublin
Schull Community College, Co. Cork
Irish Sailing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award
Mandy Kelly, Sutton Dinghy Club
Gerard Hogan, Galway Bay Sailing Club
Maeve Robinson & Duncan Lyster, Royal St George YC
Irish Sailing Instructor of the Year
Matthew Cotter, Howth YC
Johnny Flynn
Jane Hunter, Sutton Dinghy Club
Woman on the Water Award
Riona McMorrow Moriarty, Tralee Bay Sailing Club
Ann Kirwan, National Yacht Club
Sheenagh McNamara, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
Irish Sailing President’s Award
This is a special award in recognition of outstanding achievement Irish sailing.
