John Cotter’s Miracle won the eleventh race of Cove Sailing Club’s Wednesday night summer dinghy league. Cathal and Ruadhán Jackson were second in their RS Feva XL. Kate and Tadgh Scannell were third in an RS 400. Overall, on 45 points, Maurice and Frances Kidney in RankinR12 are league leaders, with David and Richard Marshall in RankinR30 second on 49. Rankin61 (Owen O’Connell) is third on 52. Rankins still hold the top three places.

At Cove Sailing Club, Rankin dinghies continue to dominate the fleet, holding the top three positions.

Maurice and Francis Kidney lead on 39 points in R12, one ahead of David and Richard Marshall on 40 in R30.

Owen O’Connell’s R61 is third on 47.

Rankins lead the Wednesday night dinghy league at Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour. David and Richard Marshall are on top with 12 points after nine races, of which they have won three. Owen O’Connell is next on 18 points. Maurice and Frances Kidney are third on 22.

Eoin Jones leads the club’s Optimist League, which has had 10 races, on 12 points.Ruadhán Jones is second on 14 and Theo Carney third on 17.

The Cruiser Friday night Spinnakers League ECHO handicap leader is ‘Pat Mustard’ on nine points, helmed by George Radley Jnr. Second is ‘Tonga’ (Gary Mills), one point behind on ten and third ‘Bright Wings’ (Nicholas O’Rourke) on 12.

Friday night cruiser racing under ECHO handicap at Cove Sailing Club in Cork Harbour is led by Ian Scandrett’s Kernow. Maurice Kidney/Gerry Holland are second sailing Barossa, Robbie Allen/Damien Leahy third in Rana.

The second of the May/June series of Cove Sailing Club's midweek races was sailed on Wednesday, 17th May, in Cork Harbour.

A fine fleet of 19 boats took to the water, with Fevas, Rankins, and Lasers/ILCAs competing.

In his Laser, Kieran Dorgan took line honours and was a clear winner on corrected time in his first league outing.

ILCA 7 sailor Kieran Dorgan competing in the Cove Sailing Club Midweek League in Cork Harbour Photo: Afloat

Richard Marshall, sailing his Rankin, R30, continued his form, finishing second, having won the inaugural race.

In all, four Rankins finished in the top six on corrected time.

George Radley, in his Topper, Spice, finished third.

Eric and Flynn Johanssen in their newly restored Rankin, R39 – Cooleen Photo: Bob Bateman

The Johanssen father and son team (Eric and Flynn) continue testing their newly acquired Rankin, R39 – Cooleen, recently restored by the Rankin class.

They are taking a very active part in the sailing at CSC.

With two races sailed, Rankins are in the top four places

• Richard Marshall’s R30 on 3 points
• John Horgan’s Freedom, TR2 on 7 points
• Owen O Connell’s Helga R61, on 8 points
• Maurice Kidney’s R12 on 9 points

Cove Sailing Club midweek racing Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

The ‘Holy Ground’ is a legendary part of Cobh, renowned in song and remembered in the Cork Harbour town’s folklore.

Now the ‘Holy Ground Lady’ is part of Cove Sailing Club, a boat built by local shipwright Mark Richard in the late 90s who ran Cuskinny Boats and built five of the boats of which type it is one.

The ‘Holy Ground Lady’ is the first one converted for sail and has been gifted to Cove Sailing Club by local man John Hennessy who had used it for fishing. He wanted it to become a club sailing boat which could particularly be used to introduce young sailors to the sport.

The 'Holy Ground Lady' sets sail in bright winter sunshine at the Cove Sailing Club Christmas Race Photo: Bob Bateman

The wooden boat was reconditioned this year. Sails have been donated by Jason Losty and recut by Owen O'Connell, who has carried out extensive work on the rigging.

“Cove Sailing Club is delighted to receive this boat from John,” said Club Commodore Dominic Losty at the hand-over at the clubhouse following the Christmas Dinghy Race in which it was sailed for the first time by George Radley Junior and crew. “We appreciate the work that has gone into it,” said Commodore Losty.

At the hand-over ceremony, Cove Sailing Club donated €1,000 to the RNLI, the proceeds of entry fees to its annual Cobh-Blackrock Race, held last September.

Afloat's Tom MacSweeney interviews John Hennessy at the Cove Sailing Club Christmas Race 2022 for the podcast below

For my Podcast this week, I talked to the man who owned and has given the Holy Ground Lady to Cove Sailing Club, John Hennessy, also to Maurice Kidney, one of those who led the revival of the Rankin dinghies and to the builder of ‘Holy Ground Lady,’ Mark Richard, who refurbished it. First, John Hennessy told me how he had bought the boat and used it for fishing:

Listen to the Podcast below 

A video of the light air start of the Cove Sailing Club Christmas Race by Mary Malone with the Holy Ground lady (313) among the fleet.

The Cove Sailing Club Christmas Race festivities included a €1,000 cheque presentation for the Cobh Branch of RNLI, the proceeds of entry fees to its annual Cobh-Blackrock Race, held last September. (from left to right) Dom Losty Commodore Cove Sailing Club Shirley Scandrett RNLI Cobh Branch Anne Aherne CSC Nial Hawes CSC and Eoin Carmody RNLI Cobh Branch Photo: Bob Bateman

Cove Sailing Club Christmas Race 2022 Photo Gallery

Cove Sailing Club is holding a Christmas Dinghy Race this Saturday, 17th December in Cork Harbour. 

Rankins, Optimists and mixed dinghies are lined up to take part. The First Gun is at 12.30 pm.

The atmosphere will be festive as sailors are encouraged to turn out in fancy dress.

After the race, there will be an official handing over of a donated 14-foot reconditioned wooden boat by local Cobh man John Hennessy.

The Christmas time gathering will also see Cobh RNLI presented with a cheque from the proceeds of last September's Cobh to Blackrock Race.

Cove Sailing Club (CSC) elected Quarter Ton yachtsman Dominic Losty as Commodore at Tuesday night's AGM.

After a busy and successful year for the Cork Harbour club, Losty takes over from outgoing Niall Hawes.

Losty is a long-time Quarter Ton sailor notching up notable victories such as an overall win in the Quarter Ton Cup in 2014, sailing with his brother Jason on 'Illes Pitiuses' in Cowes.

New Cove Sailing Club Commodore Dominic Losty (left) and Treasurer Micheal O'Driscoll

More recently, Losty is part of a Cork Harbour resurgence of 25-foot-sized boats and campaigning the quarter tonner, Illegal, that took second in IRC Class Two at the RCYC 'At Home' Regatta in August. 

Cove Sailing Club members elected Cathy Mullan as Vice Commodore. The Treasurer is Micheal O'Driscoll, and the CSC Secretary is Aine Ni Chinneide. 

As part of the conclusion to a busy 2022 season, CSC made its Club Person of the Year Award to the youngest-ever recipient, as Afloat reports here.

The Cove Sailing Club ‘Club Person of the Year Award' was presented to the youngest recipient of the award ever at the Club’s annual Laying Up Supper in Cobh in Cork Harbour at the weekend.

21-year-old Harry McDwyer collected the award together with fellow Cove Sailing Club member sailor Gary Mills.

Cove Sailing Club Commodore Niall Hawes said Harry was an exemplary member of the Club, and his commitment to carrying out safety cover on the water for all classes, including the Rankins, Mixed Dinghies and Optimists, enabled all to be on the water, whether it was competing, training or just on a jolly.

21-year-old Harry McDwyer (right) collected the award together with fellow Cove Sailing Club member sailor Gary Mills (left) from Commodore Niall Hawes

“Harry is first down to carry out safety cover duties and has not missed a Wednesday race night all season. He also does weekend cover on a regular basis.” However, it was not only for his safety boat cover that Harry won the award, but also his knowledge and expertise, at such a young age, in servicing and fixing the safety boat engines which require regular maintenance. Harry shares a power boat with his father and has gained enormous experience in looking after and repairing his own boat engine over the years.

Cove Sailing Club's Sunday Optimist dinghy League has had up to 19 boats racing under CSC person of the year, Gary Mills Photo: Bob Bateman

Gary Mills

In presenting the award to both Harry and Gary, Commodore Hawes said, “the pair put in a long shift this year, bursting with enthusiasm and willingness to help. The rescue boats were looked after all year round by these two, from launching, recovering, storing, cleaning, and carrying out repairs, it was no trouble to them, whatever the conditions.”

Gary Mills’ involvement with every facet of the Club was also acknowledged – as Optimist Class Captain, his involvement with the Rankins and cruiser racing on his Shipman 28 Tonga, with which he won the season’s Friday Night’s League.

CSC's Foley Rose Bowl

Maurice Kidney at the helm of his Rankin Photo: Bob Bateman

The prestigious Foley Rose Bowl was presented to Damian and Anne Ahern, long-standing members of the Club, for their commitment to the Club and their role in the development of Cove SC marina to date. Rankin chief Maurice Kidney won the Boat of the Year award for his performance in winning the Season’s Wednesday Night’s League and his great performance in the annual Rankin Brother’s Cup.

Guests of Honour at the Laying Up Supper included Kieran O’Connell, Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and his wife, Joanne.

Cove Sailing Club’s Friday evening cruiser league was won by Gary Mills’ Shipman 28 Tonga. Second was Nick O’Rourke’s First 32, Bright Wings and third was Robbie Allen’s Dehler 34 Rana.

Three Rankin dinghies topped the Wednesday evening dinghy league in Cork Harbour.

Maurice and Francis Kidney held off their challengers to win convincingly in R12 with 27 points, ahead of second-placed R61, Owen O’Connell, on a total of 46 and Gary Mills sailing R11 in third place on 53.