“Twenty-five individuals formed the Water Club of Cork on Haulbowline Island, now the RCYC, in 1720. One yacht club with 25 members,” says the Royal Cork Yacht Club’s present Admiral, Pat Farnan. “There are now thousands across the globe whose combined membership in clubs runs into millions, all with one thing in common, a love of yachting.”
The oldest yacht club in the world will be a major focus of attention locally, nationally and even internationally this weekend when it announces the plans to celebrate its 300th anniversary - “a milestone event, a unique and special moment in the history of yachting,” according to Colin Morehead, Chairman of the club’s organising committee. He is currently RCYC Vice Admiral and will take over as Admiral for the commemorative year.
The announcement is on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning the club will get back to basics when the Autumn Series for cruisers, previously known – and still popular for many as the ‘October League’ – begins.
The Tricentenary has been given the banner slogan “Where it all began”
The Tricentenary has been given the banner slogan “Where it all began” and I have been talking to Colin Morehead about the commemorative plans which, he says, will be a great event for Cork Harbour, marking Ireland as an island nation with a maritime sport that should be seen as wanting to involve everyone.
“It truly is a phenomenal sport,” he tells me on this week’s Podcast to which you can listen to below.