Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

It was while crossing the Atlantic on the Sail Training Brigantine Asgard II during a celestial navigation module of his Naval Service education in 1999 that Barry Byrne had something of an epiphany writes W M Nixon. He’d been introduced…

Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada has called on all political parties to unite behind a series of broad principles designed to protect our fishing industry, coastal communities and islands. The Ireland South MEP, who sits on the EU Fisheries…

#Angling - A new project on the River Easkey in Co Sligo which has improved and developed angling access to the wild salmon river between Sligo and Ballina has now been completed. The project, which was delivered by River Easkey…

Baltimore Sailing Club brothers Peter and Robert O’Leary are signed up for the inaugural Junior Star Worlds in Miami’s Biscayne Bay from 3-6 February. Last year’s bronze medallists in the Star Europeans join a list of more than 30 skipper-crew…

Industrial action by Irish Coast Guard search and rescue pilots scheduled to begin yesterday (Thursday 24 January) has been called off to allow for further talks, as TheJournal.ie reports. Pilots have sat down with coastguard helicopter operator CHC Ireland a…

New changes for the format of future ICRA championships are outlined by Irish Times Sailing Columnist David O'Brien with the news that the rule of pro–sailors will be removed given the growing number of 'quasi-pros' now involved in the cruiser-racer scene.…

Nigel Young, manager of North Sails Ireland (NSI), gives an overview of a successful 2018 sailing season for the sailmaker. What an amazing year 2018 was for North Sails Ireland and its clients! We are extremely proud of these results and…

The legendary Figaro URGO sailing show will be coming to Ireland and the Irish Sea big time for its Golden Jubilee season in 2019 writes W M Nixon, with a 20th visit to Kinsale being supported by a subsequent second…

Sail Training Ireland chief executive Daragh Sheridan has hailed the recently announced Government funding for young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds to take part in tall ships training voyages as “a hugely positive development for the charity”. Sheridan added…

Rob Taylor from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) was at UK Sailmakers Ireland loft in Crosshaven yesterday (Wednesday 23 January) for the refreshing of its In-House Certification (IHC). UK Sailmakers in Crosshaven is the only IHC loft in Ireland –…

#Rowing: The Dambuster Head of the River, scheduled for this Saturday, January 26th, at Blessington Lakes, has been cancelled. The organisers, Carlow Rowing Club, say that they had to take into account the forecast of strong winds. As the week…

RYA NI is hold its Cruising Conference in Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club in Cultra, Co. Down this Saturday Jan 26th starting at 9.30am. As part of it, North Sails Ireland's Prof O'Connell will be giving a talk on…

Today (Thursday 24 January 2019) marks an 'historic' moment  say industry chiefs for Britain’s marine industry with the launch of Maritime 2050, the UK Government’s first ever long-term strategy to support and grow the sector. Ironically, the announcement comes when…

Following last year’s performance of ‘Flying Irishman’ Tom Dolan and pioneering woman Joan Mulloy in their Solitaire du Figaro debuts, now the renowned solo offshore race is coming to Ireland. The Solitaire URGO Le Figaro is set to return to…

Veteran French skipper Jean-Luc van den Heede (73) has been giving a strategic sailing masterclass in the final 1500 miles of the Golden Jubilee Golden Globe Race writes W M Nixon. A week ago, after enduring flukey and unfavourable conditions…

Two of my favourite waterside places along the Liffey are in Dublin Port – Ringsend and Poolbeg. The maritime history of Ringsend is part of the marine story of Ireland, an area resonant of seafaring history and Poolbeg Yacht and…

#ports - As Brexit looms and all the uncertainty, the Port of Felixstowe in England, has announced an agreement (see story: UK Government contract) with Danish ferry operator DFDS to increase its roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) capacity by over 40%. According to…

Dun Laoghaire campaign group Save Our Seafront will hold a public meeting next Monday 28 January to discuss ongoing and future plans for Dun Laoghaire Harbour, including its baths restoration project. The meeting is scheduled for 8pm next Monday night…

North Sails Ireland will be hosting its successful Sail Trim presentation at Arklow Sailing Club from 7.30pm this coming Friday 25 January. Following on from last week’s trim talk in Greystones, North Sails Ireland expert Shane Hughes will take Arklow…

Gardaí in Cork have launched an investigation after human remains were recovered by the crew of a fishing vessel 180 nautical miles off Castletownbere in Co Cork at the weekend. TheJournal.ie reports that the vessel docked in Castletownbere on Sunday…