Maurice O'Connell
Maurice 'Prof' O'Connell is a partner in North Sails Ireland. He is also a professional sailor, sailing & life/business coach and sailing media analyst/commentator.
In 2018 he again won his class in the Round Ireland Race and in 2019 finished 2nd in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race - 10 years after he won it!
Also in 2019, he was providing expert commentary and analysis in studio for the SSL Star Europeans in Garda, Italy and SSL finals in Nassau.
Full bio here.
Hello everyone, Lovely weather, wasn't it for the past few days? You might be surprised to hear that over 50% of our business is in cruising sails. Here are some lovely pictures of our wonderful cruising clients' sails in action!…
Hello everyone, I am just back from coaching at the Etchells Worlds in Fremantle, Australia, so I am just coming up for air and wanted to share some news about North Sails Ireland. It's always an exciting time for us…
Introducing North Sails RENEW - a Sustainable Sailcloth for Cruising
24th January 2024 North Sails Ireland
A belated Happy New Year, everyone. We hope you are all safe and sound from Isha and survived recent storms, Isha and Jocelyn! I am bringing you some wonderful news from our North Sails product development teams. At the Dusseldorf…
North Sails BLACK FRIDAY - 10% Off On One Design Sails - This Week Only
21st November 2023 North Sails Ireland
FAST sails simplify tactics and make everything easier! Flying Fifteen sailors Niall and Nicky Meagher powering upwind with their North Sails FR-3 and NXG-3 genoa Photo: Maurice O'Connell / North Sails North Sails has powered thousands of one-design victories; this…
One Design racing can be the toughest arena of them all - every tiny mistake is punished, and boatspeed is KING. FAST sails help simplify tactics and make everything easier! North Sails has powered thousands of one-design victories, and this…
Victory was hard fought for Barry Cunningham and his team at the J109 National Championship on Dublin Bay last weekend. The team felt they underperformed in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta so it was fantastic for this one to go their…
North Sails Powers Ireland's "Headcase" to Victory in the J24 Europeans on Lake Balaton
28th August 2023 North Sails Ireland
Huge congratulations to Cillian Dickson, Ryan Glynn, Marcus Ryan, Louis Mulloy and Sam O'Byrne for winning the J24 Europeans on "Headcase" over the weekend. Tremendous stuff, guys! Here's what trimmer Sam O'Byrne had to say after the event:- "We are…
Winter Discounts Now Live as North Sails Ireland Hails Successful 2023 Season
24th August 2023 North Sails Ireland
It’s been another fantastic season so far for North Sails and our wonderful clients. On the inshore racing side, we’ve had podium successes this summer across almost all the classes at the Sovereign’s Cup in Kinsale, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire…
I thought I'd compose this little piece in light of the amazing pics, blogs and videos of the initial few hours of the 50th Fastnet Race last week. It looked EPIC! I am not sure we have permission here to…
North Sails Successes Across the Board at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta
11th July 2023 North Sails Ireland
WOW! What an event! Fair play to Regatta Director Paddy Boyd and the amazing VDLR team for putting on an amazing show. It was the breeziest event I remember in Ireland for a long time. There were many, many tired…
North Sails Ireland Records Stunning Successes Across The Classes at Simply Blue Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale
27th June 2023 North Sails Ireland
Hi everyone, I am just coming up for air after a fantastic Sovereign's Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club. KYC always puts on a fabulous show, and certainly, on the first two days, the weather didn't disappoint! Well done to Regatta…
Congratulations to all the class winners at the recently concluded Axiom Spring Series in Kinsale. Kinsale YC ran a really lovely series of races with some difficult conditions and some magnificent sailing to finish off the regatta this past weekend.…
North Sails - From On Screen Winter 3D Design Renderings to Race Wins and Happy Outings
29th April 2023 North Sails Ireland
I always find it almost magical (I never exaggerate!) that what was a 3D spinning rendered live model on our screens in darkest November 2022 becomes a fully-fledged physical aero-foil generating upwind lift and downwind power in April 2023! So,…
The North Sails family congratulates Emirates Team New Zealand for breaking the wind-powered world land speed record. Clocking in at 222.4km/h in 22 knots of windspeed, land speed pilot Glenn Ashby sailed the craft 'Horonuku' to its highest high-speed run…
North Sails Powers New Water-Ballasted JPK 1030 "Coquine" in Bangor
30th January 2023 North Sails Ireland
Alan Hannon's beautiful North Sails-powered "Coquine" has just taken to the seas in Bangor. She is a brand new JPK 1030 design from the JPK yard in France - a not-so-little sister to Paul O'Higgins' Dun Laoghaire-based all-conquering JPK 1080…
How to Optimise Your Boat for IRC Rating: Panel Discussion with North Sails and RORC
2nd December 2022 North Sails Ireland
Greetings IRC racers here in Ireland! On Tuesday 6th, December, the RORC will host a panel discussion about 'How to optimize your boat under IRC’. This is a "must-see". North Sails' own double Olympic medallist (and skipper of "Green Dragon"…
"We Worked with Shane Hughes from North Sails from the Outset" - North Sails Ireland Congratulates ICRA Boat Of the Year "Snapshot"
14th November 2022 North Sails Ireland
Mike & Richie Evans have had a stunning two seasons aboard their 100% North Sails-powered "Snapshot". Their very first inshore regatta in 2021 was the hotly contested Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale in June 2021 - which they blitzed the fleet,…
North Sails One Design clients have had a stunning 2022 with our fantastic customers recording victories in so many World, European, National and Regional championships here in Ireland. For the month of October, we are running our 15% off season…
'We Love the Sails & the Support' - North Sails Powers 2022 ISORA Winner, 'Mojito'
12th September 2022 North Sails Ireland
Huge congratulations to Peter Dunlop, Vicky Cox, and their wonderful team on "Mojito". They had an awesome season culminating in them winning the Wolf's Head Trophy for being the overall winner of the 2022 ISORA series. TREMENDOUS job, guys! The…
"How Fast We Were!" - North Sails Powers 1 x European and 2 x National Championship Titles
5th September 2022 North Sails Ireland
What a week that was for North Sails Ireland! Dragon Nationals HUGE congratulations to the "Little Fella" team of Cameron Good, Henry Kingston and Matias Helstern from Kinsale YC, who brought the Dragon Nationals back to Kinsale for the first…
