Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

 

Displaying items by tag: blue flag marinas

All 10 marinas awarded a Blue Flag in 2020 have been awarded a Blue Flag for the coming season.

Of the 26 counties, four have two Blue Flags and two counties have one.

The International Blue Flag and Green Coast Award recipients for 2021 were announced by the Education Unit of An Taisce yesterday.

As Afloat reported, the number of Blue Flags awarded this season set a new record for the Republic of Ireland for beaches and marinas.

 Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina on the Owenabue river in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour has retained its Blue Flag for 2021Royal Cork Yacht Club Marina on the Owenabue river in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour has retained its Blue Flag for 2021 Photo: Bob Bateman

The retention of Blue Flag status at both Kinsale Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club means that Cork has a total of 12 Blue Flag beaches and marinas a record annual haul for the rebel county.

Quigley's Marina, Killinure Point on the River Shannon in County West Meath has retained the Blue Flag awarded in 2020. Quigleys' Marina has been awarded every year since 2003.

The 10 marinas (from a coastal network of approximately 60 marinas and pontoons) that have achieved this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management.

The Ten 2021 Irish Blue Flag Marinas are: 

WEXFORD

  • Kilmore Quay Marina
  • New Ross: Three Sisters Marina

CORK

  • Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • Kinsale Yacht Club

KERRY

  • Portmagee seasonal Visitors pontoon
  • Fenti Marina

CLARE

  • Kilrush Marina

WESTMEATH

  • Quigley's Marina  

DONEGAL

  • Rathmullan Marina
  • Greencastle Marina
Published in Irish Marinas
Tagged under

Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race Information

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down to the east coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry.

The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

It never fails to offer a full range of weather, wind and tide to the intrepid entrants, ranging from a 32ft cruiser to a 79ft all-out racer.

Three divisions are available to enter: cruiser (boats equipped with furlers), racing (the bulk of the fleet) and also two-handed.

D2D Course change overruled

In 2019, the organisers considered changing the course to allow boats to select routes close to shore by removing the requirement to go outside Islands and Lighthouses en route, but following input from regular participants, the National Yacht Club decided to stick with the tried and tested course route in order to be fair to large and smaller boats and to keep race records intact.

RORC Points Calendar

The 2019 race was the first edition to form part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club “RORC” calendar for the season. This is in addition to the race continuing as part of the ISORA programme. 

D2D Course record time

Mick Cotter’s 78ft Whisper established the 1 day and 48 minutes course record for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race in 2009 and that time stood until 2019 when Cotter returned to beat his own record but only just, the Dun Laoghaire helmsman crossing the line in Kerry to shave just 20 seconds off his 2009 time.