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Displaying items by tag: Leixlip

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) says it is investigating a serious fish kill incident at the River Rye in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

Environmental and fisheries officers from the Eastern River Basin District in Dublin were alerted to the incident on the evening of Wednesday 8 June.

Water and fish samples were taken from the scene and removed for scientific analysis at an independent laboratory.

IFI estimates that there could be in excess of 500 mortalities of brown trout plus other fish species in the impacted area covering approximately 2km of river.

Investigations are ongoing and IFI, the State agency responsible for the protection and conservation of freshwater fish and habitats, says it is not in a position to comment on the cause of the fish kill at this stage, pending further analysis of samples taken.

The River Rye (or Ryewater) is an important spawning river for brown trout and a key spawning channel for a highly sensitive population of Atlantic salmon within the River Liffey catchment area.

To report fish kills, members of the public are encouraged to call IFI’s confidential 24-hour hotline number on 0818 34 74 24.

Published in Angling

Gardai say they are investigating complaints made about a Mullingar-based sailmaker who boat owners claim has left them out of pocket, as the Sunday Times reports.

Leixlip narrowboat owner Alex O’Fhailgigh says he paid a €1,000 deposit to Dillon Oberholzer — operating Irish Marine Canvas under the name Dillon Francis — for work on his canal vessel that was not carried out.

He and fellow Leixlip boat owner Paddy Masterson claim they paid deposits on €2,000 worth of repair work nearly two months ago.

But they grew concerned earlier this month when their calls to check on progress went to voicemail and there was no response to emails.

O’Fhailgigh then discovered online that Oberholzer, originally from South Africa, was previously based in the United States where he is reported wanted by the FBI for a string of suspected fraud offences connected to his sail repair businesses.

The Sunday Times has more on the story HERE.

Published in Marine Trade
Tagged under
The Irish Times' Conor Pope jumped in at the deep end when he took part in his first Liffey Descent last weekend (VIDEO BELOW).
The first-time canoeist faced his many fears to tackle the challenging course from the K Club in Kildare to Islandbridge as part of a three-man Canadian canoe.
That is, provided they got past the first weir at Straffan, where 60% of competitors take a tumble.
Pope writes: "As we approach its edge, the foaming white water’s roar barely manages to drown out the roars of hundreds of paddlers who’ve already succumbed to its fury."
Surviving that, the trio ploughed through the wodded stretch known as 'the jungle' before avoiding a smash into the wall at Leixlip dam.
From then on in the water flows faster towards the Wren's Nest, and the stuff of nightmares for the novist paddler!
Read more about Conor Pope's adventures on the Liffey Descent HERE.

The Irish Times' Conor Pope jumped in at the deep end when he took part in his first Liffey Descent last weekend (VIDEO BELOW).

The first-time canoeist faced his many fears to tackle the challenging course from the K Club in Kildare to Islandbridge as part of a three-man Canadian canoe.

That is, provided they got past the first weir at Straffan, where 60% of competitors take a tumble.

Pope writes: "As we approach its edge, the foaming white water’s roar barely manages to drown out the roars of hundreds of paddlers who’ve already succumbed to its fury."

Surviving that, the trio ploughed through the wodded stretch known as 'the jungle' before avoiding a smash into the wall at Leixlip dam.

From then on in the water flows faster towards the Wren's Nest, and the stuff of nightmares for the novist paddler!

Read more about Conor Pope's adventures on the Liffey Descent HERE.

Published in Canoeing

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020