Displaying items by tag: Harbour2Harbour Walk

21st February 2024

Thousands to Walk from Howth Harbour to Dun Laoghaire Harbour (or reverse) this St. Patrick’s Day to Demonstrate Support for Mental Health

Irish dancing sensations ‘The Gardiner Brothers’ today launched the 17th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk which will take place on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday 17th March. An official event partner of St. Patrick’s Festival, the charity expects over 2,500 enthusiastic walkers to take on the 26km challenge, with the option of starting from Howth Harbour or Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Suitable for most fitness levels, the walk will take participants along the scenic Dublin Bay route with a ‘Halfway Hooley’ hosted at sponsor Dublin Port Company’s historic Pumphouse. Registration is now open at www.aware.ie/harbour2harbour at a cost of €25 per person.

The Gardiner Brothers, Michael and Matthew commented: “We are honoured to be a part of this year's Harbour2Harbour Walk with Aware. Mental health is such an extremely important thing to talk about in this day and age, and we want to encourage people to be conscious of their own mental health as well as those around them. We have always been big into sports and exercise, especially with our dancing, and we find that it contributes greatly not only to our physical health but also our mental health. We encourage everyone to take part in this incredible Harbour2Harbour Walk on St. Patrick's Day which will be a fantastic way to start everyone's day!”

The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk is a flagship fundraising event for Aware, the national charity supporting people impacted by depression and bipolar disorder. This unique event will help raise vital funds to ensure the organisation can continue to deliver its free support, education and information services to individuals and communities nationwide.

Irish dancing sensations The Gardiner Brothers Michael and Matthew pictured at the launch of the 17th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk which takes place on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday 17th March Photo: Conor McCabe

This is the second year that the event has been included as part of St. Patrick’s Festival One City, One Festival Programme. Stephen Butterly, Head of Fundraising at Aware commented: “We are delighted to be included as an official event partner of St. Patrick’s Festival again this year. 2023 was the most successful Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk to date with over 2,500 people coming together to proudly demonstrate their support for mental health and raise money for Aware’s services. The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk offers something a little bit different and it’s a great way to get family and friends together to celebrate our national holiday in a fun and healthy way. With the support of St. Patrick’s Festival, we are hopeful that we will see even more people taking part this year!”

Dublin Port Company has generously sponsored the event since 2014, hosting a ‘Halfway Hooley’ for participants midway along the route. Speaking about their involvement, Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive at Dublin Port Company commented: “We are proud to once again sponsor the Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk, an event that promotes both physical activity and mental health awareness. At Dublin Port Company, we recognise the importance of supporting initiatives that contribute to the wellbeing of our community. Hosting the 'Halfway Hooley' is our way of welcoming and encouraging participants as they embark on this significant journey along the Dublin Bay route.”

All participants will receive a t-shirt when they arrive for the event and are encouraged to wear these as they take part to raise awareness and show their support for mental health. People can also join the conversation online, using the hashtag #WeAreAware when sharing on social media.

Published in Dublin Port

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2,000 People to Walk from Howth Harbour to Dun Laoghaire Harbour (or reverse) this St Patrick’s Day

Broadcaster, author and activist Emer O’Neill today launched the 16th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk which will take place on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday 17th March from 10.30 am. Over 2,000 enthusiastic walkers are expected to take on the 26km challenge, with the option of starting from Howth Harbour or Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Suitable for most fitness levels, the walk will take participants along the scenic Dublin Bay route with a ‘Halfway Hooley’ hosted at sponsor Dublin Port Company’s historic Pumphouse.

An official event of the St Patrick’s Day One City Festival Programme, the Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk is now open for registration at www.aware.ie/harbour2harbour at a cost of €25 per person.

Ambassador Emer O’Neill commented: “I am delighted to be involved with the Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk. Having experienced depression myself, I know how important it is for us to open up the conversation around mental health. The services provided by organisations like Aware are invaluable to anyone experiencing depression or bipolar disorder and I would encourage anyone struggling with their mental health to reach out for support. We all know how beneficial fresh air and exercise is for both your physical and mental health, so I hope to see lots of people from around Dublin joining us on St Patrick’s Day to raise both awareness and vital funds for Aware.”

Emer O'Neil broadcaster, author and activist pictured at Dublin Port Company at the launch of the 16th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk which takes place on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday 17th March Photo: Andres Poveda

The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk is a flagship fundraising event for Aware, the national charity supporting people impacted by depression and bipolar disorder. This event will help raise vital funds to ensure the organisation can continue to deliver its free support, education and information services to individuals and communities nationwide.

Stephen Butterly, Head of Fundraising at Aware commented: “The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk is a lovely way to get friends and family together to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in a fun and healthy way, while demonstrating your support for mental health. Each year Aware directly supports up to 50,000 people via our support and education services. All proceeds from this event will go towards these services, helping to ensure that people across Ireland impacted by depression and bipolar disorder know they are not alone and are provided with the knowledge and tools they need to improve their wellbeing. We are incredibly grateful for the generous sponsorship from Dublin Port Company who have supported this event since 2014.”

Speaking about Dublin Port’s involvement, Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive at Dublin Port Company commented: “Dublin Port is delighted to be partnering with Aware and supporting the annual Harbour2Harbour Walk. It’s a great family day out and the perfect way to see Dublin’s harbours, river and city, all while raising funds for Aware’s vital services. The ‘Halfway Hooley’, which this year is being hosted at our Pumphouse, will provide a welcome and celebratory mid-way break for all those taking part. We look forward to welcoming the thousands of walkers to the Port and showcasing the beauty of Dublin Bay.”

Aware Support Services include Support & Self Care Groups and a Support Line and Support Mail service, both of which operate 365 days a year. Aware also delivers a range of positive mental health programmes to adults and senior cycle students nationwide, designed to build resilience and empower people with the skills and tools to manage their mental health. All Aware services are now available in-person and in virtual environments.

Published in Dublin Bay

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.