Sea Scout Master Mariners are Crowned at National Maritime College of Ireland

22nd March 2023

The 2023 Sea Scout Master Mariners competition took place at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork Harbour

The 2023 seamanship competition for senior Sea Scouts, supported by the Irish Institute of Master Mariners, occurred on 5 March at the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork Harbour.

24 young people from around Ireland competed for the Captain Desmond Fortune Founders Award and the Captain Cian Timmons Memorial Award. The competition has run since 1995. This was the first time the Captain Cian Timmons Memorial Award was presented for the highest-placing Rover Scout. Captain Timmons was a Sea Scout and a member of the Council of the Irish Institute of Master Mariners.

Competitors were examined on a range of seamanship skills, including testing their knowledge of maritime safety legislation, sea survival and collision regulations. They represented Sea Scout groups in Ringsend, New Ross, Howth, Malahide, Dollymount and the Scout Group in Ballykelly in Co Wexford.

Sea Scout Master Mariners awards were presented by the Irish Institute of Master Mariners and the Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland, Jill Pitcher Farrell

The examiner pool was diverse and included Sea Scout leaders and external examiners with experience as professional mariners and as members of the Naval Service, Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI. They also included representatives from Irish Sailing and lecturers from the NMCI.

Participants were also treated to a full day experience on 4 March, touring the NMCI, the Naval Base at Haulbowline, and Crosshaven Lifeboat Station, before bedding down in the community garden campsite of the local Crosshaven Sea Scouts.

Awards were presented by the Irish Institute of Master Mariners and the Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland, Jill Pitcher Farrell.

Results

Venture Scouts

Captain Desmond Fortune 'Founders Award'

1st - Cormac Eason - 9th Port Malahide Sea Scouts
2nd - Dan Clohessy - 9th Port Malahide Sea Scouts
3rd - Adam Kavanagh - 12th Wexford Ballykelly Scouts

Rover Scouts

Captain Cian Timmons Memorial Award

1st - Óran Ó hIrile - 9th Port Malahide Sea Scouts
2nd - Evan Banable - 9th Port Malahide Sea Scouts
3rd - Darragh Ryan - 1st Wexford New Ross Sea Scouts

Dan Clohessy won the Eoghan Lavelle Cox'ns Prize for achieving the highest marks in the practical section.

Published in Maritime Training, Youth Sailing, Cork Harbour

Published in Maritime Training

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