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7th October 2009

Londonderry Port and Harbour

Londonderry Port and Harbour

aerial2.jpgLondonderry Port is a vibrant and rapidly developing port located in the North West of Ireland. It is a deep water port which is capable of dealing with a full range of customers’ requirements, including our specialist capability in handling bulk cargo.

At Londonderry Port we recognise that one of our unique selling points is our ability to meet the specific needs of each customer. The ability to tailor our arrangements brings a large degree of flexibility and innovation to our business. By doing this, LPHC has developed a strong reputation in the market for delivering on our commitments to our customers.

Our goal is to be the port of first choice for our existing and future customers. We also work hard to address the needs of others who have a stake in our business, such as employees, local authorities, the community and the Government.

 

About Us

Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners manage, maintain and administer the port for the benefit of our stakeholders by placing a strong emphasis on sustainability, and re-investing our profit for growth to benefit future generations. As part of LPHC’s core functions we serve the entire region and promote economic growth and stability – importing over £500m worth of goods into the region last year. LPHC provides a key part of the region’s public infrastructure offering port and marine services to meet our customers’ businesses need.

 

Our beliefs

The Port has always recognised that it is a service to our customers and must provide fast, efficient operations to meet our clients’ needs. In the last five years LPHC has developed a new fertiliser blending plant and a new oil terminal facility in conjunction with new and existing customers.

 

Who we support

LPHC actively supports community and economic entrepreneurship in this area, by mentoring and sponsorship of key enterprise and community projects through our work with Business in the Community. Our mentoring support for projects such as the Playhouse Activity Centre, Beautiful Day Bridal, Blueberries Pine helped develop the businesses in the right direction. This has been recognised by BITCNI with an award for supporting economic growth in Northern Ireland. 

Find us here

(Details courtesy of Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners) 

 

Londonderry Port and Harbour  Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners, Port Road, Lisahally, Londonderry BT47 6FL. Tel: +044 (0)28 7186 0555, fax: +044 (0)28 7186 1168, email: [email protected]

Published in Irish Ports
6th October 2009

Lough Derg Jetski Club

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Lough Derg Jet Ski Club

Lough Derg Jet Ski Club has become a reality thanks to a group of Jet Ski enthusiasts who are trying to safeguard the future of their sport, for themselves and for future generations.

After hearing the possibility/reality that Personal Water Craft (PWC) and powerboats were going to be banned on our waters, we came to a conclusion that if weren’t proactive about the future of our sport, and build a better relationship with both the general public, local authorities and other users on the water the inevitable was going to happen.

A committee was formed on the 26/03/2008 and with the help from Denis Dillon, the Motorboat Development Officer of the ISA, various channels of communications were opened with Waterways Ireland, Local Councils and the Irish Sailing Authority (the national body for boating in Ireland who are actively encouraging and promoting clubs in Ireland) and other authorities.

From general feedback from local authorities we understand that they don’t actually want to ban our crafts but it is necessary for them to be able to control and manage their use - which is not possible on an individual basis. In the UK the PWC users were looking at a similar ban until they formed clubs and took responsibility for their sport and became accountable to uphold certain standards, rules and regulations for their members.

Our Aim is to secure the future of our sport by developing our relationship with the relevant authorities, to show them that by promoting safe and considerate use of PWSs within club structures, is the way forward, to benefit all involved. 

Club mobile – 087 6614521

Chairperson – Alan Mooney – [email protected]

Safety Officer – Martin Tierney – [email protected] – 086 066 4137

Treasurer – Jon O'Shaughnessy – [email protected] – 086 2255 904

(The above information and image courtesy of Lough Derg Jetski Club) 


Lough Derg Jetski Club, Lough Derg Jet Ski Club, Ballina, Co. Tipperary

or c/o Joe Doolan, Secretary, Forthenry, Ballina. Tel: 087 661 4521, email: [email protected]

Published in Clubs
6th October 2009

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

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Goldie Cronin 'Alta to Starboard To Finish' Trophy Event. Photo: Alan Fleury

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club is located in the picturesque village of Monkstown, which overlooks Monkstown Bay in Cork Harbour.

Dingy league races are generally held within the Bay area, while Cruiser league races extend their reach up river to Passage and out the harbour to Cobh, Whitegate and beyond. Weekend events make full use of the Harbour waters, including races to Blackrock, East Ferry and Ballynacorra, and trips to Whitebay and Crosshaven.

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Dinghy sailing club with racing every Tuesday and Friday. All classes welcome. Annual junior training programme run during July. Clubhouse and usual facilities. Membership open. Dinghy courses offered up to Improving Skill, Advanced Boat Handling, and Racing 1.

 

MBSC Officers and Committee 2009

Commodore – Finian O' Driscoll – Email: [email protected]

Vice-Commodore – John O'Driscoll – Email: [email protected]

Hon. Secretary – Andrew Moynihan – Email: [email protected]

Rear Commodore – Ewen Barry – Email: [email protected]

Hon. Treasurer – John Crotty – Email: [email protected] 

Sailing Secretary – Ronan Kenneally – Email: [email protected]

Junior Training Organiser – Ann O'Brien –  Email: [email protected] 

 

Monkstown Bay Sailing Club, 3 de Vesci Place, Monkstown, Co. Cork. Tel: 021 485 9935 (Club House) or 087 825 2855 (Alan Fleury), or email: [email protected]

Published in Clubs

Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club

The principal activities of the Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club include the promotion and encouragement of Powerboat Racing in Ireland and of social union amoung the Club's members.

 

2010 Round Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race

Today sees the launch of the 1st Round Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race, which is confirmed to take place from the 5th to the 12th of June 2010.

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This 2010 race will circumnavigate the entire coast of Ireland and will be the toughest endurance powerboat race on the International circuit. Irelands varied coastline will prove a severe test for even the most experienced powerboat enthusiasts with the Atlantic leg being unique to world racing.

The race is being organised by the Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club in conjunction with the Irish Sailing Association and the UIM, the International Powerboat Racing Authority. The race will be run under the international rules of the UIM and working closely with the ISA the organisers will ensure that all safety, marine and environmental conventions are correctly observed.

The 2010 Race will be an International event with competitors coming from all over the world. The five days of racing will be a true test of man and machine. There will be 4 days with stages ranging from 180 to 210 miles each day. Not for the faint hearted. Mid way there will a short course race with a circuit of between 70 and 100 miles, but where time will also be allowed for repairs and some Irish hospitality.

The intention is to create a showpiece event both on and off the water that will highlight Ireland and our marine and boating Tourism potential. The event will offer the Powerboat racing community opportunities to showcase Ireland on an International stage. The 4 venues currently being organised will not only facilitate the requirements of offshore powerboat racing but also the on-shore activities that will be organised as part of the event.

(The above information and image courtesy © The Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club

 

Irish Offshore Powerboat Racing Club, Justin McInerney, 18 Foxwood Drive, Rochestown Road, Cork. Fax: 021 492 5799, email: [email protected]

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

 

Published in Clubs

Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association

History

The germ of ISORA started after the war when Irish Sea racing was at an extremely low ebb, although there was a tradition of such races such as the Tranmere Sailing Club's Midnight Race, run since 1907, and the Llandudno Race run by the Royal Mersey Yacht Club as a feeder race for the Menai Straits Regatta.

In order to revive interest in offshore racing, Peter Brett and Mostyn Vicars formed the 'Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee' which laid the foundations of our present organisation. The following extract from the minutes defines its activities and make-up:-

"The purpose of the committee is to assist and encourage clubs in the Merseyside and North Wales area in the sponsoring of offshore races in the Irish Sea under the RORC rating and time scale. The Committee, which is composed of representatives of the RORC and certain local clubs, does not sponsor races itself. Offers from clubs in the district to sponsor such races will be very welcome, and every possible assistance will be given".

The statement of intent has been the basis os all our subsequent activities. Originally the races were confined to those offered by the Royal Mersey, Tramere, Royal Welsh, Royal Anglessey and Royal Dee Clubs, but by 1960 the objective of widened interest was being achieved and extra races under the burgee of South Caerarvonshire Yacht Club and Holyhead Sailing Club were included. The Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee continued to provide a central administration for all this activity, which by 1963 increasedto no less than twenty-one races. Such a programme was beyond the scope of the secretariat and it was feared that the original object of fostering interest might well be defeated through inadequate organisation.

At the annual meeting held at the Royal Mersey Yacht Club on 14th October, 1963 the Merseyside and North Wales Joint Offshore Co-ordinating Committee was dissolved and a new body to be known as the North West Offshore Association (NWOA) was formed. A committee under the Chairmanship of Michael Tomlinson was elected and they declared their aim:-

To organise, with the help of elected clubs, five offshore races each year. Four of those races were to be in excess of 70 miles, i.e. definitely offshore, and the fifth to be a RORC race in excess of 200 miles.

Still based mainly along the Lancashire and North Wales coastline, NWOA continued along the lines laid down by the founders, although a sixth race - the Tod Trophy, was included at a later date to allow the ever increasing 'B' fleet to have racing while their larger sisters were away taking part in the annual RORC event. Over the years it has become obvious that as well as good support for our races from the eastern shores of the Irish Sea, an increasing number of entries were from the Dublin Bay area. In 1971 these Irish entries equalled in number those from all other home ports.

It seems that once again the time had come to see if the NWOA needed bringing up to date, and so in line with tradition, a meeting was called at the Royal Mersey Yacht Club, to which representatives of almost every club around the shores of the Irish Sea were invited. It was suggested that it was time that the NWOA should widen its sphere of activity to include this whole area and representatives from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man and the whole of Ireland's east coast agreed that this was a good idea, and an attempt should be made to produce an integrated racing programme over this area.

It was decided to change the name to the 'Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association' as the most suitable indication of the area in which the clubs are situated. It was also decided that it would be possible to extend the racing programme to include boats from the Isle of Man, the North of Ireland and the Ribble without seriously changing the traditional races (which had been enjoyed so much over the past few years), by including races which the clubs in these areas had run in the past and in which boats from each area should be asked to travel to starts away from home twice, take part in a RORC race (or its small equivalent) as well as starting twice from their home ports. It was also agreed that in 1972 racing should be offered for a third class - namely class 'C' entries to which would be restricted to boats that had not got divided underwater profiles.

At the beginning of the 1972 season, Sandy Taggart from the Clyde approached the English part of the association and asked if we would be willing to include certain Clyde races in our programme and this we agreed to do so. Since the early 70s a week-long offshore regatta has become popular and developed – The Captains Cup in the South of the Irish Sea and the Comet Wheel Series on the Clyde. From these two events the bienniel ISORA Race Week evolved. 

 

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

 

The Clubs

Holyhead Sailing Club

Howth Yacht Club

National Yacht Club

Pwllheli Sailing Club

Royal Alfred Yacht Club

Wicklow Sailing Club

Royal Dee Yacht Club

Royal St George Yacht Club

South Caernarfonshire Yacht Club

 

Offshore Rules

Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association

Published in Clubs
1st October 2009

Foynes Yacht Club

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Foynes Yacht Club

Foynes Yacht Club was founded in 1962, it has a modern club house with good facilities, bar, showers, changing rooms, kitchen and dance floor. Floating pontoons and deep water moorings allow ease of access to boats at all stages of the tide. Racing every Wednesday evening during the season. Membership is open to all, and Juniors are especially welcome.

                                                                                              

 

Foynes Yacht Club – Its settings and origins – by R.J. Scott, 1991

In the age of commercial sail right up to the 1914–18 War, the Shannon Estuary was used regularly by coasting schooners and the like. Records show a considerable use of quays at Kilrush, Foynes, Kiladysert by these fine old wooden vessels. In fact, the Clare river (Fergus) was worked right up to Clarecastle in schooners and brigantines carrying as much as 320 tons of coal on 12.5 ft. draft, and that often without power other than flax, wind, a damn good kedge anchor and an even better six-man crew! Within the Estuary, as recently as 1954, the final cargo under sail was carried from Limerick when the late Johnny Davis put his 25-ton cutter Alzina on the mud at Labasheeda for the last time. Today motor craft have taken over from sea­going sail, fewer but bigger, and the lower Shannon sees them in all shapes of increasing ugliness, from 500 to 170,000 tons. In an age where carrying capacity is god and aesthetic beauty of line no longer of value in complex Balance Sheets, estuary craft like the Alzina, Edgar, Lahloo, Baron Joss, Mary Joseph and others have surrendered to the economics of road transport.

The traditions of sail have been passed on and nurtured to a degree by yachtsmen the world over. Yet strangely, the Shannon Estuary appeared to lose much of this contact, that is apart from a comparatively few individuals, hardly more than a dozen or two at one time between 1920 and 1962. Perhaps the best known figure of this era was the late Conor O'Brien of Foynes who, fifty years ago this year (1991), sailed round to Dublin and took his departure on 23rd June in his 20-ton Baltimore-built ketch Saoirse. Exactly two years later to the day, he arrived back to a massive welcome having circumnavigated the world. His craft was the first to carry the new Irish tricolour round the globe. Conor's writings are widely read and his home may still be seen, set amongst the trees on Foynes Island.

It was inevitable, of course, that with the increasing popularity of yachting on other coasts the pastime should develop in the Estuary. In July, 1962 seven boat-owners, five from Limerick, one from Foynes and one from Newcastle West,got together in a Foynes local and simply formed a club. So Foynes Yacht Club was born. For the record, the seven founders were: Dan O'Sullivan (Commodore), Dick Nash (Secretary), Peter Lawless (Treasurer) with Peter McKenna, Pat Dinneen, Joe Bottcher and Roger Bourke.

From this small beginning Foynes Yacht Club had grown to a membership of one hundred and eighty by 1973. That year marked a long sought milestone, the opening of the new clubhouse. With it's 250­ft boat slip built by members in 1971, it gave Foynes and the lower Shannon Region it's first major water based leisure facility.

Coincidentally, the West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association's Annual Championship for Cruisers, also established 1973, has been hosted successfully every third year by the club since then.

Dublin Bay Mermaids were very popular in the club during the early seventies, declined almost to extinction in the eighties, but have returned more popular than ever in the nineties. But, if the Mermaids numbers declined, interest by Mermaiders in Foynes didn't and the Mermaid National Championship was hosted by the club in 1973, 1977, 1984 and 1989 and is again scheduled for 1993. Meanwhile the club instituted The Munster Mermaid Championship in 1990 as an annual event which even attracts boats from the east coast to partici­pate.

Perhaps the busiest year for the club was 1989 when it hosted a GP14 Championship in May, the West of lreland Offshore champion­ship in July, the Mermaid Nationals in August and then revived the town Regatta in September. The club continued to improve by developing its facilities, reclaiming and rockfacing the foreshore, extending and paving the dinghy and car parks and widening the slipway. The Club constructed the first Marina on the west coast, a development which is being considerably extended and improved this year. Plans are also in hand to improve the clubhouse.

 

And today's club...

The river Shannon is the longest river in the British isles. It rises in Co Cavan and enters the Atlantic ocean in the southwest of Ireland. It is tidal west of Limerick city. It's estuary has a tidal range of over 5 metres and it can run at over 4 knots in places.

Foynes is located in the southwest of Ireland on the southern shore of the Shannon estuary on a channel formed by Foynes Island. It has a very busy commercial port and to the west of this Foynes Yacht club. It is about 25 miles west of Limerick city on the N69.

In the club there are about 12 yacht over 9 metres, eight in the 7–9 metre range and about ten active mermaids plus other dinghies. We race every Wednesday evening during the summer months and on Sundays in September as well as some annual weekend events. In all there are just over 130 members. 

Our facilities include a modern clubhouse with bar, dance floor, toilets and showers.

We have a pontoon which can accommodate approximately eight visiting boats, four club boats, the club crashboat and 12 dinghies.

All other boats are kept on swinging moorings on the east side of Foynes island. Additionally there is a wintering compound for 30 yachts and a launching slip.

(The above information and image courtesy of Foynes Yacht Club)

 

Foynes Yacht Club, Cooleen Point, Foynes, Co. Limerick. Tel 353 62 65261

or

c/o Elaine O' Mahoney, Coolen Point, Foynes, Co Limerick. Tel: 069 65261, email: [email protected]

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

Published in Clubs
30th September 2009

Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club

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Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club

Dungarvan has always been noted for its sailors and its great sea-faring families and the tradition of the bygone days of the coastal schooners is reflected there today in the strong active sailing club which was founded at a public meeting in the Town Hall on Friday 2nd August 1946. The first officers were Bernard Mulcahy, Commodore, Reveille Farrell, Vice Commodore, Maurice Kiely, Secretary and Joe Donovan, Treasurer.

Left: The Clubhouse

The inaugural race of the club, for the newly presented Mulcahy Cup, was held over a 6½ mile course with a fleet of four boats; Mairead built by Tyrells and owned by Bernard Mulcahy, Maise formerly of Dublin owned by Maurice and Peter Kiely, Naomh Breandáin owned by Gerard Walsh, and Jane Shore owned by James Villiers Stuart. The race was won by Maurice and Peter Kiely.

Helvick based boats then showed an interest and these craft, mostly gaff rigged salmon boats crewed by fishermen from the Helvick and Ring Gaeltacht, were usually well placed. Amongst these 'Pauls Boat' and 'Slatterys Boat' were outstanding, leaving the 'yachts' a poor second on more than one occasion.

In 1948 Reveille Farrell bought Susanna, a nine-ton Bermudan cutter designed by Norman Dallimore and built in 1936. She was to become well known for her many cruises to the West Coast of Ireland, in the English Channel, and Brittany. The most famous of these was in June 1957 when accompanied by Gerard Walsh and John Ballot she sailed to Spain and back. This was a considerable achievement at the time as it was believed that the passage across the Bay of Biscay and back again was beyond the capacity of the average cruising yacht in the normal holiday period. Coincidental with the arrival of “Susanna” some of the older boats changed hands and were lost to the club and big boat racing activity declined. They were replaced by a number of one man canvas sailing canoes, owned and frequently capsized by Col. Jack Hockin, Maurice Kiely, and Tim MacCarthy – which were the beginnings of dinghy sailing in Dungarvan Harbour.

During the winter of 1958, John and Austin Flynn built a 16’ hard chine Petrel class dinghy from plans in an American magazine. Because the design was ideally suited for home construction many Petrels quickly followed and dinghy sailing really became established in Dungarvan. There was great rivalry and competition in the fleet and each new boat came with a further refinement or new 'secret weapon' not seen on previous models. Construction methods changed from larch planking and cotton sails to plywood and terylene. In all 50 boats of the class are known to have been built, the later ones of GRP construction. An unfortunate drawback of the Petrel was the fact it was unique to Dungarvan and those interested in inter club competition had to look to other designs to compete nationally.

GP14s were popular for a while during which period the club hosted the Purcell trophy. Nowadays the dinghy fleet comprises of Wayfarers, Lasers, Mirrors and Toppers sailed by a very active junior section.

The cruiser fleet has also expanded and the burgee of DHSC has been carried far afield and its members have logged many miles from Cape Horn to the Northern Latitudes.

Although once a busy commercial port, Dungarvan in common with many other ports of its size suffered when changes in shipping practices led to a decline in the number of vessels using the port and with trade totally finished many of the old warehouses along the quayside became derelict. Reconstruction has injected new life into this area of the town and created the opportunity for Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club to acquire a site on the quay front on which to build a clubhouse which is now the focal point of club activities.

The Town Council is currently progressing the construction of a marina, which together with the abundance of new restaurants and other onshore facilities available will firmly establish Dungarvan as a compulsory stopover for cruising yachts and greatly ease the current shortage of mooring space in the harbour.

DHSC is a family orientated club. Visitors by road and sea are welcome. Pontoons at quayside. Showers and toilets available in the Clubhouse to visitors. The Clubhouse and bar are open at the weekend from 5pm throughout the year, dinghy and cruiser racing and cruising in company during the summer. 

(The above information and image courtesy of Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club) 

 
Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club, c/o Andrew Corby, Davitt's Quay, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Tel: 058 45663, email: [email protected]

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

Published in Clubs

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Cumann Seoltóireachta An Spidéil

Providing sailing to the children and adults of the area since 2003. Hosts an Annual CSS Dinghy Regatta

left: Early morning at Spiddal pier

Páirc báid ag Sean Céibh an Spidéil. Seoladh gach deire eachtain agus trathnóna amháin i rith na seachtaine. Failte faoi leith chuig daoine agus atá taithí seol acu. Cursaí sheoil ar fáil i rith an samhradh.  

Cumann Seoltóireachta An Spidéil, or CSS, Cois n Tra, Coast Road, Spiddal Village, Co. Galway. Tel: 087 279 1095, email: [email protected]

or 

Contact: Billy Keady, Stripe, Furbo, Co. Galway. Tel: 087 263 9308, email: [email protected]

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Published in Clubs
30th September 2009

Cullaun Sailing Club

Cullaun Sailing Club

Cullaun Sailing Club is located on the shore of the Lough Cullaunyheeda (Cullaun Lake), in the heart of east Clare. Cullaun Sailing Club is a very active dinghy sailing club, with a fleet comprising mainly of Enterprise, Wayfarer and Laser dinghies. We have six Club boats including three rescue craft (all club events are attended to by Club Rescue craft). We also have two Wayfarer and one Enterprise dinghies (intended for use by members who do not yet have their own craft).

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Left: 2006 Regatta at the Club. Photo by Paddy 

The Season

Our sailing season extends from March to November and an extensive calendar of events is organised each year. During the summer months sailing is organised twice a week, Tuesday (Beginners\Training Night) and Thursday evenings (Mixed fleet Racing). We also host the Enterprise Inland Championships Regatta, and our own open class regatta. Coastal cruising in chartered keel boats are also organised off the South and West coasts, better kown as 'The September Cruise' have proven to be very popular. We even organise the odd BBQ whenever we get a chance.

 

Membership

 

Membership is open to anyone with an interest in sailing. Potential members should contact a Committee Member, who will explain rules and also form a point of contact. Best to visit us on one of our event nights.

(The above information and image courtesy of Cullaun Sailing Club) 

Cullaun Sailing Club, c/o Mary Sweeney, Kilkishen, Co Clare. Email: [email protected]

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

Published in Clubs
30th September 2009

Buccaneer Powerboat Club

Buccaneer Powerboat Club

Buccaneer Powerboat Club, c/o Stephen Taylor, Albatross, Kinsealy Lane, Malahide, Co. Dublin. Tel: 087 239 3054, email: [email protected]  

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

Published in Clubs
Page 6 of 17

Annalise Murphy, Olympic Silver Medalist

The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy (born 1 February 1990) is a Dublin Bay sailor who won a silver medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She is a native of Rathfarnham, a suburb of Dublin.

Murphy competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Women's Laser Radial class. She won her first four days of sailing at the London Olympics and, on the fifth day, came in 8th and 19th position.

They were results that catapulted her on to the international stage but those within the tiny sport of Irish sailing already knew her of world-class capability in a breeze and were not surprised.

On the sixth day of the competition, she came 2nd and 10th and slipped down to second, just one point behind the Belgian world number one.

Annalise was a strong contender for the gold medal but in the medal race, she was overtaken on the final leg by her competitors and finished in 4th, her personal best at a world-class regatta and Ireland's best Olympic class result in 30 years.

Radial European Gold

Murphy won her first major medal at an international event the following year on home waters when she won gold at the 2013 European Sailing Championships on Dublin Bay.

Typically, her track record continues to show that she performs best in strong breezes that suit her large stature (height: 1.86 m Weight: 72 kg).

She had many international successes on her road to Rio 2016 but also some serious setbacks including a silver fleet finish in flukey winds at the world championships in the April of Olympic year itself.

Olympic Silver Medal

On 16 August 2016, Murphy won the silver medal in the Laser Radial at the 2016 Summer Olympics defying many who said her weight and size would go against her in Rio's light winds.

As Irish Times Sailing Correspondent David O'Brien pointed out: " [The medal] was made all the more significant because her string of consistent results was achieved in a variety of conditions, the hallmark of a great sailor. The medal race itself was a sailing master class by the Dubliner in some decidedly fickle conditions under Sugarloaf mountain".

It was true that her eight-year voyage ended with a silver lining but even then Murphy was plotting to go one better in Tokyo four years later.

Sportswoman of the Year

In December 2016, she was honoured as the Irish Times/Sport Ireland 2016 Sportswoman of the Year.

In March, 2017, Annalise Murphy was chosen as the grand marshal of the Dublin St Patrick's day parade in recognition of her achievement at the Rio Olympics.

She became the Female World Champion at the Moth Worlds in July 2017 in Italy but it came at a high price for the Olympic Silver medallist. A violent capsize in the last race caused her to sustain a knee injury which subsequent scans revealed to be serious. 

Volvo Ocean Race

The injury was a blow for her return to the Olympic Laser Radial discipline and she withdrew from the 2017 World Championships. But, later that August, to the surprise of many, Murphy put her Tokyo 2020 ambitions on hold for a Volvo Ocean Race crew spot and joined Dee Caffari’s new Turn the Tide On Plastic team that would ultimately finish sixth from seventh overall in a global circumnavigation odyssey.

Quits Radial for 49erFX

There were further raised eyebrows nine months later when, during a break in Volvo Ocean Race proceedings, in May 2018 Murphy announced she was quitting the Laser Radial dinghy and was launching a 49er FX campaign for Tokyo 2020. Critics said she had left too little time to get up to speed for Tokyo in a new double-handed class.

After a 'hugely challenging' fourteen months for Murphy and her crew Katie Tingle, it was decided after the 2019 summer season that their 'Olympic medal goal' was no longer realistic, and the campaign came to an end. Murphy saying in interviews “I guess the World Cup in Japan was a bit of a wakeup call for me, I was unable to see a medal in less than twelve months and that was always the goal".

The pair raced in just six major regattas in a six-month timeframe. 

Return to Radial

In September 2019, Murphy returned to the Laser Radial dinghy and lead a four-way trial for the Tokyo 2020 Irish Olympic spot after the first of three trials when she finished 12th at the Melbourne World Championships in February 2020.

Selection for Tokyo 2021

On June 11, Irish Sailing announced Annalise Murphy had been nominated in the Laser Radial to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Murphy secured the Laser Radial nomination after the conclusion of a cut short trials in which rivals Aoife Hopkins, Aisling Keller and Eve McMahon also competed.

Disappointment at Tokyo 2021

After her third Olympic Regatta, there was disappointment for Murphy who finished 18th overall in Tokyo. On coming ashore after the last race, she indicated her intention to return to studies and retire from Olympic sailing.  

On 6th Aguust 2020, Murphy wrote on Facebook:  "I am finally back home and it’s been a week since I finished racing, I have been lucky enough to experience the highs and the lows of the Olympics. I am really disappointed, I can’t pretend that I am not. I wasn’t good enough last week, the more mistakes I made the more I lost confidence in my decision making. Two years ago I made a plan to try and win a gold medal in the Radial, I believed that with my work ethic and attitude to learning, that everything would work out for me. It didn’t work out this time but I do believe that it’s worth dreaming of winning Olympic medals as I’m proof that it is possible, I also know how scary it is to try knowing you might not be good enough!
I am disappointed for Rory who has been my coach for 15 years, we’ve had some great times together and I wish I could have finished that on a high. I have so much respect for Olympic sailing coaches. They also have to dedicate their lives to getting to the games. I know I’ll always appreciate the impact Rory has had on my life as a person.
I am so grateful for the support I have got from my family and friends, I have definitely been selfish with my time all these years and I hope I can now make that up to you all! Thanks to Kate, Mark and Rónán for always having my back! Thank you to my sponsors for believing in me and supporting me. Thank you Tokyo for making these games happen! It means so much to the athletes to get this chance to do the Olympics.
I am not too sure what is next for me, I definitely don’t hate sailing which is a positive. I love this sport, even when it doesn’t love me 😂. Thank you everyone for all the kind words I am finally getting a chance to read!"

Annalise Murphy, Olympic Sailor FAQs

Annalise Murphy is Ireland’s best performing sailor at Olympic level, with a silver medal in the Laser Radial from Rio 2016.

Annalise Murphy is from Rathfarnham, a suburb in south Co Dublin with a population of some 17,000.

Annalise Murphy was born on 1 February 1990, which makes her 30 years old as of 2020.

Annalise Murphy’s main competition class is the Laser Radial. Annalise has also competed in the 49erFX two-handed class, and has raced foiling Moths at international level. In 2017, she raced around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race.

In May 2018, Annalise Murphy announced she was quitting the Laser Radial and launching a campaign for Tokyo 2020 in the 49erFX with friend Katie Tingle. The pairing faced a setback later that year when Tingle broke her arm during training, and they did not see their first competition until April 2019. After a disappointing series of races during the year, Murphy brought their campaign to an end in September 2019 and resumed her campaign for the Laser Radial.

Annalise Murphy is a longtime and honorary member of the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

Aside from her Olympic success, Annalise Murphy won gold at the 2013 European Sailing Championships on Dublin Bay.

So far Annalise Murphy has represented Ireland at two Olympic Games.

Annalise Murphy has one Olympic medal, a silver in the Women’s Laser Radial from Rio 2016.

Yes; on 11 June 2020, Irish Sailing announced Annalise Murphy had been nominated in the Women’s Laser Radial to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.

Yes; in December 2016, Annalise Murphy was honoured as the Irish Times/Sport Ireland 2016 Sportswoman of the Year. In the same year, she was also awarded Irish Sailor of the Year.

Yes, Annalise Murphy crewed on eight legs of the 2017-18 edition of The Ocean Race.

Annalise Murphy was a crew member on Turn the Tide on Plastic, skippered by British offshore sailor Dee Caffari.

Annalise Murphy’s mother is Cathy McAleavy, who competed as a sailor in the 470 class at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988.

Annalise Murphy’s father is Con Murphy, a pilot by profession who is also an Olympic sailing race official.

Annalise Murphy trains under Irish Sailing Performance head coach Rory Fitzpatrick, with whom she also prepared for her silver medal performance in Rio 2016.

Annalise Murphy trains with the rest of the team based at the Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Annalise Murphy height is billed as 6 ft 1 in, or 183cm.

©Afloat 2020

At A Glance – Annalise Murphy Significant Results

2016: Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Silver

2013: European Championships, Dublin, Ireland – Gold

2012: Summer Olympics, London, UK – 4th

2011: World Championships, Perth, Australia – 6th

2010: Skandia Sail for Gold regatta – 10th

2010: Became the first woman to win the Irish National Championships.

2009: World Championships – 8th

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