The death of John Sisk of Dun Laoghaire highlights the sailing achievements of a private yet remarkable family whose name is internationally-recognised on major building sites and civil engineering projects in several countries, while at the same time, they are known among fellow-enthusiasts for their keen involvement in other activities.
Originally a major Cork business, it was John’s father – also John – who developed the Dublin focus at an exceptionally young age, such that Dublin eventually became the firm’s headquarters. But while his devotion to growing the company was highly respected, he also brought from Cork a family interest in boats and sailing which for a while manifested itself in an intriguing sideline around 1950, the Dalkey Shipyard Company, which built some substantial sailing boats in addition to a range of Folkboats.
But while John Senr was interested in building boats and sailing them, racing was not his thing. Yet his three sons George, Hal and John were definitely racing inclined, so in typical John Senr style, there was correspondence with the great New York yacht designer Olin Stephens which resulted in the debut in Dun Laoghaire in 1967 of the Italian-built Gaia 36 Sarnia, one of the first boats to the hull shape which became best known as the Swan 36.
John Sisk (right) aboard Sarnia in Crosshaven in 1970 after winning an RORC Race from the Irish Sea. His brother George is on the left, Frank Larkin is second left, and Hal Sisk is at centre
The Sisk brothers, meanwhile, had been at various stages of carefully selected university courses, and it was while doing Business Studies at University College Dublin with a view to eventually running the Sisk Group’s expanding property development section – which he was to do for many years - that young John Sisk met an Enterprise Dinghy sailor from Limerick called Frank Larkin.
This was through the very active UCD Sailing Club, and we are indebted to Frank Larkin – who continues to sail offshore, and also races a Laser out of Killaloe SC on Lough Derg – for his personal recollections of a very special friendship which lasted for almost sixty years:
“I first met John in 1963 when I went to UCD and joined the UCD Sailing Club. Over the next three years, John and I represented UCD in University sailing events in Ireland and the UK. After graduation, I returned to Limerick but kept in touch with John and was invited to race on the Sisk family's new yacht Sarnia in 1967.
Through John, I met his brothers George and Hal, and I have been fortunate to sail and race with the Sisk brothers in their various yachts for over 50 years. It gave me the opportunity to compete at the highest level in offshore racing, in Irish Sea races, Round Ireland races, Fastnets and other RORC races, Clyde Weeks, Cork Weeks, and Middle Sea Races etc, in addition to cruises to the UK, Continental France and Spain, and the Mediterranean.
John also shared my enthusiasm for rugby – he played for Lansdowne - and we sat beside each other for Internationals and other major matches in Lansdowne Road for over 20 years.
I am very fortunate to have known John as a valued friend for nearly 60 years, and I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Anna Marie, and his children Maria Louisa and JP, his sister Hope, and his brothers George and Hal, and their families. May John Rest in Peace.”
The range of Sisk-owned boats over the years reflected the family’s wide-ranging interest in sailing development. While John Senr had built a Robert Clark-designed 13-tonner with the Dalkey Shipyard, and then a Knud Reimers-designed 8 Metre Cruiser-Racer in 1954, the move to Sarnia was truly pioneering. But even more advanced was the acquisition by the brothers of the Finot-designed Half Tonner Alouette de Mer in 1971.
All change….the brothers acquired the Finot-designed alloy-built Half Tonner Alouette de Mer “completely raw” from France in 1971, and raced her with great success in ISORA’s first season in 1972
After that, there was the Frans Maas-designed 40ft Standfast, then for a while the brothers joined the fascinating list of Imp owners, followed by Alliance and others. But inevitably, as the years passed their interests diverged, as Hal was well into the development of a lifelong widespread research and creation programme which in 2022 has seen him recognised as the International Classic Boater of the Year, while George – as Chairman of the company - has in recent years been noted for his campaigning of advanced offshore racers called WOW.
John meanwhile, was into International Dragon Racing in Dun Laoghaire, and it was with a group of mostly Dragon sailors that he was part of the syndicate that bought the 70ft 1926 Fife classic cutter Hallowe’en, the line honours winner in the second Fastnet Race in 1926, when the Fastnet was still an annual event.
But like all classics, Hallowe’en spends much of her time working through charter, and for his own Mediterranean offshore racing, John chose the First 45s5 Elusive, a 1990 Bruce Farr design, in which he featured in the Middle Sea Race. Elusive lives on in Middle Sea Race history, for after several successful years John sold her to the Podesta family of Malta, whose name is now synonymous with Middle Sea Race success - so much so that when Elusive was finally out-classed, they replaced her with a new race-winning First 40 which became Elusive II, twice winner of the Middle Sea.
(Left) The First 45f5 Elusive was a Bruce Farr design of 1990 and (right) John Sisk at the helm of Elusive in the Middle Sea Race Photo: Frank Larkin
John meanwhile indicated his move to cruising by acquiring the high-quality comfort-emphasising 47-footer Provident, and Croatia became the centre of much of his sailing. Despite being the youngest brother in a remarkable trio within an exceptional family, he was very much his own man, and a real contributor to the sailing scene. We join with Frank Larkin in our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
WMN
