David Beattie enthusiastically follows many maritime interests. But it was a special blessing for the Irish Cruising Club, that he should become their Commodore as the Pandemic began to tighten its grip, for he has been willing to serve as Commodore for four years instead of the usual already demanding two years in the top role. Very ably supported by his wife Aoife, despite much of her time being taken up as a front-line health service specialist fighter of the scourge, this extension of a role which is extremely challenging at the best of times provided continuity and a lead in going cruising whenever localised regulation relaxation permitted it.
Their diligence in representing Irish cruising in events near and far was much appreciated by the world cruising community, and this was well demonstrated last weekend in Sligo when the ICC’s first truly post-pandemic Annual Dinner was attended by 230 seafarers, including the Commodores of all the leading international clubs.
One of them, Chris Otorowski of the Cruising Club of America, which celebrated its Centenary in 2022 with David and Aoife Beattie in attendance, has already spoken for all in his April 2023 newsletter to his many members, which reports on Sligo: “These Irish are a great bunch, and they value the CCA, as we value them”.
