West Cork Sailing & Boating News

Tops of the town from Schull. The Lady Min team in the Royal Thames YC in London on Tuesday night to receive the International Classic Boat Award 2023 for Under 40ft are (left to right) Jim O’Keeffe (grandson of original builder Maurice O’Keeffe), his son Simon O’Keeffe the Project Commissioner, classic boat-builder Tiernan Roe of Roe Boats of Ballydehob, and Simon’s son Liam. With sponsors of the calibre of Gstaad Yacht Club, the awards have become decidedly high-powered, and Lady Min’s success was additionally celebrated as a moveable feast at the Irish Embassy and in the Royal Ocean Racing Club

All-Ireland Dimension To West Cork’s International Success With Lady Min Boat Restoration

6th April 2023 Historic Boats

There’ll be celebrating in West Cork this Easter, and rightly so, as the 1902-vintage cutter Lady Min – designed, built and sailed in Schull by the O’Keeffe family during 120 years – has been garlanded with honours at this week’s…

The 1902-built Lady Min slipping effortlessly along in the waters of West Cork, which she has sailed for 120 years with many racing successes

West Cork Wins For Ireland With Lady Min Taking Title

5th April 2023 Historic Boats

Yet again, Ireland's classic boat restorers have found themselves on the peak of the podium, this time at last night's International Classic Boat Awards 2023 in London. The O'Keeffe family's gaff cutter Lady Min, designed and built in Schull by…

Trawlers in Castletownbere, County Cork. According to an SFPA report, the vast majority (93.4%) of seafood exported consisted of pelagic species, including Blue Whiting, Mackerel and Horse Mackerel

'Challenging Year' for Seafood Exports - SFPA Report

5th April 2023 SFPA

The first annual Seafood Trade Report of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has a few interesting statistics about how Ireland’s fishing industry is doing outside of the European Union. Three countries account for 63% of Irish seafood exported to…

Pictured in Union Hall, Cork, on April 4th, launching the SFPA’s report on Protecting Seafood Trade 2022, from left to right: Paschal Hayes, Executive Chairperson, SFPA; Bernard O’Donovan, National Director Trade Compliance, SFPA, and Diarmuid O’Donovan, CEO, Glenmar Shellfish

Irish Seafood Exports Valued at 530 million Euro in 2022

5th April 2023 SFPA

Nigeria, Egypt and China are the leading export markets for Irish seafood outside of the EU. A report by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) states that 93.4 per cent of seafood exported last year comprised pelagic species, including blue…

Billy Kelleher, accompanied by Deputy Christopher O’Sullivan and Fianna Fáil area representative Danny Crowley, meeting representatives from the fishing sector in Castletownbere (from left to right) Danny Crowley, FF Area Rep; Carol Harrington, CEO Shellfish Del La Mer; Donal Harrington, harbour engineering; Billy Kelleher MEP, Deputy Christopher O’Sullivan and Richard Murphy, Shellfish Del La Mer

Fishing Sector Discussions Held in West Cork as Christopher O'Sullivan TD Hosts MEP Billy Kelleher

5th April 2023 Fishing

Cork South West Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan recently hosted Billy Kelleher MEP for a series of meetings with key fishing sector representatives in West Cork. The discussions, which took place in Castletownbere, Baltimore and Union Hall, focused on a range of…

Be in prime position to photograph boats rounding the rock in the 50th Fastnet Race this summer with Rick Tomlinson

Rick Tomlinson Hosting Fastnet Rock Photography Workshop

5th April 2023 Marine Photo

Here’s a rare opportunity to join renowned marine photographer Rick Tomlinson in the field for a special workshop at Fastnet Rock during this summer’s Rolex Fastnet Race. From 23-27 July, four lucky marine photography enthusiasts will join Rick on a…

Inland Fisheries Ireland opened the new accessible angling facility at Shepperton Lake with members of the Irish Wheelchair Association in Clonakilty on Friday 31 March

New €106K Accessible Fishing Facility for Wheelchair Users Opens in in West Cork

4th April 2023 Angling

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has launched an ‘all abilities’ accessible angling facility in West Cork to enable wheelchair users to fish safely and conveniently. The bespoke €106,000 fishing platform at Shepperton Lake, 3km from Skibbereen, provides access to wheelchair users…

Paula Marten’s evocative painting of the early stages of the new Saoirse under construction in the Top Shed at Liam Hegarty’s Boatyard in Oldcourt . It will feature in her exhibition in Bushe’s Bar at the Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival from May 26th to 28th 2023

Ireland’s Conor O’Brien Circumnavigation Centenary Celebrations Feel Like Fantasy Fulfilled

1st April 2023 W M Nixon

Let us imagine that you are both an enthusiast for Conor O’Brien (1880-1952), the Shannon Estuary’s great pioneering voyager, and that you are also one of those number-crunchers who enjoy calculating on what particular day significant anniversaries will fall in…

Brian Fitzgerald of Simply Blue Group (left) and Kinsale Yacht Club's Anthony Scannell with some of the prizes on offer at June's Sovereign’s Cup that was launched on Friday at the West Cork club

Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup Launched at Kinsale Yacht Club with 60% of Entries Already Received for June Regatta

24th March 2023 Sovereign's Cup

Sixty per cent of the entries have already been received for June's Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club on the south coast of Ireland. The 15th edition of the biennial regatta will run from 21st to 24th June…

Schull Community College Team 1 captained by Rory Harrap, with Lille Kingston, Daniel Copithorne, Fionn Keogh, Rocio Garcia Coello and Lara Goerner were Munster Schools Team Racing Championships winners

Schull Team 1 Win Record Breaking Munster Schools Team Racing Championships

24th March 2023 Team Racing

Schull Community College Team 1 were the victor at the Munster Schools Team Racing event hosted by the Fastnet Marina Outdoor Education Centre (FMOEC) at Schull in West Cork on Saturday, the 18th of March. The team Captain was Rory…

The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat crew returning from the callout at the Courtmacsherry pontoon in West Cork. Crew includes Coxswain Mark Gannon, Mechanic Stuart Russell and crewmembers Ken Cashman, Kevin Young, Dean Hennessy and Austin McKenna

Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat Aids 70ft Trawler off Old Head of Kinsale, West Cork

17th March 2023 RNLI Lifeboats

The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat “Frederick Storey Cockburn” was called out at 1.30 pm on Friday “St Patricks Day”, to aid a large 70 ft fishing vessel that sought assistance 50 miles off the Old Head of Kinsale in…

The yacht Swift was part of a flotilla of Kinsale Yacht Club yachts, local boats and fishing trawlers dressed with fairy lights that paraded from Charles Fort to the Pier for the start of the 2023 St. Patricks Day festivities. See the photo gallery below

St Patrick’s Day Kinsale Maritime Parade and Fireworks Display Give Spectacular Start to West Cork Festivities

17th March 2023 Kinsale

A daring on-the-water display from Zap Cat speedboats began St. Patrick's Day eve proceedings in Kinsale Harbour on Thursday night. A flotilla of 14 Kinsale Yacht Club yachts, local boats and fishing trawlers dressed with fairy lights paraded from Charles…

Following a Leinster championship that attracted a record entry at Dun Laoghaire (above), the Munster schools team racing championships take place on Saturday in Schull, West Cork

Munster Schools Team Racing Championships to be Held this Weekend in Schull

16th March 2023 Team Racing

18 teams compete this weekend at the Munster Schools Team Racing Championships in Schull Harbour in West Cork. Racing from the Fastnet Marina Outdoor Education Centre the top six teams will qualify for the National Championships. The event follows on…