News

What a beautiful day on the water yesterday with the finalists of Shannon Foynes Port Company's COMPASS TY Schools Competition.  A lovely group of young students and their Teachers from Colaiste Mhuire - Askeaton, Salesian College - Pallaskenry, St John the Baptist - Hospital, and Causeway Comprehensive - Kerry.  Even the dolphins made an appearance.  Massive thanks to our Skippers and Crew who always make themselves available.  Congratulations and well done to SFPC for organising such a brilliant competition.  This competition was established to raise awareness of the potential of the Shannon Estuary and SFPC as an economic driver of national importance.

Congratulations to Pat Keating and Crew on Excalibur, winners of the Estuary Bell in IRC and to Patrick Finucane and Crew on Marengo, winners in White Sails.

Our Adult Sail Training got off to a great start.  Its lovely to see our Topper Omegas being put to good use.   What a great programme and what a lovely bunch of people taking part.   Everybody out in the fresh air, on the water, gaining knowledge and enjoying themselves all at the same time. What more can you as for!

We couldn't have asked for a better day to welcome our new Commodore Donal McCormack.  Sunshine and plenty of wind made for a great race around Foynes Island.  Congratulations to our winners: IRC - Stouche and White Sails - Kerry Dream.  Thanks to Canon O'Keeffe for blessing the boats. Of course to everyone who attended, thank you for coming and showing your support for our new Commodore! It was a fantastic day as always.

Congratulations to Oisin Finucane on qualifying as a Sailing Instructor recently in Clifton Sailing School.  Oisin started out in our Sailing Academy at a young age and progressed through the system.  We wish Oisin well as he joins our other Sailing Instructors - all who started out in our Sailing Academy!

After four days at the Oppie Irish Trials in Crosshaven, Co Cork, in all kinds of weather, Killian Reidy has qualified a part of the International Development Team to represent Ireland at the Belgium Nationals at the end of June.  We are delighted for Killian and all his family and so proud to have him represent Foynes yacht Club as part of Team Ireland!

It was fantastic to have Mary Kennedy and her crew from RTE Nationwide filming at the club recently.  It's safe to say she learnt a thing or two from her session on "Jasper" with our U/25 J24 team, she couldn't have wished for a better day for a sail with sunshine and wind.  She was very impressed with the club and especially with the skills of our young sailors!  The programme was televised in April, it was featured on the Shannon Estuary and gave a summary of all activities on the estuary.

Well done to Stouche, Gala Racing and our U25 J24 Team Jasper who headed to the J24 Western Championships in Lough Ree recently.  Race 1 started but was abandoned as boats headed on the first downwind leg.  Those brave enough to put up kites struggled to hold them.  Wind in the 20s gusting in the 30s kts.  Stouche drew a lot of attention with their capsize and have to be praised for their very impressive recovery.  Our U25s (aged between 17 years and 21 years) have to be congratulated for their perserverance in such bad weather conditions, some boats turned back but they continued to race mid-fleet until the race was abandoned.  Well done!  Gala Racing also doing very well, they continued to race until the race was abandoned.  Well done to…

Congratulations to Killian Reidy who came 21st overall out of 180 sailors at the Optimist UK Spring Championships recently.

We are delighted to have added four new Topper Omegas and one Whaley to our fleet.  They will be used in our  "Adult Sail Training Programme" launched this month.