Commodore’s Welcome
Welcome to the Royal St. George Yacht Club
The ‘George' was founded in 1838 by a small number of like minded individuals who liked to go rowing together. The Club gradually gathered pace and has become, with the passage of time and the unstinting efforts of previous Flag Officers, committees and members, a world-class yacht club.
Commodore Mr. Martin Byrne.
Contact Us
Main Contact Details
Royal St George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Telephone: +353 1 280 1811
Fax: +353 1 280 9359
MANAGER
Ann Gill
email: manager@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811
CATERING OFFICE
Adam Brien or Gareth O'Brien
email: cateringoffice@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 2)
SAILING OFFICE
Carol Healion
email: sailing@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 1)
SAILING MANAGER
Ronan Adams
email: sailingmanager@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 6)
ACCOUNTS
Celly O'Reilly
email: accounts@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 5)
MARKETING
Sonja Lee
email: members@rsgyc.ie
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 7)
BOATHOUSE
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 8)
BAR
telephone: 01 280 1811 (ext. 3)
Click here to view more information and to see photos of the Club Office Staff.
Our History
Established in 1838
The Kingstown Boat Club, from which the Royal St. George Yacht Club evolved, was founded in 1838 by a small group of boating enthusiasts who had decided that 'the (River) Liffey was every year becoming fouler and less agreeable for aquatic pursuits'.
They applied to the Commissioner for Public Works, and were granted a piece of ground near Dun Laoghaire Harbour on which to build a clubhouse - the first privately owned building to stand on publicly owned space. Initially, the members' main interest was in rowing, but membership grew rapidly, and amongst them were many well-known yachtsmen of the day.
One of these was the Marquis Conyngham, who used his influence with Queen Victoria to have the privileges of a Royal Yacht Club conferred in 1845. The Club flag was to be "the Red Ensign with a crown in the centre of the Jack" and the Burgee was red with a white cross with a crown at the centre. This, of course, is the St. George's Cross, and is quite possibly the reason why, in 1847, the Club became The Royal St. George's Yacht Club, although this has never been established. It subsequently became the Royal St George Yacht Club; it is referred to by all who know it, as simply ‘the George'.
The new clubhouse was the first custom-built clubhouse in the ancient seaport of Dun Laoghaire (or Kingstown, as it was known from 1821 to 1920).
The Clubhouse
The clubhouse was designed by Mulvany, a follower of Gandon, designer of the Custom House in Dublin, and he produced a beautiful miniature Palladian villa in the neo-classical style.
The builder was Masterson, who built many other beautiful houses in the neighbourhood, including Sorrento Terrace, Dalkey. Work was completed in 1843, but, incredibly, such was the growth in membership, that the clubhouse was already too small. Permission was granted by the Harbour Commissioners in 1845 for an extension of the original façade, which involved clever duplication of the existing Ionic portico with the erection of a linking colonnade between. The symmetry and classical grace of the clubhouse was thus preserved in the new building.
The George has a long tradition of racing and cruising, and members have, from the start, made their mark in home and international waters. In 1851, the Marquis Conyngham, Commodore, competed in his 218 ton yacht "Constance" in the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta. An American yacht called "America" won the race! In 1893 William Jameson, of the eponymous distilling family, was asked by Edward, Prince of Wales, to be sailing master on his new yacht "Britannia". He won 33 out of 43 starts in her first season.
In 1963 a major restoration project was undertaken to repair and update the Club's facilities, and this attracted a large number of new members who were ultimately to pave the way for the later developments, including a much-envied multi-purpose club room, a state-of-the-art forecourt extension for dinghies and keelboats, and a fully-equipped dock.
2008 saw the culmination of five years of planning and building when the new sailing wing was opened for use. Consisting of a new junior room, racing office, committee room and administration office this area is joined to the older builing with a lovely light-filled atrium. Stylish and functional changing facilities for the ladies and upgraded male changerooms have increased the club's capacity to accommodate larger numbers of sailors for world-class events. A refurbishment of the Clubroom further complimented this full-service sailing section and has elevated the Club's status resulting in it being chosen to host the 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships.
Welcome
For those visiting the RSGYC
The Royal St George Yacht Club is based in Dublin, Ireland and located within Dun Laoghaire Harbour, on the south side of Dublin Bay and some seven miles from Dublin City Centre.
Dun Laoghaire is home to many yacht clubs and club racing is organised on a combined basis with upwards of 300 boats competing regularly 3 times a week during the sailing season. Dun Laoghaire is mainly a leisure harbor, but enjoys a daily car ferry service with Holyhead, and is home to a 900 berth marina. For anyone going North or South on a cruise it is a natural and convenient stopping place as well as a destination in its own right.
Today, the George has a Membership of 1,900 and a full range of sailing, social and race activities. The Club House was conceived as a miniature classical Palladian Villa a feature which has been faithfully maintained despite all the extensions built since. The Club offers a full bar and catering service for Members, Visitors and Guests.
The George is first and foremost an active Yacht Club with a strong commitment to and involvement with all aspects of the sport of sailing, whether racing your one design on Dublin Bay, to offshore racing in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, to junior sailing, to cruising and all that can loosely be described as "messing about in boats".
The facilities of the George have that sailing focus strongly at the forefront. As well as a fully equipped Club House we have a substantial forecourt with space for 50+ boats dry sailing as well as our entire dinghy fleet. The Club also has a dry dock, 4 cranes (limit 12 tonnes) and a dedicated lift out facility enabling Members keep their boats in ready to race condition at all times. The George also has a floating dock for short stays and can supply fuel, power and water to visitors. These facilities are run by our professional boathouse staff.
Sail Training is a core part of what the George does, and training programmes start with the Sea Squirts aged 5 to 8, continues through our Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Youth Training Scheme for ages 8 to 18, with adult sail training a new feature in 2009. We run probably the largest and most comprehensive programme each summer with upwards of 500 children participating. All of the Clubs current Flag Officers came to sailing through their participation in the Club's junior programmes.
This junior focus continues at competitive level, with coaching programmes run for our aspiring young racers from Optimist through to Laser's, 420's and Skiff's. Thanks to our close association with the excellent RYA Schemes and coaches we aspire to learn the lessons of our very successful neighbours in Team GBR and bring an equivalent focus to bear on our aspiring athletes. The George, with our neighbouring Yacht Clubs in Dun Laoghaire, will host the ISAF World Youth Championships in 2012. This will take place immediately before the Summer Olympics in Weymouth in August 2012.
The George is delighted to welcome the many sailors who visit Dun Laoghaire each year.
Martin Byrne
Commodore
Reciprocal Clubs
The Royal St. George's Affiliated Clubs
The Royal St. George Yacht Club has reciprocal arrangements with many of the finest Yacht Clubs from around the world.
Should you wish to visit a Reciprocal Club, please contact Tara in Reception on 01 280 1811 or email reception@rsgyc.ie for further details and to organise your Letter of Introduction.
Royal Marine Hotel
Only two minutes walk from the Royal St. George Yacht Club.
Situated on 4 acres, overlooking Dublin Bay, with direct access to Dun Laoghaire Promenade and Pier and only two minutes walk from the Royal St. George Yacht Club, the Royal Marine Hotel & Spa is the ideal venue to meet with your accommodation requirements when visting the Royal St. George Yacht Club.
Royal St. George Rates
The Royal Marine Hotel offer the following rates to Members and Guests of the Royal St. George Yacht Club:
€110 Bed & Breakfast for single occupancy
€120 Bed & Breakfast for double occupancy
In order to avail of this offer, please mention 'Royal St. George' when booking and present your Membership Card or your Letter of Intoruduction to the Royal St. George at check-in.
Hotel Facilities
With 228 Bedrooms, 14 Dedicated Meeting Rooms and a Conference Centre as well as The Pier Health Club and Fáilte Ireland accredited ‘Dublin’s Only Comprehensive Spa’ called sansanaSPA; the Royal Marine Hotel has it all. The 228 bedrooms are fully air conditioned and furnished with crisp cotton linen duvets, LCD televisions, mini fridges, broadband, laptop sized safes, executive chair/desk, stand alone showers and baths.
All Hotel residents have Complimentary use of The Pier Health Club during their stay.
Membership
How to Join
We are delighted to welcome new members. The 'George' may look traditional - and we are proud of our heritage - but behind the facade it is lively and friendly. We may be steeped in history but not stuck in it. It is a strongly held belief here that New Members bring new ideas, new skills and new contacts on both the sailing and social sides. This Club is all about progress and improving on a successful past.
