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Our program for our youngest sailors and sailors to be…. Fun on, in, and around the water, and the learning to sail follows.

Sea Squirts and Tigers and Lions are back! Immerse your children in our fun, friendly Sea Squirts, Tigers & Lions program with our Sunday sessions to give them a love of the sea and sailing, from an early stage.

Sundays commencing from April 19th 2026.

The Sunday Sessions will begin at 9.30am until 11.00am for Squirts, 11.30am until 1.00pm for Tigers 9.30 until 12.30 for Lions. RSGYC Members only.

(Please note Lions must have their own boat, or use of one. Club boats are available to rent).

Sailors must be fully dressed in appropriate and most importantly warm sailing clothing and ready to go afloat by 9.25am (Squirts and Lions) and 11.25am (Tigers).

Please note that places are limited, sailors should sign up ASAP to avoid disappointment.

For those who have sailed with us over the last few years, you know the drill – for those joining us this year, here is the score.

Ages (Squirts & Tigers) : 6 to 10 (no experience needed). Tigers, graduates of the Squirts or Tigers, and ready to make the move into sailing on their own in their boat. 

Lions – for those sailors graduating from Sea Tigers, with their own boat (or Club boat until they have their own), who are ready to take the next step in their sailing. The aim will be to learn the basics of sailing in the Optimist and prepare sailors to move up to the next Optimist training group. Lions will be able to move up when they can sail a triangle course safely, have demonstrated the confidence and ability to manage their boat in light to medium wind and wave conditions

Boats: we use a combination of Oppies, 1720’s, Stand Up Paddleboards, Ribs, and kayaks dependant on the conditions. 

Objective: a fun introduction to sailing, sea, and making friends at the Royal St George Y.C.

Required: wetsuit (full), life jacket, and suitable foot and headwear – a cag or waterproof coat too. If you need a wetsuit to get your sailor going, contact the Sailing Office and we will be able to rent a Club suit for May. 

Always on, even in bad weather, the programs will run – indoor and non-sailing activities such as kayaking and SUPing will happen in place of sailing.

Frequency: The key to learning sailing and water skills is the frequency, not the intensity of learning. This program does not substitute a Summer Sailing course but complements it perfectly by building confidence slowly and surely.

Our philosophy is all about giving your child a love of the sea and sailing while making friends in a fun environment. All the instructors are chosen because of their ability to connect with the kids and ensure learning in a fun /low-pressure environment.

WhatsApp

We know, not another WhatsApp Group! But to help us keep you up to date, please send your child’s name, your name, and your mobile number, and we will add you to the WhatsApp group for the Sea Squirts & Tigers to keep you up to date. 

Volunteers

Sea Squirts is run on 100% volunteer basis, and if you can support us, we would love your help. On our first Sunday morning, we can have a coffee and chat with the parents and share out the tasks.

Booking

Each month, you will get a booking link for the forthcoming 4/5 Sundays of the month. You can book as many or as few Sundays as you like. IF YOU HAVEN’T BOOKED, we will not be able to take your child sailing as we will have no waiver or proper contact details.

Sea Squirts & Tigers  – €20 Per Sailor p/ session
Sea Lions – €35 Per Sailor p/session

We look forward to meeting you again this year and to our Sea Squirts and Tigers having a brilliant season of fun, friendship, and sailing.

Please be advised: There will be no refund/s issued for missed sessions. Payments are non-refundable after one month of registration date due to the cancellation of courses in the event of bad weather.

Inquiries to: sailing@rsgyc.ie

Looking forward to seeing you on Sundays!

Please Book in advance.

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Royal St George Yacht Club sailors delivered an outstanding performance at the Irish Sailing Youth National Championships, held last weekend in Ballyholme, with strong results across multiple classes in what proved to be a challenging and demanding regatta.

Competitors faced a testing mix of fluky breezes, very gusty and at times near‑gale conditions, combined with an unexpectedly sharp wind chill for the time of year. Nevertheless, the commitment, resilience, and benefits of a full winter training programme were evident throughout the event, as RSGYC sailors represented their club with pride, determination, and excellent spirit.

ILCA 6

RSGYC enjoyed a superb showing in the highly competitive ILCA 6 fleet, with club sailors claiming the top two podium positions.

• Conor Cronin sailed a consistent regatta to secure 1st place,
• followed closely by Marcus Shelly in 2nd place.

They were pushed hard throughout the series by fellow RSGYC sailors Max O’Hare, Rory Brennan‑Hobbs, and Jack Ives, all of whom delivered impressive performances in extremely testing conditions. Zita Tempany was the first RSGYC girl in the fleet, rounding out a particularly strong club presence. With challenging squalls and a deep, competitive fleet, the class provided tough days of racing — well done to all involved.

ILCA 4

In the ILCA 4 fleet, RSGYC once again featured prominently on the podium.

• Kate Spain produced a near‑faultless regatta to claim 1st place overall,
• while Tom Darcy finished an excellent 5th in a hotly contested fleet.

With four of the five races completed in a single demanding day, it was an exhausting but rewarding championship for the sailors, who certainly earned their rest afterwards.

29er

Under the guidance of coach Ellie Cunnane, the RSGYC 29er squad also enjoyed a very successful championship.

• Juliet Ryan and Ella Rock delivered a standout performance, finishing 1st all‑girls crew and 3rd overall in the fleet.

The club was further represented by Dan Moran and Cian O’Flannagain, who competed confidently at their first away event in the class, gaining valuable experience in challenging conditions.

RSGYC members also featured prominently on the overall podium, with

• Caolinn Gearty McDonnell and Eoin Byrne (NYC) finishing 1st, and
• Louise Hanley and Sebastian Wright (NYC) taking 2nd place in a very competitive fleet.

Topper 5.3

In the Topper 5.3 class, Cian Farrell was the sole RSGYC representative in one of the largest fleets at the championships. Against stiff competition, Cian sailed exceptionally well to finish a brilliant 5th place, only a handful of points from the leaders — an impressive result in a demanding fleet.

Optimist

RSGYC had a particularly strong presence in the Optimist class, with 20 sailors making up nearly half of the 44‑boat fleet. The club dominated the podium, achieving a clean sweep:

Congratulations to Emily Donagh, who was crowned 2026 Irish Sailing Youth National Champion (Optimist) at the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals, her twin sister Maeve finished 2nd overall, having won the same title in 2025. Following the event, Emily and Maeve have both secured places on the Irish Worlds Team and will represent Ireland at the 2026 Optimist World Championship in Tangier, Morocco (18th–28th June).

• Gold: Emily Donagh
• Silver: Maeve Donagh
• Bronze: Philippa Arthurs

Further excellent results followed, with Holly Cantwell, Ruairí Slattery, Felix Crinion, and Arthur Fegan finishing 5th, 6th, 8th, and 10th respectively.

Congratulations also go to all RSGYC Optimist sailors who represented Team George with distinction: Jess Walsh, Ollie Ryan, Ava Molloy, Louis Trickett, Kai Lawton, Kate Kovtun, Éabha Brennan‑Hobbs, Andrew Arthurs, Leo Smyth, Ben Smyth, Zoe O’Hare, Rian Foy Joyce, and Lucille Mullett.

In total, RSGYC sailors made up 45% of the Optimist fleet yet secured an impressive 58% of the available Irish team selection places, highlighting the depth, quality, and strength of the club’s youth programme.

Congratulations to all sailors, coaches, and supporters on a tremendous weekend of racing.
Royal St George Yacht Club can be immensely proud of this outstanding team performance at national level.

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Darkness Into Light

The RSGYC is delighted to be participating in our fifth annual

Darkness Into Light Sail on Saturday 9th May!

If you would like to be involved please contact us by emailing here and we
can send you a link to the Google Sheets file that is forming the plan for the sail, adding helps us

plan.

Everyone is welcome – dinghy or keelboat sailor, rib driver, or a passenger on RIB or keelboat.

Sign up!
Volunteer!
Donate!
Pick a lighting scheme!
Welcome to RSGYC DIL2026 Team
Thanks to all the sailors, safety team, and donors!!

Click Here For Fundraising Link

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Join us in the club at 7 pm on the 16th of April 2026

Discussion will include Irish Sailing levels, Adventure Courses, Racing Clinics, Waterfront Regattas, and much more. Meet our Senior Instructor and some of our super Instructors and learn about Checkclick and how it works. There will be something for everyone, from our first-time junior section sailors to the most experienced. Everybody welcome – sailors and parents!

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There will be an information evening in the club on April 16th to answer any questions parents may have prior to booking. Please take a moment to review the information below and read our FAQs before booking. 

Please also ensure you have read the club’s refund policy before booking any course.

June, July & August 2026 Junior Course Offerings 

The RSGYC will once again be offering Irish Sailing approved courses to junior sailors this summer, building on years of experience of fun, safety, and learning on the water. This year, courses are divided by week, offering maximum flexibility for parents, allowing sailors to come for any week that suits their schedule and work with their instructor to tick off their certificate requirements as they go. e.g., you could get half of your Basic Skills certificate in June and come back to finish it off in July! 

SUMMER COURSES BOOKING LINK

Dates of 2025 Courses:

* Four day week due to Bank Holiday 

Course Types

For each of the weeks listed above, the following classes will be available to book into: 

• Start Sailing. 09.30 – 16.30

This will be a sailors first formal sailing course. Sailors should have completed Sea Squirts and Sea Tigers Courses. Sailors will now start sailing their own boats and learning the ropes. They will learn how to be safe on and off the water, develop their water confidence, and learn to sail a simple course all with assistance from the instructor.  

• Basic Skills. 09.30 – 16.30

This course will progress from start sailing. Now that they can sail a basic courses, they will start to learn some Basic Skills. They will practice these maneuvers and skills to further their confidence and develop their boat handling and wind awareness. They will further their abilities and learn to sail a windward/leeward with minimal assistance.

• Improving Skills. 09.30 – 16.30

This course will progress from basic skills. Now that they have learned their basic skills, they can now start to improve these skills. Not only do they improve these skills, but they will develop new boat handling abilities. The main objective of this course is to become a fully independent sailor capable of sailing in a Force 4.  

• Advanced Boat Handling. 09.30 – 16.30

After sailors have proved their independence with winter/ evening training they can move on to Advanced Boat Handling. This course is not for the summer sailor as the boat handling and maneuvers require a high level of skill and regular practice. By the end of this course, sailors will be fully capable of sailing flat out in a Force 5 and deal with incidents that arise. 

• Start Racing. 09.30 – 16.30

This course is an introduction to racing skills! Here sailors will learn all the basic information and boat handling abilities they need to compete in races at club and inter-club level. Start sequences, different classes, racing courses, strategies, and tactics will all be covered.

Click here for full details from Irish Sailing on all of the above courses.

Boat Rental 

No boat? No problem! The Royal St George has a fleet of high quality rental boats (Rs Fevas, Optimists and ILCAs) that are available to rent through the summer course booking link. You will be asked if you would like to add this option onto your booking once you select which dates you are going to attend. Prices vary between boat and are listed. 

Other Course Information: 

Food and water

• Every sailor must bring their own water bottles filled and carry their own water bottles at all times both on and off the water. There is a water station at the Club as required.
• The Boardwalk Cafe is open every day with soup, sandwiches, drinks, and snacks available to purchase. Otherwise, sailors can bring their own lunch to camp. 

Communication with Parents

• Communication will be maintained with Parents via Email/WhatsApp Groups. There is a link to join a whatsapp group upon booking.
• If parents have any questions for instructors about their sailor’s progress or have any concerns this should be coordinated through our senior instructor (SI) by email (juniorsailing@rsgyc.ie)

Use of Club Facilities

• Toilets and changing rooms are available.
• The instructor’s office will be for the sole use of the SI’s only.
• No equipment is to be shared between sailors.
• It is the responsibility of each sailor to ensure their equipment is in working order.
• Anyone hiring a club boat will retain that boat for the duration of the course and collect/ check out the boat prior to Day 1.

Hygiene

Everyone must hand sanitize regularly and particularly in the following circumstances:

• When you arrive at the club
• After coughing or sneezing
• Before and after eating
• Before and after being on public transport.
• If your hands are dirty
• After toilet use.

On water safety

• We pride ourselves in excellent safety standards in the RSGYC. Each instructor will communicate safety protocols to sailors as needed and decide, with the input of the SI and sailing manager, whether to go afloat in light of current weather conditions. 

Additional Files

• RSGYC Code for Young People – Sport Ireland 2023 (agreement required when registering for a course)
• RSGYC Junior Summer Course Terms & Conditions 

FAQ’s

BOOKING LINK  

If you have any questions please email sailing@rsgyc.ie

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The Leinster Schools Team Racing Championships delivered a thrilling day on the water, with a record 19 teams competing in one of the most exciting editions yet.

After more than 70 high‑intensity races, St Andrews College claimed Gold in a dramatic sudden‑death finale against The Institute, with Gonzaga securing Bronze. From standout performances to fantastic volunteer support, it was a superb showcase of school’s team racing at its best.

Click here for a full report via Afloat.ie 

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The RSGYC welcomes back the top sailing schools from Leinster who will battle it out for a day of close racing, competition and fun to determine which school will be crowned the Irish Schools Team Racing Leinster Champions 2026. 

Event Report – Click here:

Notice of Race- Click here:

Sailing Instructions:  Click here: 

Online Entry Form – Click here:

Parental Consent Form (Complete online) – Click here:  

Declaration Form to be Signed by School Principals – Click here:

Event WhatsApp Notice Board Invite will be sent to all School Representatives and Captains after entry.

Questions? Please contact Karin Ryan, RSGYC Sailing Administrator by email.

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