About Us
Club History
Founded to further the interests of yachting in and around Foynes and on the Shannon Estuary.
“On the 30th of July, 1962 seven boat-owners… got together in a public house in the village and without much fanfare Foynes Yacht Club was founded.”
1962
Foundation
On the 30th of July, 1962, seven boat-owners — five from Limerick, one from Foynes, and one from Newcastle West — got together in a public house in the village and without much fanfare, Foynes Yacht Club was founded. The founding members were Dan O'Sullivan (Commodore), Dick Nash (Secretary), Peter Lawless (Treasurer), Peter McKenna, Pat Dinneen, Joe Bottcher, and Roger Bourke. An inscription on the Founder Members Trophy, raced for every Commodore's Day, captures the original ambition: "Founded to further the interests of yachting in and around Foynes and on the Shannon Estuary."
Laura leads the fleet in an early club race on the estuary.
Early years
Getting afloat
In the early years, the town slipway and a small pontoon off the east end of the pier were the only ways to launch a dinghy to access boats on the moorings off Barneen Point. Nonetheless, regular racing was a feature — with the highlight of the year being the Foynes Regatta in September. From small beginnings, big ambitions were to grow.
1971
Cooleen Point
In the early 1970s the site on Cooleen Point was purchased from the Harbour Company. In 1971, a 250-foot slipway was built over a long weekend — the first club self-help project, setting in place an ethos of volunteerism that has been the hallmark of the club ever since.
Laura on the Shannon Estuary.
1973
Clubhouse opens
By 1973, Foynes Yacht Club had grown to a membership of 180. That year marked a long-sought milestone — the opening of the new clubhouse at Cooleen Point. Four decades later, its functional and pleasing design continues to be at the heart of all club activity. Along with the boat slip, it gave Foynes and the lower Shannon Region its first major water-based leisure facility.
1983
Marina
Further improvements followed with mudflats reclaimed for yard space and a rock-armoured embankment constructed. 1983 saw the construction of the marina facility. These pontoons served the club well for many years until 2017–18 when a huge volunteer effort saw them fully replaced with galvanised frames and maintenance-free composite boarding.
1989
A landmark season
Perhaps the busiest year for the club — Foynes hosted the GP 14 Championship in May, the West of Ireland Offshore Championship in July, a Mermaid Nationals in August, and revived the town Regatta in September. FYC's reputation for capably organising a well-run championship, matched with a lively entertainment programme, is well recognised across the country's sailing community.
Olette — a mainstay of club racing through the years.
2004–2008
Infrastructure growth
The new century brought a share of development projects. In 2004 the boat storage compound was built, followed by the boat shed in 2008. In 2015, the club was granted stewardship of the old swimming pool area, which was incorporated into the existing yard.
Launch day at Foynes — the club's Cooleen Point facilities in action.
2006
Sailing Academy
An important chapter in the club's history was the establishment of the FYC Sailing Academy and its accreditation in 2006 to the national body, Irish Sailing. The Academy continues to make sailing accessible to local youth, and in 2016 the club was proud to receive the ISA Sailing School of the Year award. Adult training is also central — in recent years a fleet of four Omega dinghies was purchased to help new members learn effectively.
Olette in Foynes harbour.
Tradition
Dublin Bay Mermaids
Dublin Bay Mermaids have been at the heart of the club's sailing activity since its earliest years. Popular in the early seventies, they declined almost to extinction in the eighties but returned more popular than ever in the nineties and onwards. Today the tradition of sailing these beautiful boats is alive and well, with a new generation of younger skippers and crew becoming engaged.
An early cruise to Cappa pier — founders Peter Lawless & Dick Nash.