The fifteenth rally was the biggest ever!
On September 5th more than 50 boats passed under the Eastlink bridge and paraded up the Liffey through the Samuel Beckett and Sean O’Casey bridges which had been opened to accommodate the parade.
This was the 15th time that the CAI organised the rally and the biggest ever turnout with boats from Carlingford Lough to Arklow and all points in between. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daryl Barron, attended the event and was hosted on board Ocean Blue by Frank Cassidy.
As forecast by weather guru John Leahy, the wind dropped and the sun shone. With boats dressed with bunting there was a carnival atmosphere, and it drew a large crowd along the banks of the Liffey to watch the spectacle.
After the parade most of the boats tied up at the pontoon in front of the 3 Arena, where they spent the night while attending the on shore dinner at the Clayton hotel.
Once tied up, the participants made their way to the Watersports centre beside the Jeannie Johnson for a reception with the Lord Mayor. Daryl Barron addressed the gathering and expressed his pride in the unique facility that Dublin city has, being able to mix social and sporting activities with its maritime tradition.
Most participants and all the observers are unaware of the preparation and coordination that goes into organizing the event. There are several consultations with Dublin Port Company, Dublin City Council, the Lord Mayor’s office, the Clayton Hotel, the East Link Bridge operators, the insurance company and many more.
CAI Commodore Mike Kelly and Vice Commodore John Murphy supported by the CAI Committee members had been working on this event since July. Their hard work was appreciated and celebrated at the evening dinner in the Clayton Hotel which was attended by 84 sailors. A raffle for prizes sponsored by Clayton Hotel and Marine Parts Direct raised more than €1250 for the RNLI.
On Sunday morning, in fresher conditions, the fleet passed through the East Link bridge and dispersed to their home ports with new friends and memories to sustain them through the off season.
