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Cormorants and shags: fish-eating sentinels!

by Bob Brown Bird Island, Strangford Lough. Seen close at hand, cormorants’ ‘scaly’ patterned plumage is quite attractive. We’ve all seen them: dark, brooding birds, perched on rocks, shipwrecks, harbour pilings, navigational beacons, and small islands. They are the archetypal residents of our coast, on exposed headlands, sheltered harbours, and Read more…

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Northern Walk, December 2023

by Meave Bell The wet and windy winter season has been punctuated with lunches and walks for the northern members. Their usual Christmas format of a members’ meeting followed by Christmas lunch in the ever-hospitable Royal Ulster Yacht Club (RUYC) in Bangor was greatly enjoyed by 80 members and their Read more…

Cormac McHenry

Cormac McHenry 1936-2023

by WM Nixon Cormac McHenry of Dun Laoghaire, who died on December 22nd at the age of 87, was a highly regarded sailing enthusiast with a particular interest in short-handed long-distance cruising, a quietly determined enthusiast who had many other interests including Leinster rugby, all of which he pursued with the Read more…

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Sailing to Antarctica

by Joe Phelan Following 40 years working in the Irish Health Service, Joe Phelan retired. With his family grown it was time for adventure. Colleagues and friends wished him well, enthusing about all the golf he would enjoy. Joe had a different plan, he was going to sail to Antarctica… Read more…