Website © Peter Scallan 2011.  Photographs, Newsletter and Racing Results © Mermaid Sailing Association 2011 unless otherwise stated.   No responsibility taken for external links.

A great reference is Paul Smyth’s The Dublin Bay Mermaid—A History 1932—2000.  For Sale

Ivan Ward, has given a loan of his father Dick Ward’s Mermaid archive.  Dick was a multiple championship winner in the 1970’s with No. 76 Helen.  The archive material will be posted on this site over the next few weeks.  In the meantime here’s a taster, from Mermaid Week 1972.  Dick is on the helm with Mick Roche in the middle and Declan Scallan forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mermaid History

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foynes Yacht Club will host Mermaid Week 2010 on the Lower Shannon in early August.  Back in 1977, a fleet of 26 Mermaids competed on the same waters for the National Championship.

Dick Ward, with crew Declan Scallan and Jack Higginbotham sailing No. 76 Helen retained the title, the fourth of his career.

This photo and accompanying article come from the November 1997 edition of Irish Boats and Yachting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some photos from Wexford in the mid 1960’s.  Note the prominently painted groove in the top plank in the photo on the right.  The late and much lamented Peter Dunne of Rush would have been very pleased!

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Slaney, in front of Wexford Harbour Boat Club, late 1960’s or early 1970’s.  This photo was taken in the spring/early summer or the autumn when the boats were based upriver.  They were generally based below the bridge from June to August. In the foreground is Claudia, then jointly owned by the late Murth Joyce and the late Sean Scallan.  This boat is infamous for her role as committee boat during the 2nd Mermaid Week at Wexford in 1971, during which she caught fire.  The boat had a large petrol powered inboard/outdrive Volvo Penta and therefore any fire was very serious.  The crew of the committee boat had to be rescued by the Brendan Smyth and the crew of Mermaid No. 96 Sybil.  (… and yes, there is a connection to the current owners of No. 187 Zuleika and No. 141 Alanna!).  See page 192 of Paul Smyth’s book (see above) for more details.

Mermaid sailors, packed into the WHBC club ‘workboat’ doing ferry duty from the Mermaids, usually moored below the bridge, about 3/4 nautical mile from the club.  At the end of an evening’s racing, the ferry often did deliveries directly to one of the many hostelries on the quay before making its way back up to the club.  The boat is actually a retired ship’s lifeboat.  Do you recognise anybody on board? If so, please email web@dublinbaymermaid.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Occasionally Mermaids made the front page!.  This is from the Wexford People in August 1970.  Larry Duggan proudly sails his newly built Sea Wytch.  Tom Doyle now owns the Wytch and is currently renovating her. 

Mermaids would make the front pages again that month, this time in tragic circumstances on 15th August 1970.  More details to follow on this website in early June.

The winning boat at the 2nd Mermaid Week in August 1971 was No. 131 Paula sailed by Leslie Downes, retaining the trophy from the first Mermaid Week 1970.  Leslie also won in 1968 (regattas, before the days of Mermaid Week). 

No. 131 won the Championship for the fourth time under a new name, Wild Wind and sailed by Paddy Dillon of Rush at the 40th Mermaid Week in Sligo, August 2009.

 

Paper never refuses ink!  Perhaps it was an optimistic PR person at Wexford Harbour Boat Club that was the source of this headline in the Wexford People on Friday 30th July 1971.  Actually only forty four boats competed. 

See The Irish Times archive site for results and Paul Smyth’s book (see the For Sale page) pages 192, 193 and 266 for more information.

 

 

 

Dublin Bay Mermaid