140 guests from across the United Kingdom gathered at The Harbour Commissioner’s Office in Belfast as The Royal Yachting Association of Northern Ireland celebrated its 50th Anniversary at a commemorative dinner.
The evening celebrated all aspects of sailing in Northern Ireland and welcomed sailors from clubs across the country, involved in all aspects of the sport.
Since RYA Northern Ireland become the National Governing Body of sailing and boating in Northern Ireland in 1973, the sport has evolved massively. RYANI CEO Greg Yarnall commented, “It was a really great evening and fantastic to see so many amazing people that are involved in sailing in Northern Ireland. It just reminds you of how great the community is.
“It also reminds you how many people are so instrumental in making the sport happen- the volunteers, the clubs and the sailors giving their time to reach those high levels.”
On top of the dinner itself, the evening featured guest panellists which helped to reflect different aspects of the sport. These panellists included;
- RYA Northern Ireland Chair, Susan Mcknight and Maeve Bell OBE, reflecting on the past 50 years and the birth of RYANI.
- Bill O’Hara OBE, Chris Lindsay, Micky Beckett and Erin McIlwaine discussing Olympic sailing
- RYANI CEO, Greg Yarnall, RYANI Vice-Chair, Gavin Watson, Garry Crothers and Rachel Nixon, looking to the future of sailing in Northern Ireland and the impact of RYA Northern Ireland programmes such as Sailability and Women On Water.
Paris 2024 Olympian Micky Beckett commented: “I’ve met lots of lovely people – volunteers from a range of types of club sailing, Sailability and people that were involved with the RYA at its inception 50 years ago.
“I’ve always believed that sailing is a very ‘broad church’. It’s fantastic what it can offer because it’s not a sport which requires you to be a certain height or a certain shape or a certain disposition in the way that other sports do. It has a home for anyone and I think that’s a message we need to push forward.”
A raffle on the night offered the chance to win some incredible prizes and all proceeds raised went towards funding RYA Northern Ireland’s recently launched ‘Individual Grant Scheme.’ This scheme allows those limited by financial barriers who wish to get involved with sailing or continue sailing at a higher level to do so. £1,780 was raised, which will make a huge impact within the Northern Irish sailing community.
(From left) panellists Chris Lindsay, Micky Beckett and Erin McIlwaine
Dinner guests, Richard Robinson (above) and below
RYANI Hall of Fame inductee Peter Kennedy (right) with RYA chair Sir Michael Arthur (centre) and RYANI chair Susan McKnight
