Lough Erne Yacht Club

News > LEYC in the NOUGHTIES

Created: 1/21/2010 11:21:11 AM, Updated: 1/23/2010 7:13:05 AM

As the new millennium and decade opened, third Lady Commodore, Trudy Mannion presided at the January 2000 AGM. Likewise will fourth Lady Commodore, Mary Anne Sutton, ten years later. Much happened at LEYC in the Noughties between.


AGMs 2000 and 2010
The 2000 AGM began with a silence for the late Horace Fleming, who had been the Club’s first commoner Commodore and later Admiral. He was of great service to youth sailing and raced a Fairy that he re-named Maeve when he came to Fermanagh from Cork in the late 1930s, one man one boat, for a record 52 years.

The decade’s two Admirals were Gerry Dickey and John Phillips. Both represented LEYC well. Gerry’s service including visits to other Clubs and John’s speaking at the decade’s most important event by far, the Fairy Centenary. This post was left empty in 2009.

In her AGM report, Trudy Mannion congratulated Mickey McCaldin for his New Year’s Honours MBE awarded for services to Lough Erne. Later in 2000 he won the Irish J/24 National Championship and in 2010, Mary Anne Sutton is likely to repeat congratulations at the AGM to Mickey’s Murder Picture crew who won this major Irish Championship a second time in 2009. In fact this trophy came to LEYC three times in the decade, the third being the 2003 triumph of Diarmuid O’Donovan’s Virjin crew. Accolades included that year’s Fermanagh Senior Sports Team Award.

Fairy 100th
However the decade’s greatest event by far was our Fairy Fleet’s celebration of its 100 years racing on Lough Erne, the large part of it in the care of Lough Erne YC. I enjoyed making a year-long feast of historic publicity for LEYC and out Fairy fleet on TV, in the general press, AFLOAT magazine and an event brochure, telling a 100 year old story that made us all at LEYC proud.

Exactly 100 years to the day after their first race together LEYC’s Fairy fleet and others raced again on 6 June 2006, with a BBC satellite TV link reporting live to the evening news. Likewise September’s big regatta, with other historic fleets coming to party afloat with the LEYC Fairy fleet, was reported on BBC news, Doreen rail down thrusting to windward, and in a big spread in AFLOAT. This event saw the largest ever fleet at LEYC with the biggest sponsorship ever - from Waterways Ireland.

Constructive Constitution Changes
Early in the decade, a well attended and far-sighted AGM unanimously added two requirements to the Club’s Objectives in its Constitution. Re-numbered in the 2008 revision 3(h) and 3(i) both have proven worthwhile, one facilitating the club’s future, the other protecting its heritage. One gave a firm base for strong development in youth sailing; the other may yet be needed as a bastion against the loss of the Club’s heritage in its uniquely historic Fairy fleet.

Go to Downloads in the home page left side menu for a full copy of the LEYC Constitution, 2008 revision. The references here are on the front, first page.

The first said simply – the Club shall ensure that it meets all the requirements of a Champion Club. With great effect on through the decade LEYC youth sailing has developed and prospered. We have many junior and young sailors in Toppers and Lasers, involved in all levels of competition and on RYA training squads.

Thinking and talking at that AGM, members were also looking ahead to the 2006 Fairy Centenary, and worried that our Fairy fleet might suffer the fate of many of its past contemporaries – fleets that faded away, boats sold away or taken away by non-member owners, or by groups seeking a valuable heritage acquisition to exploit.

The second addition was also simple, each word with potent meaning so it could hopefully be equally effective – the Club shall seek to ensure that the Fairy fleet is preserved as a viable racing fleet at Lough Erne Yacht Club. Objective 3 (e) states that the Club shall recognise and promote specific classes, including the Fairy fleet. (Yeoman fleet added in 2008 revision)

So the Fairy fleet is a recognised LEYC Fleet, and has been for a half century and more. It is composed only of Fairy keelboats. The LEYC Fairy fleet is its one and only proper title. Moreover, the LEYC Fairy fleet is to be preserved at Lough Erne Yacht Club, not elsewhere, and not by in or with any other group or place. Moreover the home waters for this viable racing fleet are to be at LEYC and not elsewhere, and LEYC the one and only proper host for Fairy events.

GP14, Cruiser and Yeoman Fleets
John McCrea was re-elected GP14 Fleet Captain in 2000. However, as did dinghy fleets elsewhere, the GP14 fleet diminished in the Noughties, though the Club continued to host a big Irish GP14 event most seasons. As the decade ended, LEYC declined a request to host the GP14 Championship of Ireland. Newtownards SC will host it, where there are some ex-LEYC GP14 sailors.

John meantime had played a key part in gathering up a whole new fleet of Yeoman keelboats, joining another historic boat, Crista, named after the late Michael Crichton’s Spanish princess sweetheart. This one-design fleet effectively replaced the weekend cruiser fleet racing on PY handicap.

J/24 Silver Anniversary
The decade began with decline in J/24 boat numbers, Fleets developing elsewhere bought boats. For example, Trudy Mannion’s Jamais went to Lough Neagh. LEYC’s entire active fleet of six boats went to Dublin Bay’s 2002 European Championship, where Jeriatrix, woman helm and deck crew won the European old boat trophy. In a surge of growth, the fleet doubled. Two brand new J/24s arrived at LEYC from Italy. Both were at the top of the 2005 World J/24 Championship fleet. Tim Rippey’s Jigalo won, with him in her crew. He came back with a World Champion Crew trophy.

The first 25 years as the LEYC recognised J/24 fleet were celebrated at 2008’s Silver Anniversary Summer Regatta, With Fleet Captains, Shane Logan, Diarmuid O’Donovan, Shaun Sowden, Bridget Rippey and Barry Humphreys, club J/24 racing prospered. It involved up to 11 boats and 60 sailors each season. Another busy J/24 decade is ahead with Ireland hosting 2011 European and 2013 World Championships.

Michael Clarke LEYC Historian, January 2010