SAILING enthusiasts turned back the clock on Saturday, reviving the famous Dundrum Regatta which was once one of the highlights of the summer in the village.
Twenty years after the last Regatta, yachts once again took to the water of Dundrum Inner Bay for a series of highly competitive races around a tight course where knowledge of tides and shallows was of critical importance.
The Regatta was a huge community event in Dundrum for many years, thanks to the superb organising skills of the late Hugh Graham and D.J. McNeill. In addition to events on the water, villagers enjoyed a host of community events including sports and fancy dress in what was a forerunner for the kind of festival now enjoyed in many other towns and villages.
The initiative for reviving the Regatta came from the recently formed Dundrum Sailing Club, a group of enthusiastic sailors who have been racing Lightnings in the bay since last year. Club members held their first races last season and with the club entering its second season it seemed natural to resurrect the Regatta.
The Lightnings have made the move from Killyleagh Yacht Club where they raced for many years. However, Dundrum Regatta is no stranger to the yacht class. In 1957 well known Dundrum man, Leonard Trohear, purchased a Lightning from Ben Bennett, in Killyleagh.
The following year, in an attempt to attract the support of the Killyleagh Lightning fleet, Dundrum Regatta committee presented a cup to be raced for at their regatta.
One of the reasons for forming the new Dundrum Sailing Club, apart from encouraging people to take up sailing, is to preserve the Lightning class.
It was with many happy memories that spectators gathered along the quay on Saturday afternoon to watch the races get underway under the watchful eye of the starter, Angela Gilmore, appropriately enough from Killyleagh Yacht Club, assisted by Paddy McComiskey, chairman of Dundrum Development Association.
The first race was for Flying Fifteens and was won by Neil Logan of Strangford with Robert Graham from Dundrum second. The race was sponsored by Trohears Spar and Mourne Seafood Restaurant Dundrum.
The second race was for Lightning Sailing Boats was won by Billy Lindsay of Killyleagh in Rainbow 4, with Michael McGlennon, of Dundrum in White Knuckles, coming second, and in third place was Bobby and Jim Curlett, also of Dundrum in Rainbow 2. The race was sponsored by the Buckshead Inn Dundrum and Frenchies Coffee Shop Clough.
The third race series consisted of two handicap races for dinghys won by Clive Coffey, of Newcastle Yacht Club in Braalyriggit, with Liam Coffey also from the Newcastle club in an RS200 Dinghy. Duncan Taylor, from Newcastle, was third in a Laser 2000. The race was sponsored by The Dundrum Inn and Brennans Vivo Dundrum.
The award for the best juvenile, sponsored by Armstrong and Armstrong Opticians, was awarded to Angus Ferris of Killyleagh Yacht Club sailing his Topper dinghy, Idunnow.
Dundrum Sailing Club would like to thank all our sponsors and everyone who helped in any way to make the Regatta possible.
Special thanks are due to Angela and Killyleagh Yacht Club for all their help and to June Robb from Newcastle who returned several old Regatta cups she had won previously.
Dundrum Sailing Club is having a visitors day on Saturday, July 21, meeting at the Quay at 12 noon where anyone interested in sailing is welcome to come along. Please contact Bobby Curlett on 07711918644 for further information.