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A parade of boats will sail up the Newry Canal at the start of August as part of this year’s Carlingford Cruising Week Carlingford Marina have put together a jam-packed schedule of events that will take place in the week leading up to this year’s Moneley Oyster Pearl yacht races. This will be the first year of the Carlingford Cruising Week which has been designed to show off the spectacular asset that Carlingford Lough is as a cruising destination in Ireland.
“Carlingford Lough is one of the most picturesque coastal inlets in Ireland and it is worthy of spending a few days exploring all the different anchorages, harbours canals and marinas within its confines.” Jonny Moneley - General Manager, Carlingford Marina
The Cruising Week kicks off 29 July and will take participants on a tour of Carlingford Lough visiting marinas and anchorages both North and South of the border. One of the more enchanting elements of the programme takes place on Tuesday 1 of August, where participating boats and yachts will set a course for the inner reaches of the Lough, sail up the Clanrye River, through Victoria Lock, and right into the heart of Newry City for an overnight stop in the historic Albert Basin.
“The Newry Canal is one of the most beautiful waterways that a sea going vessel can navigate, and it is a journey that is quite surreal for mariners. There are very few places in the world where you can be sailing out at sea on open water – and then a few hours later be sailing so close to the land that you can smell the trees in the forests, wave to people walking along the Greenway, and hear dogs barking and birds singing as you meander through the lush and beautiful green landscape.” explains Jonny Moneley – General Manager, Carlingford Marina
The Newry Canal has always been a favourite among boaters who visit Carlingford Lough, so event organisers expect for this flotilla to be well attended. 
Moneley added “We have yachts from Dublin, Strangford and even the Isle of Man registered to take part in the Cruising Week – but there is a great buzz among local boaters about the Canal trip, so we expect dozens of boats from Carlingford, Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and Greencastle to take part. We are also expecting people from inland waterways such as Lough Neagh and Lough Erne to trailer their boats over to Carlingford for the week and join in on the craic too.”
The parade of boats making their way up the canal will be quite the spectacle for the people of Newry, and event organisers are encouraging everyone in the community to come along to see the boats and get involved.
“There is a strict speed limit in the canal, so people will be able to walk along the Greenway and keep up with the flotilla. It would also be lovely to have a few kayakers or stand up paddleboarders waiting for us at Victoria Lough, to escort us up the canal. It would make for some amazing photographs and drone shots!” explained Moneley
The Newry Canal trip takes place 1 August and boats will raft up outside the Quay Shopping Centre that night. The flotilla will then head back down the canal on Wednesday 2 August and get ready for the next event on the Carlingford Cruising Week programme which is a floating concert in Rostrevor Bay.
The Carlingford Cruising Week kicks off on Saturday 29July and is suitable for all boat types, and boaters of all ages and levels of experience.
“We welcome quite a few competitive sailors for the Moneley Oyster Pearl Regatta each year, but this year we wanted to create an event that would encourage motor cruisers and family fishers to get involved in the craic too!” said the Carlingford Marina Manager.
Entertainment has been scheduled for every destination that the flotilla visits over the week and there is plenty for kids to enjoy too! There is an event called “The Great Mackerel Cook Up” where participants have to ‘catch their dinner’ and take it back to the Marina where a team of chefs will be stationed, ready to cook them up on the barbeque. The “Best Dressed Boat” competition is sure to excite the junior sailors – however, the Carlingford Cruising Week organisers strongly encourage all boats to participate in this event, regardless of age.
Moneley continued “The best dressed boat competition will effectively be a parade of sail through Carlingford Harbour and will be a great spectacle for the people of the village who will line the pier walls and cheer for their favourite boat. Because it will be such a fun event for the local community, I really want to encourage as many boats as possible to take part and put on a show.”
“I don’t think we will have any problem convincing the kids to get dressed up – but in an effort to drag the childishness out of everyone, you will notice I have also offered a €50 bar tab as a participation bonus in this event. That should do the trick!”
The bar tab that Moneley refers to here can be cashed in at the “Prize Giving Ceremony” at the end of the week. This closing ceremony will bring together all the participants of the Carlingford Cruising Week - as well as those who travelled only to compete in the Moneley Oyster Pearl races - for one final night of entertainment, and chance to bid each other farewell.
If you would like to take part in the Carlingford Cruising Week; registration is now open, and applications can be completed online by visiting the Carlingford Marina website – www.carlingfordmarina.ie. As part of the online registration, you can give an expression of interest to compete in The Moneley Oyster Pearl races. Your details will then be forwarded to the race committee who will contact you with further details.
For a full information brief and programme of events – you can DONLOAD IT HERE or contact Jonny by email on jonathan@carlingfordmarina.ie or by phone on +353 87 652 4829.
