The Royal Munster Yacht Club is now in the thirty-fifth year of its existence, having been founded in the month of August, 1872. It makes Monkstown its headquarters. This is a few minutes’ sail from the Royal Cork Club-house. It was originally named the Munster Model Yacht Club, and retained that name for twenty years, when it was granted its charter, and since that time it has been known by its present title. It boasts no club premises of its own, but devotes the whole of its funds to racing. The membership is about 200, of which at least one-half are keen sailors. Races are held twice a week throughout the summer, and nearly all the boats are manned by amateurs.
The Cork Corinthians have the reputation of being among the smartest in the kingdom. It speaks volumes for the enthusiasm of the amateurs in the district that two clubs can flourish there, when we reflect that for some years past there has been no sport other than that provided by the local yachtsmen themselves.
The time was, when the big-class yachts, doing the round of the regattas, took Queenstown in their season’s programme; but this one-time important fixture has been crowded out by regattas in other localities.
In 1902 an effort was made to revive the big fixture, and the King offered a cup to the Royal Munster for competition at the regatta. There was some talk in that year of Columbia, the twice successful America Cup defender, paying a visit to this country, and it was hoped that she would commence her racing at Queenstown. She, however, did not come across. The two principal big-class boats out in that year were Kariad and Sybarita, the latter then flying Mr. M. B. Kennedy’s flag. These two met at Belfast, and it was confidently expected that they would go on to Kingstown and then to Queenstown. Sybarita, however, suddenly returned south from Belfast, and there being no competitor left for Kariad, she did not go further south than Dublin, and the hoped-for regatta at Queenstown fell through, or, rather, it was confined wholly to the local craft as in other years.
There is quite a strong fleet of one-design yachts of about 6 tons belonging to the club. The Commodore is Mr. A. F. Sharman-Crawford.