History of the Cong – Galway Race
This race traces its history back to 1882 when the first Annual Race from the Royal Galway Yachting Club premises at the Fisheries Field in Galway (opposite Galway Cathedral) to Ashford Castle (Cong) and back, was inaugurated, a distance of 61.5 nautical miles.
The race started early and the participants were entertained to lunch in Cong. They also stopped at Kilbeg on the way home. This was a major social and sailing event in Galway until 1914. It never recovered after the First World War and was last held in its old format in 1931.
As part of the general renaissance of sailing in Galway, this Race was revived in its present format, from Cong to Galway, in 1972 and has been raced annually ever since.
The provisional date for the Cong Galway Sailing race is the 17th June 2023. For entry queries please contact Galway Bay Sailing Club for more information on www.gbsc.ie.
