Ireland - Facts

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  • The North Atlantic island of Ireland is made up of two political units, the independent Republic of Ireland, also known as Eire, and the smaller region of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.
  • Ireland has a coastline of nearly 3000 miles with many deep and sheltered bays. Described by some sailing authors as one of the finest cruising grounds in the world, the only missing element to put Ireland at the top of the table is better weather. At least this is more than made up for by a profusion of perfectly sheltered anchorages.
  • Ireland’s three coasts are very different and in their variety they cater for every requirement. The east coast is the most easily accessible for yachts coming from the United Kingdom, but Ireland’s real beauty lies on its southern and western coasts. The most popular cruising area is between Cork and the Dingle Peninsula with an abundance of snug harbours and picturesque anchorages.
  • The wilder west coast is more exposed and the distances between sheltered harbours are greater. Some 200 islands lie scattered off the west coast and only a handful are inhabited. While the east and southwestern coasts have a sizeable local boating population and also attract a number of cruising yachts, the west of Ireland is less frequented.
  • Repair facilities for yachts range from excellent in such major yachting centres as Cork Harbour to virtually non-existent in some of the smaller ports. The facilities at Crosshaven are possibly the best in Ireland and a whole range of repair services is available.
  • Provisioning in all ports on the east and south coast is good and there are several marinas scattered about. As one moves west, supplies become scarcer and the boat should be well provisioned with food, fuel and water.
  • A useful source of help are the many yacht clubs dotted about the coasts, the most famous among them being the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, founded in 1720 and considered the oldest yacht club in the world. Most yacht clubs have moorings for visitors who are generally made welcome everywhere.

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Ireland was last updated 2 years ago.

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  1. May 21, 2021 at 6:41 PM
    svhelacious says:

    Any updates on visiting Ireland as foreign flagged vessel would be most welcome. I understand rules may relax and the country open up early June, maybe??

    1. July 3, 2021 at 7:51 AM
      michaelroberts says:

      Hello ,
      SV Helacious, I am also looking at getting into Ireland, though have had no luck, without changing boat registration.
      Have you had any progress in getting there?
      Regards
      SV Irene IV

  2. December 8, 2020 at 9:25 PM
    syaphrodite says:

    The Passenger Locator Form has to be handed to “an officer at your point of entry to the state”. Does anybody know how this will work for arrival by yacht?

  3. June 19, 2020 at 11:21 AM
    selkie6 says:

    There seems to be conflicting information regarding Ireland being “open” to foreign yachts. We are a US vessel currently in the UK who has been waiting on conformation from the HSE in Ireland that “leisure” travel is allowed. While the Harbor Masters in both Cork and Bantry seem open to our arrival they are looking the the HSE for guidance. We are aware of the 14 day self isolation and other formalities that are necessary at this stage.
    If anyone has any advise or has indeed entered Ireland on a yacht from abroad please share.

    1. November 19, 2020 at 11:31 PM
      pjlloyd says:

      Nick. Did you manage to get entry to Ireland? If so which port and do you have any advice for me attempting to do so soon. Do you have any updated information?
      Thanks Phil.

  4. June 9, 2020 at 8:13 PM
    profile photo
    dedanann says:

    Be advised that covid 19 restrictions here in Eire are easing, yacht clubs and marinas are up and running again, restraunts and pubs will open again on June 29th, boats are back on the water and the welcome matt is out again.

  5. July 18, 2019 at 8:23 AM
    webling says:

    Warning, some Irish Customs and Immigration Officials are not aware of their own immigration laws and may not understand that Ireland has its own Immigration policies distinct form other EU nations that are covered under Schengen (Ireland is not a Schengen signer)

    As a US citizen I landed in Crosshaven Ireland on my non-EU yacht in 2018 on a passage from the Azores. (I had cleared into the EU (and also Schengen) in Horta in the Azores. When I arrived in Crosshaven Ireland no one seemed to understand immigration formalities for non-EU yachts arriving from the Azores, Neither the Marina Staff at the Royal York Yacht Club (this site indicates that they will arrange Customs and Immigration formalities for you) or Irish Customs and Immigration who I contacted by phone (Received number from Yacht Club) handled my clearance properly. Both insisted that I did not need to clear into Ireland because I had already cleared into the EU in the Azores. “You have already completed all Formalities because you cleared into Europe in the Azores”.

    I repeatedly argued that although Ireland is a member of the EU (covering customs treaties) it is not a Schengen Country (covering immigration treaties) and therefore Irish immigration will not be covered under my Portuguese clearance. I still needed an Irish stamp in my passport. (Irish Customs officers I spoke with did not know what the Schengen treaty was, and kept insisting that immigration was also covered under EU custom treaties). Repeatedly I was told that I was OK; Welcome to Ireland with no need for a passport entry stamp. (A customs officer that later was patrolling the docks told me that if I wanted a stamp in my passport “as a souvenir” the Gardia station in Carrigaline would probably stamp it for me; but its not necessary.)

    After repeated requests no Irish Immigration Officer came to the vessel to give me legal clearance into Ireland; No instructions on what I was actually required to do were provided either. I never received an Irish entry stamp in my passport.

    Later that season I returned to the US by plane leaving the vessel in dry storage over the winter of 2018-2019. Upon returning to Ireland in the spring of 2019, The immigration officer at the Cork Airport noticed I did not have a stamp in my passport to indicated that I had properly cleared with immigration in 2018 and therefore I had entered Ireland illegally. After much scolding, discussion and recounting my my repeated attempts to clear in I was allowed the standard 90 day visa so I could continue cruising with my Yacht.

    Its important that you get an Irish Immigration stamp regardless of what officials may say. I was told at the airport that if Immigration will not come to the boat to clear you in, it is the arriving yachtsman’s responsibility to report to the nearest Police Station (Gardia Station) and have them stamp your passport; US citizens arriving by yacht must have a passport stamp within 12 hours of arriving in Ireland.

    You will also need this stamp to demonstrate when you legally entered Ireland if you plan to sail on to the UK. Because of the open boarder between Northern Ireland (the UK) and the Republic of Ireland, Irish-UK immigration policies are covered under the “Common Transit Area” regulations (the CTA is analogous to but different from Schengen; it applies only to the UK and the Republic of Ireland). Under the CTA these two nations respect each others visas and serve as surrogates. Your Irish visa (stamp) becomes your UK visa (stamp) upon UK entry and vise versa. You clear into the UK from Ireland by phone generally with no additional UK visa stamp provided. You will likely not be visited by UK Customs and immigration at your first port of call in the UK. When clearing into the UK from Ireland using the Yacht line, I would recommend that you request that your Clearance into the UK be e-mailed to you so you have proof of when you officially entered the UK and when that visa expires.

    1. August 25, 2019 at 2:32 PM
      profile photo
      dedanann says:

      Relax! William.
      Irish officials don’t get hung up on visitors coming in from the sea, just call at the local police station and have your passport stamped or ask the local harbour master for assistance which you will find they are keen to assist.
      They do however, keep a close eye out for drug smuggling, they are usually in plain clothes and keep in the background.

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