The first-ever Harbour of Waterford Regatta of 1929
The Earl of Erroll William George Hay, who won the first-ever Harbour of Waterford Regatta in 1929.
On Monday, 22nd June 1829, a meeting was held at the Town Hall to establish a regatta in the Harbour of Waterford. It was felt that such a development was long overdue for an area which saw itself as equally important as Belfast, Cork and Dublin, where regattas were becoming regular fixtures of the sporting and social calendars.
The meeting was chaired by Capt. S. Roberts C.B., R.N. Honorary members appointed to the newly-established organisation included the Marquis of Waterford, Marquis of Ely, Sir John Newport, Sir Joshua Paul, Col. Chichester, Robert Shapland Carew and Thomas Wyse. They were joined by ‘Acting Members,’ listed as Capt. S. Roberts, Capt. S.C. Morris, Capt. W. Clarke, Sheriff Newport, Col. Lisle, Rev. Alexander Alcock, George Meara, John Kennedy, Edward Hobson, Richard Sargent, James Keating, James Knight, Richard Morris, Richard Farrell, John Alcock and William M. Glascott. The group’s secretary and treasurer were noted as Capt. T. Roberts and William Hughes, respectively.
Those present at the Town Hall meeting believed that the establishment of such an organisation would amount to £200 (nearly €22,000 today). Subscriptions were commenced immediately. £50 was collected from those gathered at the Town Hall. Subsequently, a list was compiled of several noblemen and gentlemen who were absent from proceedings, but were connected to Waterford as well as having property on the coast. The members agreed to write to these individuals seeking contributions towards funding a regatta in the area. Concluding of the meeting, the Waterford Mail noted that ‘… before the Summer passes away, [it will be] enlivened by [a] splendid marine exhibition.’
The following month saw the organisation’s secretary, Capt. Thomas Roberts, joined by John Alcock in organising the regatta. It was to be staged from Monday 17th to Thursday 20th August at Dunmore. The most lucrative race was to take place on the first day of the meet, a prize of 50 sovereigns to be competed for by vessels of all classes above one ton. Entrance was detailed as £2 10s and subscriptions at £1.
The lowest-valued prize race was to be held on the regatta’s final day. It was a prize of 12 sovereigns to be competed for by all fishing vessels belonging to ports between Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford to Ardmore Head, Co. Waterford. There would be a second-place prize of three sovereigns also up for grabs. Additionally, on the first and third days of the regatta, there would be rowing matches for fishermen and pilots’ four-oared boats. First prize would see the winning crew awarded four sovereigns. There were also prizes for second and third place in each race.
All candidates and vessels for the various competitions were to be entered before 12th August. A great boost to the Harbour of Waterford regatta were entries received from the Cork Yacht Club. This development played an important part in the staging of a public ball in Waterford during the week of the regatta. Preparations were made for the steamer Eclipse to carry spectators to and from the festivities. It would leave New Ross for Waterford at 6am each morning of the regatta, reaching Waterford and leaving for Dunmore at 9am. The return journey saw a scheduled departure set at 3pm for Waterford, and aiming to reach New Ross by 6pm.
The weekend before the races at Dunmore saw 18 yachts anticipated to compete at the regatta. A ball and supper was to be held on Thursday evening in the New Rooms. Tickets were priced as 6s for Ladies and 9s for Gentlemen.
The opening day of the meet witnessed favourable weather for the scheduled races. The Waterford Mail detailed, ‘The regatta may be seen to advantage from almost every point within view of the sea, but that preferred by the greater portion of the company appears to be the high ground just close to the pier.
This ground is in fact a rock, but with a large table-land at top sufficient to hold some thousands of people.’
Continuing, ‘Here on Monday seats were placed for the spectators, and a fashionable company, delighted at intervals by the music of the excellent hand of the 97th, enjoyed an uninterrupted view of the aquatic sports which were the order of the day.’ Concluding, ‘Others promenaded on the pier, or rambled about according to fancy.
The scene on the whole was interesting and agreeable, but would have been still more highly improved, had a greater number of boats had been assembled, for which there was an abundance of room in the bay, with all the advantages of picturesque effect.’
The most lucrative race of the Harbour of Waterford regatta was claimed by The Liberty, a 42-ton cutter owned by the Earl of Errol. The Scottish peer and politician had been the chief organiser of the Dublin Bay Regatta, staged in 1828.
The Waterford Mail reported ‘The Liberty was then left in undisputed possession of the course, and performed her task, a distance of about 23 miles, in four hours and a half, during a great part of which time she had the wind directly a-head.’
Furthermore, it recorded ‘The Earl of Errol was on the cliff the entire time, watching with the utmost anxiety the movements of his yacht, which, indeed, kept the lead from the starting.’
The following day saw the Earl of Errol’s cutter compete against Cork Yacht Club’s T.P. Boland’s 29-ton vessel, The Gannet. However, the result of the 45 sovereigns race was disputed. Initially, it was reported in the local press that The Liberty had won again. However, subsequently this was noted as an error and corrected as The Gannet as victorious. A dispute over the result was highlighted, but there is no follow-up regarding a conclusion to the matter.
This would overshadow the Wednesday of the regatta, as terrible conditions of wind and rain saw no vessel put to sea. Thursday was a fine day with a steady breeze, which saw a large crowd witness Capt. M.F. Berkley’s The Fenella win in a race of three yachts.
Unfortunately, more coverage is given to that evening’s ball than the row-boat races held that day. Around 100 people gathered before 11 o’clock for the ball. After several hours dancing, supper was staged at around 1.45am. Followed by some speeches and toasting, dancing resumed at 3am, with celebrations ending at 5am. Easy to see why no races were planned for the Friday.
