You regatta see this!
Close to a thousand runners from all over the world will descend on county Cork tomorrow for a high profile race as part of Ireland’s oldest regatta festival.
The Kinsale Regatta 5 Mile Road Race takes place tomorrow, Friday, and is part of the Kinsale Regatta Festival 2025 which runs until 7 August.
The race will start at 7.30pm at Kinsale GAA Pitch and finishes on Main Street in the town centre.
Runners from Ireland, the USA, the UK, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa will take part in what is one of the biggest road races in Ireland.
Run by the people of Kinsale since 1923, the Kinsale Regatta Festival is a free event supported by Cork County Council and many local businesses and individuals.
This year's charity partner for the Regatta is Sailability, a volunteer-led sailing organisation set up to enrich the lives of people of all abilities through sailing.
Eamonn O'Neill, whose family ties with the festival go back over a century, launched the event at a reception in Acton’s Hotel last week.
Mr O'Neill said: “The town has changed in many ways, but the regatta remains a focal point for Kinsale. It shows how to move forward by connecting the past and the present. My grandfather was on the committee from 1923 to 1948 and introduced the Great Ocean Race from Crosshaven to Kinsale, which was a great attraction for many years, so it is a privilege for me to launch the 2025 festival.”
Aside from the big race, other festival highlights happening tomorrow include Turas Tara/Tara’s Trip, a delightful interactive singalong and puppet show for children in Kinsale Library from 11am to noon. Then from 6pm, Kinsale’s newest rock band, Stone Mad, will play their debut live show on the Plaza followed by Songs of the Sea with Eamonn O Ceallaigh from 8-9pm.
Saturday’s festivities will start off with swimming races for adults and kids at the Dock beach from 11.30am, followed by children’s kayaking at 2pm, a harbour working day on the pier from 3-5pm, the Kilmacsimon Rowing Club Challenge Race at 3.30pm, and Ukuloolas and Sarah Scully on the Plaza from 4-5pm. For sports fans, there will also be the Kinsale AFC 7-a-side tournament from 5pm. Tomorrow evening, Bigsky (formerly Hunny) will make a welcome return to the Plaza at 6.30pm, followed by Dancing with Derek at 8pm.
The undisputed highlight of Sunday is the Children’s Fancy Dress, assembling on the Plaza at 1.30pm with judging at 2pm. There will be free ice cream for all entrants and prize giving in the Town Park at 2.30pm, with musical from the Blarney Brass Band followed by the Kids Disco and face painting on the Plaza from 3.45pm. Regatta racing starts at 2pm at the Pierhead.
Also on Sunday the Kinsale RNLI Station will host an open day is from 2-5pm, followed by the award-winning Comhaltas Ballinspittle on the Plaza at 6pm and singer/songwriter Charlie at 8pm, culminating in the Regatta Spectacular Fireworks Display at 10.15pm.