Conor OBrien Sailor Extraordinaire

by Vincent \murphy

In 2018 I became aware of an old wooden boat being refurbished in Hegarty’s boatyard in West Cork. It had been in the Falklands / Malvinas since the 1920s and only recently returned to Ireland.

I was intrigued and went to see it. The boat, almost ready for re-launch, was Ilen, which had been designed by Conor O’Brien and built in the old Baltimore Fisheries School in 1926.

For delivery to the Island of Ireland click HERE For overseas click HERE

And there was more. In a shed was the hull for another boat: what was to be a rebuilt Saoirse, the boat in which Conor OBrien had sailed around the world. So much I didn’t know. So much to learn.

Conor OBrien undertook his ground-breaking circumnavigation of the globe 20th June 1923 to 20th June 1925. He was the first person ever in a small private yacht to circumnavigate south of Cape of Good Hope, Australia and Cape Horn. He received the Royal Cruising Club Challenge Cup three years running.

The centenary of Conor’s setting circumnavigation in was approaching. But no one was planning to give talks to yacht clubs. How could this important part of our maritime history pass unmarked?

So I set about researching Conor’s life and preparing a presentation to deliver to yacht clubs. This book: Conor OBrien – Sailor Extraordinaire emerged from all that. It gives an overview of Conor’s intriguing life, complete with photographs and illustrations.

I hope you enjoy it!

For delivery to the Island of Ireland click HERE For overseas click HERE