We recently spent an afternoon with Howth native Eddie Connally Snr., who shared his memories of seeing Howth 17-footer yachts in the harbour in the 1940 and ‘50s. Designed in Ireland in 1897 and launched in 1898, the Howth 17-footer is the world’s oldest one-design keelboat class and still races today in its original form.
Each week, we travel far and wide to bring you our unique Irish transport stories. This week we travelled to see Eddie Connally and interview him on the Howth 17-footers. If you’d like to help cover travel costs, please consider subscribing for just €2 a month via www.irelandmade.ie —less than the price of a cup of coffee!
THE HOWTH 17-FOOTER
In 1897, W. Herbert Boyd designed the Howth 17-footer class for Howth Sailing Club as miniature versions of the era’s giant yachts, capable of enduring rugged local conditions that challenged keel-less boats on the Irish Sea of the coast of Dublin. Featuring a gaff-rigged design with a jackyard topsail, the first five boats were built by John Hilditch in Carrickfergus, County Antrim. In spring 1898, following their launch and to confirm their robust design and build they undertook 90-mile journey southwards along the coast to the port of Howth located just north of Dublin.
17-FOOTER SPECIFICATIONS
The basic specifications called for a stem and keel made of oak and elm, deadwood and frames of oak, yellow pine planking above the waterline, red pine below, a pitch pine shelf, and a teak top-strake. Larch deck-beams, yellow pine decking, Baltic spruce spars, and a cast iron keel completed the construction.
While teak was considered a luxury feature, the other materials were commonly available at the time and not particularly noteworthy. Today, however, yellow pine and pitch pine are scarce, and their durability and longevity are highly appreciated, as evidenced by the original five boats that remain today in excellent condition.
THE FIRST RACE
On Friday April 29th 1898 at the Howth Sailing Club’s Spring General Meeting, the Howth 17-footer class rules were finalised in preparation for racing the following day. However, inclement weather postponed the race until Wednesday May 4th 1898. This marked the first “official” race of what is now recognised as the world’s oldest one-design keelboat. The original fleet of five yachts—Rita, Leila, Silver Moon, Aura, and Hera—was expanded in 1900 with the addition of Pauline, Zaida, and Anita.
RULES & SPECIFICATIONS
All Howth 17-footer yachts race and are maintained under a formal set of rules:
- One-design class, where speed is nearly equal, with sailing ability and boat preparation being key to success.
- Wooden construction following W.H. Boyd’s 1897 plans, including frames, timbers, carvel planking, and solid wooden spars. Various deck treatments are allowed.
- Gaff-rigged as per the original drawings.
- No winches or ratchet blocks allowed.
- Affordable to run, maintain, and repair, making them accessible to people of modest means.
- Existing boats are built to the original plans but may have modifications, repairs, and different layouts, all accepted as valid 17-footers.
- Repairs and construction use modern, cost-effective materials and methods without altering the boat’s appearance, such as Dacron sails, stainless steel fittings, and modern adhesives.
- Simple adjusters for sail shape are accepted, though they were not needed with original cotton sails.
From the outset, after each race, the winner was hailed with three cheers by the other competing boats—a tradition that continues to this day. However, the Howth fishermen working in the harbour back in 1898 soon nicknamed the new racing boats “The Hip-Rays crowd,” playfully referring to their overly enthusiastic celebrations.
Each week, we travel far and wide to bring you our unique Irish transport stories. Please consider supporting our travel costs and subscribe for just €2 a month via www.irelandmade.ie —less than the price of a cup of coffee!
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Howth native Eddie Connally was born on Church Street in 1939 where his family had a thirteen-bedroom guesthouse with a shop attached and his father also managed a pub behind the Abbey and opposite the Cock Tavern called the Hope Tavern.
During his childhood Eddie can remember the harbour as being very busy and that a lot of boats came down from Kilkeel, in County Down for the herring season. Eddie recalls it was not uncommon to see up to fourteen fishing boats moored abreast alongside the pier during the busy fishing season. Later the fleet followed the herring and moved to Dunmore East in County Waterford and this in turn diminished the number of boats fishing out of Howth.
BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH
In Eddie’s own words, “The 17-footers in Howth were a beautiful yacht to watch sailing”. As children they used to go down on the east pier in Howth harbour and climb onto
a building with a domed roof to watch the yachts in the harbour and offshore.
Billy McConkey was the race starter and was also the mechanic for the Howth lifeboat and his son George was also involved in racing and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute).
“I remember the sails particularly as they had a top sail that was shaped like a triangle, and they were a beautiful boat to watch sailing, and you would see them coming in from Ireland Eye Island”. “There was no shelter, there was an open deck and Eddie was told they were wet to travel in, though he never had that pleasure”
NEVER A SAILOR
Eddie never got to sail on a Howth 17-footer as he says; “It was a very elite fraternity out there at that time, mostly people from the Howth peninsula”.
The marine connections of the Connally family continued with Howth as in later years Maureen Cox, Eddie’s late sister was married to Justin Cox and they were the lighthouse keepers on Howth harbour for many years.
UNANIMOUS FAVOURITE
According to Eddie, “It was tremendous to see the different yachts and we got to know them all mainly by colour and then. Later they were able to see the numbers…..” Eddie goes on to recount that “our favourite unanimously was No. 3 the Lelia, that was owned by a man called Wilkinson for more than 50 years”.
THE HOWTH 17-FOOTER ENDURES
In 1998, the class celebrated its centenary, with all five original boats racing into their second century. Several were road-trailed to Carrickfergus, County Antrim, and sailed back to Howth in freezing April weather.
A new boat, started by Wicklow builder Charlie Featherstone in the early 21st century, was completed in May 2009 with help from class members and boat-builder Dougal McMahon. Named ‘Sheila’ after Shelagh Wilkinson, widow of ‘Leila’s’ sixth owner, it was launched on May 23, 2009.
In 2016, Ian Malcolm began another boat project, commissioning the Breton boat-building school ‘Skol Ar Mor’. The first Howth 17-Footer built outside Ireland, named ‘Orla’ after Ian’s sister, was launched in the summer of 2017.
After 126 years, the Howth 17-Footer remains the world’s oldest one-design keelboat class, still racing today in its original form off Howth Harbour and in Dublin Bay.
If you have a story to share, please email Kevin Reid [email protected]
Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
Afloat
Curious Ireland
Flicker – Claudio Procida
Howth 17 Footers Association Facebook Page
Howth Yacht Club
Old Howth Photos Facebook Page – Liam McLoughlin, Brenda O’Shea, Henry Howard
Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI)
