Kinsale Water Sports Inclusion Hub Launch | September 2026

September 23, 2026

We were delighted to launch the Kinsale Water Sports Inclusion Hub in September 2026 alongside our local partners Sailing into Wellness, Sailability Kinsale, Surf2Heal Garretstown and Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre!

We were delighted to be joined by over 80 participants and supporters on the 19th of September 2026 to launch the Kinsale Water Sports Inclusion Hub.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to a number of guests and supporters who made this occasion so special.

To all the speakers including Cllr. Alan Coleman who deputised for the Mayor of Cork County, Minister Jerry Buttimer, Liam Ahern (Chair of the Cork Sports Partnership), Geraldine McTavish (Disability Lead in Sport Ireland) and Tomas O’Brien (Vice-Commodore of Kinsale Yacht Club).
To all the partners and their panel participants who explained the impact of the inclusive work in Kinsale so well.
To Sailability Kinsale and Kinsale Yacht Club for hosting us and catering for us.
To Brehon Walsh for the fantastic entertainment.
All the participants, guests, supporters and friends who helped us celebrate the launch on the day.
To the staff and students who attended and assisted with the design of the Kinsale Water Sports Inclusion Hub logo and branding.
To Brian Lougheed for capturing such fantastic coverage on the day.

The Kinsale Water Sports Inclusion Hub has been established by five key partners which include: Cork Sports Partnership, Sailability Kinsale, Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre, Sailing into Wellness and Surf2Heal Garretstown. The initiative in funded by Dormant Accounts and supported by Sport Ireland. The project focuses on supporting inclusive programmes and initiatives that make water sports and activities accessible to all. The fund aims to enhance the fantastic inclusive work being done locally as well as build capacity so that this work can continue long-term. The Hub has been developed in Kinsale but benefits people from all over the County and the partners hope that it will become an example of how inclusion can be promoted through collaboration and strategic thinking.