Craic On

First to Benefit

Foyle Sailability, a voluntary cross border initiative to encourage people with disabilities onto the water, will be the first beneficiaries of new disabled access facilities at Greencastle harbour.

The new “H” pontoon is equipped with a hoist for wheelchair users and is a
welcome addition to the disabled access facilities in the County, which have been improving in recent times. People severely restricted in their mobility or people with limited mobility can easily transfer from the pontoon on to the various boats.

The specially designed portable pontoon is a Donegal County Council initiative and has been funded by BIM’s FLAG programme to enhance access to the water for the whole of the County.

Sailability Regatta

The Foyle Sailability Regatta is set to take place on Thursday 14 August from 11am – 4pm. Access will be from the pontoons in the Queensport side of the harbour. The event has been funded by Donegal County Council’s DFI fund.

This event and the new facilities will allow people with a range of disabilities the opportunity to take to the water either by dinghy, clipper canoe or motor boat – all in the safe hands of experienced volunteers.

While this is a first event in Greencastle, over 120 people with disabilities have already had a go in Derry earlier this year making organisers confident that familiar faces will make the trip to Greencastle to take part.

Accessible Sport

Sailing is one of the most accessible sports for disabled people to participate in and is also one of the only sports where people with disabilities can participate on equal terms with able-bodied people. Foyle Sailability volunteers embrace this ethos and are inviting people with disabilities to take part.

Those interested in taking part should contact [email protected] or 0044 28 7126 6593.

Foyle Sailability is determined to make sure as many people as possible, regardless of type or severity of disability, have the chance to discover what sailing could do for them, and when they do attend Sailability sessions, they have the best experience, on and off the water.

Photo credit – Peter Fallon