HARDRESS WALLER, AGE 90, RYNSKAHEEN, DROMINEER (Part 3)

I returned to the home of Hardress Waller for a more detailed analysis on the history of the Yacht Club. He told me that his own predecessors had been involved from the very beginning. He explained how the Yacht Club was formed, in the early 1800s and that it was the third oldest Yacht Club in the world. He also described how the landowners on the shores of Lough Derg – 10 in total between Portumna and Dromineer – were the first members to use the topless cutter. He explained the club rules, and how they were derived from the Royal Western Yacht Club. Down through the years membership of the club was confined to Protestant families, until the early 1900s, when it was opened to the public at large. We then went through old photographs of regattas in the early thirties, and he described the excitement of the events, and the social gatherings and discussions afterwards. In total seven generations of the Waller family, now including his own grandson, were members of the club. This was truly a great insight into a gentleman’s sport.