SCHULL AND THE LANE FAMILY CONNECTION

Last week at Calves Week Andrew Lane, after a successful week of sailing with his brother Richard and sister Niamh, won the overall Whitesail Class One trophy. A wonderful surprise was the fact the trophy turned out to be the Canon Dillon Trophy.  It transpired the local Parish Priest, Canon Dillon, first presented this trophy for sailing in Schull in 1947.  The first winner was none other than Andrew’s  maternal Great Grandfather, Paddy O’Keeffe, in a boat called ” John Dory” and amongst the crew was Andrew’s Grandfather, Dick Lane. The race on Sunday, August 2nd, from Schull to Baltimore was won by Kevin Lane, past Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, father of Andrew,  in his 40ft Dufour “Aisha” crewed by all the Lane family members.

For the remainder of Calves Week with Kevin and his wife Margaret having left the boat, Andrew proceeded to notch up sufficient first places to lift the overall Canon Dillon Whitesail Class One trophy at the conclusion of Calves Week. Kevin, accompanied by his father Dick, attended the very special prizegiving for the family on Sunday. This marked a wonderful sailing history for the family from the first win by the Great Grandfather in 1947 to the Great Grandson in 2009.