Conor Roberts from Drogheda was among the trainees recognised for making outstanding contributions to the 2022 Tall Ships voyages organised by the charity Sail Training Ireland at the Annual Awards Ceremony at the Mansion House, courtesy of the Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy on Saturday last, 28^th January.

The award winners were among the 546 trainees who undertook voyages on tall ships last year.

Since 2011, 3,000 young people from all backgrounds and abilities have availed of the opportunities provided by Sail Training Ireland (STIrl) to participate in training and self-development programmes. These are designed to offer a change in direction, perspective, attitude, and behaviour leading to self-confidence, motivation, and the acquisition of new skills.

Trainees include young people from residential care homes, Garda Diversion Projects, Youth and Community groups and Schools, drug rehabilitation programmes, asylum seekers and young people with visual, hearing, and physical impairments from across Ireland.

The highlights of Sail Training Ireland’s programmes in 2023 will include:

• Erasmus+ Youth Exchange between Ireland and Malta.
• Two STEM at Sea voyages incorporating science at sea training workshops.
• Thirty young people from Dublin’s North-East inner city participating as part of the Taoiseach’s taskforce NEIC project.
• Regional sail training schemes (funded programmes) in Drogheda, Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Wexford, and Waterford.
• Cross Border voyages including young people North and South.
• As part of the Ability Voyage project, several wheelchair users will go on board the Tall Ship ‘Tenacious,’ a ship built specifically to cater to those with disabilities.

Anyone interested in partaking in a voyage or organisations that work with young people that may benefit from such an experience, should contact Sail Training Ireland at  www.sailtrainingireland.com, email info@sailtrainingireland.com, or phone: 01 845 4773

Sail Training Ireland CEO - Daragh Sheridan said:

 “The core aim of Sail Training Ireland is to ensure that all young people across the island of Ireland have access to the life-changing experience of a voyage at sea. 2022 has been a record year with over 546 trainees partaking in thirty voyages on five vessels. The Government funding provided again for 2023 will allow us to offer the opportunity to those who otherwise may not have been able to avail of such a chance. ”