The Ripple, a 12 ton cutter, was built in Belfast in 1862 for G. Brett by D. Fulton, a building contractor who also built yachts. Fulton was a leading member of the Royal Ulster Y.C. and also a member of the Clyde, Mersey, Western and Prince Alfred yacht clubs.
At Carrickfergus Regatta in 1866 there was a 12 ton cutter Ripple owned by D. Boyd of Royal Mersey Yacht Club.
The vessel was purchased by George Murney, also a Royal Mersey member, probably in 1868 because in that year he commissioned the above picture by W. Abernethy which is now in the possession of the Royal Ulster Y.C.. At this time he also owned an 8 ton cutter Lily. Murney was an original member of the R.U.Y.C., number 13 on their list of members and their first treasurer in 1867. He remained a member until the late 1880s. His brother Dr. D. Murney was number 6 on the Royal Ulster original members list and was Rear Commodore from 1875 until 1883. George was a keen yachtsman, not only in Belfast Lough as he and Ripple appeared in Carlingford regattas in 1872, 1877 and 1878, at Malahide in 1870, 1872-1875 and the Royal Irish in 1887.Racing yachts in those days did not carry sail numbers but flew an owner’s distinctive flag at the masthead, blue or red with a white lion rampant in the case of the Ripple as shown on this painting. |
The Ripple
by W. Abernethy
She appeared at the Malahide Regattas of 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874 and 1875
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At the 1870 Malahide Regatta, the Ripple, crewed by C. Coddington, was beaten in the premier event by W. R. Johnstone’s Queen from the Royal Cork. According to Hunt's Yachting Magazine "there was nice breeze from the south-west and the Queen set a jib-headed topsail, the Ripple had her mainsail reefed with topsail housed. When the gun fired both got well away together on the starboard tack, close hauled, but the Queen rounded the first mark about 20s. In advance. The Ripple now sent up her topmast and set a square-header for the run to the flag-boat off Lambay, but not able to catch the Queen, who hauled round it a couple of minutes before her. Both then housed topmasts and prepared for a dead muzzler to the Lady Hobart Buoy. The Queen was at this mark six minutes in advance of the Ripple, and on the run back to the flag-boat on the bar she set balloon foresail and rounded it still further a-head". The race lasted three hours and finished up the estuary
The Ripple was not at Malahide in 1871.
In 1872 The Irish Sportsman, writing about the regatta, commented that " The attendance was down on the previous year due to a clash with Howth athletic sports. The committees were criticised for the un-necessary clash thus affording many persons only one day out instead of two. Lord and Lady Talbot and their daughters were among those in the poorly supported reserve ground. The day was fine and the crowd on the banks was a very mixed assembly of all classes ranging from the ‘upper ten’ down to the thimble rigger, card sharper, ballad singer, match vendor and beggar who infest gatherings of the kind".
The Ripple lost her topmast at the Royal Ulster regatta in late July but had repairs completed in time for Malahide regatta on Monday 2nd August. However, as she was beating out of the river to the flag boat start at the bar with a foresail abaft the mast for a trysail she missed stays close to the south bank and went aground and could not be got off until the tide rose five hours later. She thus missed the twenty mile course set that afternoon in a nice east nor’easterly breeze.
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1873 again saw a start at the bar in a fresh west nor’westerly. Willie Jameson’s Elaine came home first to win the Malahide Cup and 20 sovereigns but the Ripple, owing to the absence of her topmast, was unable to send up her gaf-topsail, and consequently laboured under a great disadvantage, finishing last in the beat up the channel on the half-flood. Mr H. C. Fox’s Wonderful was second that year and was awarded the tankard shown in the illustration. This unusual trophy is currently in private hands in Co. Meath and is in excellent condition.
Race day in 1874 was wet and windless. The few spectators that ventured out saw the yachts scarcely making steerage way and the Ripple did not figure though Wonderful was again second. Even the bands of the Royal Irish Constabulary and the 17th Lancers which played between the heavy showers on the site of our present clubhouse drew few listeners. |
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The Freeman’s Journal of 28 th July, 1875 commenced its report as follows:
"Malahide Regatta, 27 th July, 1875.
This, perhaps the oldest aquatic reunion in Ireland, was the means of drawing large numbers of spectators to Malahide. The weather, for once this month, was all that could be desired, and though the early morning argued ill for the day, there was a brilliant sunshine throughout from a bright blue sky."
The first sailing race for the Malahide Cup, value £20, and a second value £5, brought the following to the post:- Ildegonda, 14 tons; Elaine, 10 tons; Fairlie, 14 tons; Wonderful, 10 tons; Queta, 10 tons; and Ripple, 12 tons. The latter lead out at the first, and held the lead all through, but was headed at the post by Fairlie.
Malahide Yacht Club now holds the second-place cup won by the Ripple in 1875. It was purchased in 1994 or 1995 at a London Metropolitan Police auction of unclaimed recovered stolen goods and the purchaser passed it to the Club in 1996 . |
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The 1876 event was also favoured with excellent weather and an excursion steamer left Custom House Quay in Dublin at 11 a.m. returning about 6 p.m. The newly formed Great Northern Railway also brought crowds on ‘specials’ to enjoy the regatta. An interesting exhibition took place by the Howth life boat men who went through a series of manoeuvres, and finally upturned their boat, which righted itself in a few seconds. The premier event started at 3 p.m. at the bar and the fleet rounded a flag boat off Ireland’s Eye and thence to one off Lambay and once around a flag boat in the river. Unfortunately the Ripple was not a starter and no more is known about her.
In 1877 the weather was again fine and as the band of the Royal Irish Constabulary played in St. Jame's Square (site of M.Y.C. clubhouse to-day) four sailing races were run off. The third race was for yachts of four tons and under and Mr.J. Stevenson's Cleomene led from start to finish. He was presented with the silver coffee pot illustrated here and which is now held by a descendant living in Wales and who is also a yachtswoman. |
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