Hard work and play but sailing fans not flagging

THE people who run the RNLI roadshow in Crosshaven have a problem.

It’s nothing to do with Cork Week, per se. The crowd is great, the fun fantastic, the food and drink in the tented village is flying out the door. There are loads of people, thousands in fact, and almost 600 boats on the water.

Even the rugby club is full of campers and those sailors who prefer the comfort of a mobile home.

Admittedly, the racing could be better, if the wind behaved, but that’s not the trouble.

No, the problem is one familiar to all those who operate the array of stands along the tented village on the grounds of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, home to Europe’s grand prix sailing event this year.

A number of flags have been nicked by racing aficionados anxious to carry away a symbol of the oldest yacht club in the world.

And they have been none too shy of making off with flags of other establishments, including, by all accounts, the pennant of The Irish Examiner.

Nevertheless, by all accounts, this is one of the best Cork Weeks ever.

Just ask Johnny and Joyce Middleton who run Johnny’s Return bar in the real, permanent, village of Crosshaven. The bar is a haven for Cork hurling and football fans, but they always make sure to welcome the racing fraternity.

“Anyone who says they are not making money at Cork Week is a liar,” says Johnny, looking decidedly pleased with himself at the well-heeled clientele he has attracted. “They’re not afraid to spend a few bob either and there isn’t an ounce of trouble from morning to night.”

Joyce, though, thinks things are not as busy as two years ago. “There was more of an atmosphere then. I think it’s a bit quieter but things will probably pick up as the week goes on,” she said.

Other businesses in the village reckon she is being a tad pessimistic and, whatever the drama on the water, there is always plenty of activity in the area when the sun goes down.

“You just couldn’t draw drink to them,” says Mick Good of The Admiral Drake pub. He is playing host to a crew from Hong Kong, which is made up mostly of English and Scottish sailors over for the week and up for the craic.

It is barely 1.30pm and already his establishment is hopping. “The salt water gives everyone a great thirst,” Mick says, gearing up for another 16-hour day of hard work until the end of the week.

All the businesses in Crosshaven are doing a roaring trade. Even the Supervalu supermarket can hardly keep up with a supply of sandwiches.

One shop on the main strip considered it no irony that they had a fair supply of yachting paraphernalia along with copies of The Langer CD, which pokes fun at the sailing-types.

The tented village comes alive after dark. About 3,000 descend on both the permanent and the tented villages of Crosshaven, looking forward to a hard night of partying before getting up at 6am for another day on the water.

As one bejewelled wag remarked: “Someone has to do it. After all, the world and her toyboy are here.”