Royal Cork Yacht Club in Monaco tie-up

The Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) — the world’s oldest — has just joined an exclusive club after twinning with Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM).

RCYC general manager, Gavin Deane, travelled to Monaco recently to sign the twinning deal with Prince Albert — the first twinning arrangement signed by the YCM since 2006.

Mr Deane has now invited Prince Albert to visit Ireland, and Cork in particular — an invitation the prince said he would consider.

Founded in 1953 by Prince Albert’s late father, Prince Rainier, and presided over by Albert since 1984, the YCM ranks among the world’s greatest yacht clubs.

Many of the world’s most prestigious private yachts fly the YCM burgee.

The principality also uses the club to develop and promote Monaco’s position as the world capital of yachting.

YCM has reciprocal arrangements with 51 clubs worldwide, but has only agreed to sign twinning agreements with 15. The RCYC, founded in 1720, is now the only yacht club in Ireland or Britain to be twinned with YCM. The invitation to twin was extended by the Monaco club after almost six years of relationship building, which has seen the RCYC sending an Optimist team to race in Monaco each January.

Mr Deane signed the deal with Prince Albert during a gala reception at YCM’s newly-built yacht club. The event was attended by 1,500 people and was followed by a reception and meal for 200. Mr Deane was joined at the ceremony by RCYC overseas members, former Formula One boss, Eddie Jordan and Harry Gibbings, who is originally from Cork, both of whom now live in Monaco.

Mr Deane also met with Bernard d’Alessandri, the general secretary and director of YCM and the club’s board committee at a private reception in the club.

The clubs will support and promote each other’s programmes and social events..