T

he National Yacht Club is the third oldest of the 4 yacht club premises on the seafront at Dun Laoghaire, and is the club closest to the East Pier.

The lease of the site of the premises was first granted by the Commissioners of Kingstown Harbour to the Committee of the Amateur Rowing Club (afterwards called The Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club) for 20 years from 1st May 1870 at a rent of 10 shillings per annum.

The Club buildings and boat slip were duly erected to a design by William Sterling at a cost of about £4,000.

The Club went into liquidation in 1881 and the premises were purchased by a Captain Leslie Peacocke ( of the 16th Lancers, resident at Villagio, Coliemore Raod, Dalkey) and others for £1,250 who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Yacht Club. In 1887, the Club again went into liquidation and the secretarial  address moved to Howard Place, Kingstown (now replaced by the shopping centre). The premises were then purchased in 1901 by a Mr Charles Barrington (of Fassaroe, Bray Mountaineer & race horse owner) the interest in his lease was purchased by three trustees for £1,300, and these trustees apparently formed the Edward Yacht Club. A further lease was granted for 41 years from 1st November 1905. At a special meeting held in March 1931, the name of the club was changed to the National Yacht Club with the Earl of Granard appointed Commodore.

Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities. An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade.

Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events.