CIBC History

History of Cockle Island Boat Club

In 1974, Groomsport harbour dried out but various sorts of boating were becoming more popular and affordable, though most of the boats were of timber construction with either Seagull type outboards or else old petrol car engines which had been modified to fit into the boat.

Of course there was no council mooring fee but a local man was presumed to be in charge of the harbour and some of us would go out of our way to find him and pay the standard fee of £4 and sometimes we even got a receipt!

There was plenty of room then as there were probably around twenty or so boats in the entire harbour, so finding room for your own mooring was not a problem.

No ground chains or deep water moorings existed in the early days. You simply decided on a suitable spot and then with the help of friends, dug in an old lorry wheel, engine block or the like as a permanent mooring, before the incoming tide undid all your hard work.

As interest in "messing about in boats" continued to grow around Groomsport harbour, friendships were made amongst the owners and two people in particular, Francis McAuley and Dougie Cowan, were keen that a club be formed to encourage and cater for the needs of those moored in the harbour.

So it was in March 1974 that thirty nine enthusiastic folk, mainly motor boaters, but also some sailors and fishermen, crowded into Francis' front room and agreed that a boating club with the name of "Cockle Island Boat Club" be formed. Most of us there that night did not know of any cockle island until Francis told us that it is the small cluster of rocks in the middle of the bay, but the title sounded both appropriate and a little romantic and so the gathered friends heartily agreed to it. It was important that the title be a boat club rather than a yacht club to show that it was inclusive of all those who an interest in boats and the sea.

In the summer, sailing, motoring and fishing events would be held and in the winter evening social gatherings, instructional classes and cruising talks etc would continue the year round programme.

Since the early days, the harbour has been dredged so that the deeper draught boats can moor onto heavy ground chains laid by the council. The mooring fees are no longer £4 mind you and vhf radios are no longer the preserve of the elite, but the ethos of the club remains the same.

Back in these early years a trip to Portpatrick was a major achievement and a trip up the Clyde quite wonderful as the boats had none of today's hi-tech navigational or communication equipment. Running fixes, dead reckoning, prominent landmarks and careful chart plotting were the essentials to a safe passage and since marinas were few and far between, careful anchoring was the order of the day.

In more recent years many of our members have chosen to berth their boats in one of the local marinas but even so all our events are well attended and the club is well supported.

We are proud of the fact that our members have sailed or motored around Ireland, Scotland, the Hebrides, down to the Mediterranean and further afield as boats have become bigger and more advanced - all things that the early founders of club could only have imagined.

The years continue to pass and not many of the original thrity nine members remain, but our numbers have increased greatly and our ethos remains - to provide companionship, help, encouragement in a family friendly environment to all those interested in the sea around us.

Willie Wickens (2008)

History of Groomsport

Groomsport (in Irish: Port an Ghiolla Ghruama, Port of the gloomy fellow or gloomy servant) is a village two miles north east of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the south shore of Belfast Lough and on the north coast of the Ards Peninsula. It had a population of 873 people in the 2001 Census which has risen to 3,000. It is part of the North Down Borough Council region.

Groomsport is a dormitory seaside and holiday village. Originally it was a small fishing village with the focus of development being the harbour and Main Street. Groomsport has developed as a centre for water and shore-based recreation with improved facilities for activities such as sailing and power boating.

The village developed beside the natural sheltered harbour, between the shore, Ballymacormick Point and the rocky outcrop known as Cockle Island. The harbour is reputed to be of Viking origin and the beginnings of the small settlement can be traced to the ninth or tenth century. Groomsport remained a fishing village through the Victorian and Edwardian periods until the 1920s. Groomsport still retains the identity and character of a small harbour village with its pier and sheltered anchorage together with its historic street pattern.

By the 17th century the village was known as ‘Gilgroomsport’ and at this time, before Donaghadee became the main port for embarkation for Scotland, Groomsport’s harbour was significant enough to have its own Customs House. Indeed, Groomsport narrowly missed out on New World fame when the ship Eagle Wing set out from the port, with 140 men, women and children, to attempt an early trip to North America in 1636 only to be defeated by bad weather after eight weeks at sea.

By the mid 1800s Groomsport had a relatively large fishing fleet and housed a lifeboat station in its sheltered bay. The population of the village was employed mainly in agriculture, fishing and loom weaving. Whilst living conditions were hard, the coming of the railway from Holywood to Bangor in 1865 made the village much more accessible and the standard of living improved. Groomsport had its own halt on the Newtownards to Donaghadee line and the village became a popular destination for visitors.

The population was only 360 in the 1951 Census but this has increased substantially in the last few years with the construction of new housing developments. Two former fishermen's cottages by the harbour have been restored as an attraction for visitors - these are known as Cockle Row. See Facilities page for further information on Cockle Row.

(courtesy of Wikipedia)

Cockle Island Boat Club

Groomsport Harbour, Co. Down, Northern Ireland