The Archdale's at Riversdale were certainly a sailing family - Sir Edward A was Commodore of your Club towards the end of last century. They owned a boat called 'Spook' which I think they kept at Killadeas. His father, Captain Mervyn Archdale, had a steam yacht named 'Camilla' which cost over £1000; but in November 1882, having been only a few years in use, she was burned whilst anchored off Castle Archdale, and a quantity of luggage belonging to the Captain's guests, was destroyed. He also had the steamer 'Rossclare', about 70ft long and owned originally by Henry D'Arcy Irvine, after whose death in 1870 she was purchased by the Captain. On the latter's death, this vessel passed to a local Company and re-named 'The Lady of the Lake' and plied the Lough for many years. I would be most interested to know if you have any details of any Archdales at your Club. Hope this helps. Peter Archdale > -----Original Message----- > From: Michael Clarke [mailto:michael.clarke@swiftsoft.net] > Sent: 21 January 1999 21:21 > To: FERMANAGH-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: Fermanagh's Yachting Families > > > In 1818 a number of Fermanagh gentlemen set up 'The Subscribers > to the Boat > races on Lough Erne for the encouragement of Fast Sailing Boats and the > Improvement of the Navigation of the Lake'. There is a subsequent and > continued history of yacht racing that makes today's Lough Erne Yacht Club > the oldest yacht racing club in Ireland. It involved various Big House > families, who owned the yachts, and other families, many were employees at > the Big Houses, who built the yachts and crewed in them. > > Big House yacht owners included the following: Saundersons of Castle > Saunderson; the Crichtons of Crom Castle, Tippings of Rosferry, Irvines of > Rockport, Folliot-Bartons of Waterfoot, the Massey- Beresfords, and the > Richardsons of Rossfad. Boat building families, usually also carpenters, > included Maguires at Bellisle, Craigs at Crom, Goodwins, and Johnstons, > some of whom lived on Lower Lake islands. Ternans on Owl Island, > Lower Lake > and Cathcarts of the Upper Lake were famous rowing families, as were many > who lived on Boa Island, Ireland's largest inland island. Charlie McCabe > built numerous racing yachts for the lakes and the sea in > Enniskillen in the > late 1800s. > > Johnston is a very common name in present day Fermanagh. It is a > long shot, > but the Rod Johnstone who built the first of the famous international J/24 > keelboats in Connecticut in 1977 believes that his ancestors came from the > north of Ireland. > > May I ask folk on the list seeking out family histories to look > out for the > yachting connection. Especially in the early 1800s when Fermanagh's > population was three times that of today, there was a substantial > and active > fleet, likewise in the late 1800s. > > Michael Clarke > Historian LEYC > Irvinestown >