Hundreds of people turned out in Wicklow town today to see the start of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race.
A total of 46 boats from a number of different countries set including the US, the UK and France set sail today.
The race spans 704 nautical miles and takes place every two years.
It was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic and hundreds of spectators turned out to see the start of the race.
The boats will pass a number of key points on their voyage around Ireland, including Hook head and Fastnet light house.
The first boats are expected to arrive back at Wicklow Harbour from Monday evening onwards.
Twenty-year-old Jack Cummins is a senior instructor in Wicklow Sailing Club and is the youngest sailor in this year's race.
He said: "The round Ireland is the biggest thing for Wicklow sailing club and the biggest thing for Wicklow sailors.
"I have had literally every single mammy in Wicklow sailing club being like 'do you have your socks, do you have your life jacket, do you have everything?'.
"I have had people coming up to me saying like 'have you sailed the boat before'. And I'm like: 'Yes I have sailed before' - but it's just to make sure I'm okay."
The boats range in sizes from 30 to over 70 feet and Oonagh Healy, Communications Officer with Wicklow Sailing Club, explains how the winner is named.
"Every boat coming into the race has a handicap and if you have a smaller boat, less crew you have a better handicap and if you have a bigger boat, more crew you are more strongly handicapped so that's how at the end of the race everything is calculated," she said.
