From Three Yachts: Kelpie, Saoirse & Ilen

Conor OBrien sailed around the world 1923 - 1925 in his yacht Saoirse, which he designed himself and had built at the Fishery School in Baltimore, West Cork, Ireland. He was the first person ever to circumnavigate eastwards and south of the Three Great Capes - Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn. For this ground breaking voyage Conor was awarded the Royal Cruising Club Challenge Cup three years running in 1923, 1924 and 1925. Saoirse was Conor OBrien’s 2nd yacht. His first was was Kelpie, in which he ran guns for the Irish Volunteers in 1914, together with Ershine Childers in the Asgard. Kelpie sank off the coast of Scotland in 1921, after which Conor designed Saoirse (see above). During his circumnavigarion, Conor spent three months in the Falklands / Malvinas. When he returned to Ireland he received a commission to supply a boat for inter-island trading. Conor returned to the Baltimore Fishery School to build Ilen, which he then delivered himself. From Three Yachts is Conor OBriens memoir of his various voyages on Kelpie, Saoirse and Ilen