Sailing
Sailing Programme – Looking Back at 2026
A year of sailing, building confidence, making connections and creating lasting memories.
Throughout 2026, MS Ireland partnered with Oceans of Hope Challenge to give people living with MS the opportunity to experience sailing at locations across Ireland.
From Try Sailing sessions to multi-week courses, participants had the chance to learn new skills, build confidence, enjoy time on the water and connect with others in the MS community.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part, along with our sailing instructors, volunteers and Oceans of Hope Challenge, for making the programme such a memorable experience.
Sailing Highlights 2026
Our Sailing Programme took place in:
- Sligo – May and June
- Kinsale – June
- Galway – June and August
- Dún Laoghaire – July
- Howth – July
What Our Participants Said
We received some wonderful feedback from people who took part in the Sailing Programme.
“A phenomenal experience, to meet other people in the same boat as me! Every skill we were learning grew my confidence through competence. It was so much fun!”
“OH WOW!! I’m still smiling inside, I pushed the boundaries of expectations, I learned so much, had such fun, hold so many treasured moments and memories.”
Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences with us!
Looking Ahead to 2027
We look forward to another exciting year of sailing in 2027.
Details of upcoming sailing opportunities will be announced in due course, so keep an eye on this page for updates.
For further information or enquiries, please email MoveSmart@ms-society.ie.
Sailing Programme FAQs
Find answers below to some common questions about the MS Ireland Sailing Programme.
If you have waterproof trousers and coat do bring them, but generally our providers have sailing waterproof coats and leggings if you need them. Wear runners or tennis shoes, preferably with a white sole, or any shoes with a good grip. Be aware that it’s usually colder on the water with the breeze so a fleece or warm jumper is a must.
Bring suncream and sunglasses and a hat – it’s always double the glare with the reflection from the water - we suggest a wooly hat if the weather doesn’t warm up
You’ll be out for about 2.5 hours. Bring water or a drink if you need it. If you feel that that is too much for you just let the sailing provider or one of our physio team know and we can adjust the session to meet your needs
There are loos on the shore for everyone to use before going on the water and on the bigger boats there is a toilet on board if you need it (it’s down steps into the boat).
No, you don’t, with the kind of boats we use it is highly unlikely that you’ll end up in the water. The providers supply lifejackets for everyone that would keep you afloat in the unlikely event that that happens.
Usually it’s a short walk to the boat, probably up or down a slope depending on tide. If you have a wheelchair or scooter you may want to use that to preserve your energy for sailing and getting on and off the boat. One of the physio team will be there to help you if needed and to help you with balance or getting on and off the boat and moving around. You need to be able to go up steps with help of a banister, unfortunately we aren’t able to accommodate wheelchair users at present but are working hard to find more accessible boats.
You can email us at MoveSmart@ms-society.ie if you have any more questions.
Watch Our 2026 Sailing Programme Launch Webinar
Learn more about our partnership with Oceans of Hope Challenge and the inspiration behind the programme.
Support the Sailing Programme
You can support the MS Ireland Sailing Programme or make a payment for a programme using the link below.