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When sails fluttered over Belfast in 1991
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Almost 20 years ago the skyline of Belfast dock was transformed by the majestic Tall Ships for a four-day visit.
The event in 1991 attracted thousands of people from across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland as well as international crews.
Legendary US broadcaster Walter Cronkite, who died last month, was among the international journalists dispatched to cover the story — adding the Tall Ships to Watergate, the assassination of JFK and the Moon landings on his CV.
A flurry of ships billed as the “jewel in the crown of Belfast 91”, injected colour and life into the once derelict Pollock Dock.
Sailors from Russia, America, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Australia docked in Belfast with around 40,000 visiting during the first 12 hours.
Race organisers at the time said they could not put an exact figure on the number of the visitors but had been “absolutely astounded” by the reaction of the public.
It had been a major project to bring to Belfast with Alderman Dixie Gilmore launching the campaign to attract the race in 1987.
The city, which was still badly affected by the Troubles, was now the centre of a positive, major event which on average had 100,000 people visiting every day.
Chairing the committee behind the visit was Robin Dixon, now known as Lord Glentoran.
“Nothing on the scale of fun like this had happened in living memory of many people,” he said.
“This particular happening just gave everybody a huge lift.”
Lord Mayor at the time, the DUP’s Nigel Dodds, told the Belfast Telegraph: “The arrival of the Tall Ships, bringing more than 2,000 young people from 10 different nations, is an excellent opportunity to promote the city in a positive light to a world-wide audience.”
The Parade of Sail with the vessels leaving the city proved just as popular as thousands of people lined the shores to wave goodbye to the ships that had captured the public imagination.
After the event the then Economy Minister Richard Needham, said: “I was astonished. I have never been part of such a tremendous public festival in my life. It was breathtaking, beyond my wildest dreams.”
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