Founded in 1831, the Royal Irish Yacht Club’s first Commodore was the Marquis of Anglesey, commander of the cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo where a shell shattered his right leg. The RIYC clubhouse was designed by John Skipton Mulvany in the mid 1800s. Described as an “architect of genius” by the architectural historian A. R. Richardson, Mulvany’s is a classical building of distinction, conveying a sense of harmony and proportion.

The interior layout has remained virtually unchanged for 140 years, a tribute to Mulvany’s skill. A domed skylight ten feet in diameter lights the entrance hall, incorporating a symbolic compass rose.