Atlantic Youth Trust
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The Adrian Ryan Bursary

This bursary will exist for at least 15 years to in part or fully subsidise a trip each year, costing €1,000 for 10 days, for a disadvantaged youth (male/female) from an inner city school in Dublin or Belfast.

Adrian and I attended CBS Westland Row and I hope they can benefit from this scheme. It is now a secondary school which has become co-ed and it educates those from many ethnic backgrounds and religions but is kindly supported by a Past Pupils Union which goes back to the days of the Christian Brothers who made sure that we all got an education.

My brother Adrian passed away in July 2017 after a 12 year battle with cancer. He got on with life and made the most of his almost 62 years. He was a carpenter who became a builder. He travelled widely and owned his own Pub for a number of years. He loved motor bikes and cars. He spent his last 2 years restoring a Ford Escort RS2000 and had completed this work shortly before his demise.

He wanted me to have his newly restored car but I have no use for it. In consultation with my wife and family I decided to raffle the car to benefit 3 charities.
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AYT hopes to build a state of the art steel hulled tall ship to A1 passenger standards which will accommodate 40 youths (15-18) for 10 day trips with the aim of youth development. It will be built for all of Ireland and carry a mix of youths, half male and half female from both sides of the border from 40 different schools. See: www.atlanticyouthtrust.org

There are many stories of people who have benefitted from trips on tall ships. Here is one which I heard during the summer at our 3 rd AGM. Catriona Dowling grew up in Finglas in Dublin and won a trip on Asgard II at 16. She had never been at sea and had no family connection to the water but this trip was to have a life changing effect on her. See: www.cit.ie/currentnews?id=1156

I would like to wish Catriona continued success and thank her for sharing her story. Many people do voyages on tall ships but for various reasons may never go to sea again but they value the bond they form with other young people who become life-long friends. Of course, if it leads to a career in shipping or awareness of the pleasure of “messing about” in boats that is an added bonus.

I had allowed myself 6 months to set up the raffle on a website to reach as far as possible. A realistic expectation was that we might secure €100,000 to share among the 3 charities. It was clear from the start that the two major charities were not going to participate in the raffle but were happy to lend their names.
After 3 months one pulled out making continuing impossible. What I now hope is that you will make contributions that will add to the bursary by sending
donations to Allied Irish Bank (AIB) Georges Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin A96 DT85 using sort code 93-34-06 to account 32671101 or IBAN 1E74 AIBK 9334 0632 6711 01 and BIC AIBK1E2D for Adrian’s Bursary. If you prefer you may make donations to the Irish Cancer Society or Blackrock Hospice.

Kindest Regards,
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Joe Ryan, Irish Coast Guard (retired)

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