In 1720, 26-year-old William O'Brien, the ninth Lord Inchiquin, and five of his friends got together to establish "The Water Club of the Harbour of Cork". This club is known today as the Royal Cork Yacht Club and is the oldest yacht club in the world. They are located in Crosshaven, County Cork.

The Royal Cork Yacht Club today encompasses a wide variety of sailing activities from young kids in their optimist and mirror dinghies sailing right through the winter months to the not-so-young kids racing national 18s and 1720s during the remaining nine months. There is also enthusiastic sailing in 470s, Int.14s, Lasers, Laser IIs and other dinghies.

Cork Week, held every two years, is regarded as Europe's most competitor friendly regatta and attracts contestants from all over the world to Crosshaven.