Sunday 12 July 2009 Dun Laoghaire's east pier will be on standby to welcome home Ireland's entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, Green Dragon which completed 37,000 nm around the world over the last 9 months. Green Dragon one of four boats in the race to complete all legs in the 'everest of sailing' visited ports including Alicante, Capetown, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Maarstrand, Stockholm and finishing in St Petersburg at the end of June. Partner sponsored by www.discoverireland.com Green Dragon raised the profile of Ireland as a tourist and maritime destination and the stopover in Galway has been acknowledged as one of the highlights in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race where the fleet of Volvo Open 70's were greeted by over 500,000 people.

The VDLR, Ireland's largest regatta, runs from Thursday 9th July to Sunday 12th July and will see an armada of some 450 boats and 3,000 sailors from the UK, Ireland, France and Spain descend on Dublin Bay. Thousands of visitors are also expected to take part in a weekend of free, fun activities, including funfairs and street entertainment. The VDRL will conclude the festivities by playing host to Green Dragon and skipper double Olympic medalist Ian Walker when they are officially welcomed back to Ireland.

From 12 noon on Sunday 12 July festivities will begin at the Band Stand on the East Pier with TV's funnyman Hector O'Heochagain hosting the event just back from the British and Irish Lions rugby tour of South Africa. In addition there will be entertainment for all the family including street theatre and music by Superfly. At 1300 Green Dragon will enter the harbour accompanied by the RNLI and guns will be fired from the East Pier. Ian Walker will be welcomed onto the band stand at 1330 by by Cathaoirleach Marie Baker.

Festivities will be provided courtesy of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and will continue until 1500.

So come along and show your support for Irish sailing and the Green Dragon Team and join in the festivities on Sunday 12 July.

Further details available from www.dlregatta.org