ONE of the world's most celebrated classic sailing yachts, Tally Ho, received a warm maritime welcome as she sailed into Baltimore Harbour, on Friday evening.

The beautifully restored 48-foot gaff-rigged cutter, winner of the 1927 Fastnet Race, arrived in Irish waters as part of her 14,000-mile voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, back to the UK ahead of the centenary of her famous Fastnet victory in 2027.

Its arrival followed the issuing of an invitation by local publican and lifelong sailing enthusiast Bill Hillyard.

The yacht was welcomed into Baltimore by a flotilla of 34 local sailing and traditional wooden boats, led by renowned West Cork boatbuilder Liam Hegarty aboard Saoirse, the faithful replica of Conor O'Brien's historic yacht, which became the first Irish yacht to circumnavigate the globe via the Three Great Capes exactly 100 years ago.

Around 100 people, including Baltimore Sailing Club Commodore Ruth Field and Vice Commodore Mark Hegarty, gathered on the pier to welcome Tally Ho as she entered the harbour, highlighting the village's enduring connection with the sea, the Fastnet Race and traditional wooden boatbuilding.

Designed by Albert Strange and built by Stow & Sons in Sussex in 1910, Tally Ho became one of the best-known yachts in offshore racing history when she claimed victory in the 1927 Fastnet Race on corrected time.

After decades of changing ownership and eventual abandonment in Oregon, USA, the yacht was purchased by British boatbuilder and sailor Leo Sampson Goolden for just one dollar in 2017.

Over the following seven years, he painstakingly restored the vessel in Washington State, documenting the project through his YouTube channel, which has attracted an international audience of almost 600,000 subscribers.

The Baltimore visit came about after Bill Hillyard, co-owner of The Algiers in Baltimore, contacted Leo earlier this week. Bill has spent time restoring and sailing traditional wooden boats in Hawaii before his career in hospitality.

Bill had followed Tally Ho's restoration online for the last seven years and invited Leo and his crew to visit Baltimore as they made their way back to the UK.

Speaking following the yacht's arrival, Bill Hillyard told The Southern Star: 'Watching Tally Ho sail into Baltimore Harbour was a very special moment. I've followed Leo's restoration from the very beginning and admired the dedication that brought the yacht back to life.

'To see that journey bring her to Baltimore, a village with such a deep maritime tradition and such strong connections to the Fastnet Race, has been incredibly rewarding. The welcome from the local sailing community made the occasion even more memorable.'

Leo Sampson Goolden told the crowd: 'It's wonderful to be back in Baltimore. I have very happy memories of sailing here many years ago, so it was a pleasure to return with Tally Ho and receive such a warm welcome.'

As Tally Ho continues her voyage towards Britain and the 2027 Fastnet Race centenary, her stop in Baltimore has added another chapter to a story that has captivated classic yacht enthusiasts around the world. The Tally Ho will depart Baltimore on Monday so there's still plenty of time to pay a visit.