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#Rowing: The Skibbereen/UCC composite won the women’s eights with the final few strokes at the Cork Grand League Regatta today. NUIG led them coming up to the line, but the winners finished faster to win by three tenths of a second. Cork were the best junior 18 eight.

UCD won the men’s eights by holding off NUIG. The finish was close, but UCD had led down the course and refused to yield. Neptune took the junior 18 honours by holding off St Joseph’s of Galway in the B Final.

Cork Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Day Two (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (N Farrell, R Thompson, E O’Connor, C O’Riada, E Gleeson, A Griffin, T Doherty, M Murphy; cox: O Reid; senior) 5:51.05, 2 NUIG (sen) 5:51.91, 3 UCD (inter) 6:05.098; 4 Cork (club one) 6:05.46. B Final: 4 Neptune (Jun 18A) 6:13.69.

Four – Div One – A Final: 1 NUIG (sen) 6:16.41. Four, coxed – Div Two – A Final: 1 Queen’s B (club two) 6:53.69, 2 St Michael’s (jun 18B) 6:56.53; 6 Presentation, Cork (jun 16) 7:33.61.

Sculling,

Quadruple, Div Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 6:43.70; 3 Castleconnell (jun 16) 6:53.53; 4 Shandon (club two) 6:54.67.

Double – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (G O’Donovan, P O’Donovan; sen) 6:25.51, 2 Commercial, UCD (N Beggan, A Goff; sen) 6:27.62, 3 Skibbereen (M O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll; sen) 6:37.997; 5 Three Castles A (jun 18A) 6:49.76. B Final: St Michael’s (inter) 6:51.20.

Single – Div Two – A Final: 1 Three Castles (A Keogh; jun 16) 7:29.64, 2 Cappoquin (S Landers; club two) 7:35.39; 6 Killorglin (J McCarthy; Jun 18B) 7:52.86.

Women

Eight – Div One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen/UCC (O Hayes, F O’Keeffe, A Casey, E McCarthy A Keogh, E Hegarty, N Casey, D Walsh; cox C O’Connell; senior) 6:37.94, 2 NUIG (sen) 6:38.30; 5 NUIG (club one) 6:58.38. B Final: 1 Cork (jun 18A) 7:00.93; 2 Shandon (inter) 7:02.79.

Four – Div One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen, UCC (N Casey, E Hegarty, A Keogh, D Walsh; sen) 6:59.0. B Final: Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 7:39.68. Div Two, coxed – A Final: Trinity (club two) 7:41.79.

Sculling, Double – Div One – A Final: 1 Cork (inter) 7:19.591, 2 Lee (jun 18A) 7:23.45. B Final: 2 Carlow (club one) 7:40.31. Div Two – A Final: 1 Neptune (J Poh; club two) 8:40.47, 2 Kenmare (E Crowley; jun 18B) 8:42.76; 3 Neptune (N Clarke; jun 16) 8:46.62.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Coillte and Rowing Ireland have announced that Coillte will sponsor the Grand League regatta series. Coillte is a forestry management company which owns about seven per cent of the land cover of Ireland. It is also involved in renewable energy and panel products.

 The first leg of this year’s Coillte Grand League series is Skibbereen Regatta which is set for this weekend at the National Rowing Centre in Cork. Around 700 crews and 2,000 athletes compete at Skibbereen Grand League Regatta every year, with a six-lane race running every four minutes over two days – if the unpredictable Irish weather permits. It is a mammoth event and takes up to 100 volunteers to run successfully each year.

 Ciarán Fallon, Director of Stewardship and Public Goods at Coillte said: “Coillte is delighted to be supporting Rowing Ireland with this year’s Grand League series ahead of the Rio Olympics in August. Two of the three regattas in this year’s series are taking place at the National Rowing Centre,  located in Coillte’s Farran Forest Park in County Cork, one of our flagship parks, so we are encouraging people to turnout in large numbers to support this fantastic event. We are pleased to be able to extend our existing relationship with Rowing Ireland to be the title sponsor for this exciting series as the athletes prepares for Rio.”

 Hamish Adams, the chief executive of Rowing Ireland, said: “We have a long established and close relationship with Coillte through our location of the National Rowing Centre in Farran Forest Park. The development of further support from Coillte for the Grand League series further endorses our relationship and we welcome all to attend the upcoming events to experience a day of competitive racing in the majestic setting of Farran Forest Park.”

 The 2016 Coillte Grand League will include three regatta events that will each attract up to two thousand rowing competitors as well as five thousand plus spectators each day.

 The Coillte Grand League will take place at the following dates and venues:

9th and 10th April: Skibbereen Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Farran Forest Park, Co. Cork.

28th May: Metropolitan Regatta, Blessington Lake, Co. Wicklow.

25th and 26th June: Cork Regatta, National Rowing Centre,  Farran Forest Park, Co. Cork.

 The Grand League regatta series was established by Rowing Ireland in 2010 and has since become the premier domestic rowing league in Ireland, contributing to the development of numerous athletes at both junior and senior level. The series provides rowers at all levels with the opportunity to perform and develop their racing prowess in a fair and competitive environment.

Published in Rowing

#ROWING: Gráinne Mhaol/NUIG were pushed hard by UCD, but came away with the Division One eights title at Cork Grand League Regatta at the National Rowing Centre. NUIG came in third, despite having to do without the services of Kevin Neville, who had fallen ill during the heats. The experienced Gráinne Mhaol crew of Dave Mannion, Alan Martin, Cormac Folan and James Wall won the Division One four, while Skibbereen won the women’s four.

Andy Harrington of UCC won the Division One single sculls from Eimantas Grigalius of Three Castles and Fergus Fauvel, a New Zealander studying in Galway. Fauvel also rowed at number four for the winning eight.

Catríona Jennings of Commercial, who only took up rowing in the past two years after competing as a runner at the Olympic Games, won the Division One single sculls.

The timing system at the regatta, a bugbear at a number of Grand League events, caused some difficulties.  

Published in Rowing

ROWING: Queen’s Regatta has been cancelled. The Grand League Regatta was scheduled for May 17th at Castlewellan Forest Park in Co Down but redevelopment work at the venue has forced the abandonment of the event. The board meeting of Rowing Ireland this Saturday will consider whether the Grand League slot now left open could be filled by another regatta.

The Irish University Championships, originally scheduled for Blessington in June, have been switched to the National Rowing Centre in Cork and will be held on April 11th. Skibbereen’s two-day Grand League Regatta will be held on April 12th and 13th at the NRC.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: SKIBBEREEN REGATTA: Skibbereen’s young stars burned brightly in the second finals session of their own eFlow Grand League regatta the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. A gusting tailwind may have caused the abandonment of junior 14 and junior 15 races, but the Skibbereen quadruple scull of Padraig Murphy, Aodhan Burns, Shane O’Driscoll and Gary O’Donovan mastered the conditions to set a good time of 5 minutes 56.31. O’Driscoll and O’Donovan, who will compete for Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships in three weeks’ time, also won the double impressively.

St Michael’s also continued their good run. They added wins in the women’s four and men’s pair to their earlier win in the women’s eight, and Sinead Jennings was by an impressive margin the fastest women’s single sculler home, though she will not be credited as winner: she had entered as a lightweight but then chose not to weigh in as one.

The women’s pairs title went to Cork Boat Club. The last race of the day, the men’s Division One eights, was won by NUIG’s intermediate crew, though their one rival in the race, UCC, did not finish.

Skibbereen eFlow Grand League Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 NUIG (inter) 5:52.01, UCC did not finish. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 6:12.96, 2 UCD (nov) 6:15.12, 3 Cork (jun 18B) 6:20.05;

Four, coxed – Divsion One – A Final: 1 UCC (inter) 6:29.66, 2 NUIG (inter) 6:32.9, 3 Trinity (inter) 6:33.60; 4 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 6:45.78. B Final: NUIG (inter) 6:42.18. Division Two – A Final: 1 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 6:54.06, 2 UCC (nov) 6:56.06, 3 NUIG (nov) 6:56.65.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s B (K O’Connor, M O’Brien; sen) 6:52.69, 2 St Michael’s C (sen) 6:55.62, 3 Clonmel (jun 18A) 6:55.97. B Final: St Joseph’s (jun 18A) 7:14.02; 4 Commercial (inter) 7:35.29. C Final: Blackrock College (jun 18A) 7:39.55.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 5:56.31, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 6:06.99, 3 Carlow (sen) 6:08.43; 4 Lee (jun 18) 6:13.32. B Final: Carlow/Three Castles (sen) 6:27.75. Division Two, coxed – A Final: Cork (jun 16) 6:50.15, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:02.41, 3 UCD (nov) 7:10.71; 5 Shandon (jun 18B) 7:19.98. B Final: Cappoquin (nov) 7:10.77.

Double, Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (S O’Driscoll, G O’Donovan; sen) 6:35.67, 2 Three Castles (sen) 6:40.66, 3 Shandon (jun 18A) 6:51.27; 5 Skibbereen (inter) 6:59.08. B Final: Garda (inter) 6:58.12. C Final: Athlone (jun 18A) 7:08.38. Division Two: Waterford (jun 18B) 7:14.89, 2 Shandon (jun 16) 7:17.91, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 7:24.85. B Final: Skibbereen (jun 16) 7:59.45.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Lee Valley (J Keohane, sen) 7:12.18, 2 Three Castles (Grigalius, sen) 7:20.89, 3 Skibbereen (Ryan, jun 18A) 7:21.59; 4 Skibbereen (Burns, u23) 7:22.59; 6 Clonmel (Prendergast, inter) 7:23.44. B Final: Portadown (McKeown, inter) 7:31.83. C Final: 1 Three Castles (Corcoran, inter) 7:42.87; 2 Clonmel (Channon, lwt) 7:45.65. D Final: Skibbereen (Barry, inter) 7:57.57. Division Two – A Final: 1 Castleconnell (E Whittle, jun 16) 7:38.19, 2 Lee (White, jun 18B) 7:40.50, 3 Shandon (Begley, jun 18B) 7:43.82; 5 Univ of Limerick (Koyayashi; nov) 7:39.35. B Final: Waterford (Goff, jun 16) 7:41.25. C Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy, nov) 7:53.80. D Final: UCD (Toland, nov) 8:05.52.

Women

Eights – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (sen) 6:32.25, 2 UCD (sen) 6:34.32, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 6:38.68. B Final: 1 Cork (jun 18B) 6:51.83, 2 Commercial (inter) 6:52.26. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (nov) 7:04.35, 2 Shannon (nov) 7:16.68, 3 Garda (nov) 7:40.33; 4 Shandon (jun 18B) 7:55.26.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (sen) 7:16.4, 2 UCC (inter) 7:26.04, 3 UCD (inter) 7:37.30.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (u23) 7:02.51 UCD 7:07.05, 3 Cork BC (jun 18A) 7:12.39 B Final: Skibbereen (sen) 7:17.44. Division Two – A Final: 1 Shannon (nov) 7:39.91, 2 Trinity (nov) 7:46.61, 3 Commercial (nov) 7:48.44; 4 Shandon (jun 16) 8:22.77.

Pairs – Division One – A Final: 1 Cork (sen) 7:49.94, 2 NUIG (inter) 8:01.08, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 8:24.34. B Final: Trinity (u23) 8:12.81.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (Jun 18A) 7:01.73, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 7:05.47, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 7:20.57. Division Two (coxed) – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 7:39.92, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:53.61, 3 St Michael’s (jun 16) 8:07.04.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Three Castles (H Walshe, E Moran, sen) 7:13.57, 2 St Michaels (sen) 7:27.81, 3 NUIG (inter) 7:38.38; 4 Castleconnell (jun 18A) 8:02.90. Division Two – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 8:04.89, 2 Lee (jun 18B) 8:13.12, 3 Lee (jun 16) 8:17.70. B Final: Graiguenamanagh (jun 18B) 8:29.09. C Final: Tralee (jun 18B) 8:47.99.

Single, Division One – A Final: S Jennings (timing only) 7:50.11; 1 St Michael’s (S Clavin; lwt) 7:59.46, 2 Three Castles (B Quinn; lwt) 8:04.89, 3 Cork (M O’Neill, sen) 8:07.75. B Final: 1 Shandon (Horgan, lwt) 8:17.53, 2 Lee Valley (Corcoran-O’Hare; inter) 8:20.80. C Final: 1 UCC (O’Mahony, inter) 8:30.14; 2 Fermoy (Sohun, jun 18A) 8:31.03. Division Two – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (Hegarty; nov) 8:25.21, 2 St Michael’s (Murphy, jun 16) 8:29.40, 3 Killorglin (Ryan, nov) 8:50.30; 4 Lee (McGrath; jun 18B) 8:57.62. B Final: Cappoquin (Laughlin; jun 16) 9:00.90. C Final: Fermoy (Bouanane; jun 18B) 9:25.66.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING CORK REGATTA: Timing problems gave the organizers difficulties on Friday, the first day of the Cork City Regatta at the National Rowing Centre, but races ran to schedule today and there were some very competitive times in good conditions. There was general agreement that the  complexity of the timing system at the Grand League regattas will have to be looked at as the series progresses.

Cork eFlow Grand League Regatta, Selected Results

Men

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (sen) 5:46.5, 2 NUIG (inter) 5:51.4, 3 St Michael’s 5:54.8; 5 St Joseph’s Col (jun 18A) 5:58.4. B Final: Trinity (inter) 6:12.8.

Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 6:05.2, 2 Trinity (nov) 6:06.4, 3 UCD (nov) 6:06.9; 4 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 6:21.8. B Final: Neptune (jun 18B) 6:53.6.  

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 Grainne Mhaol (sen) 6:03.6, 2 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (sen) 6:08.9, 3 St Michael’s (sen) 6:09.7; 4 Presentation, Cork/St Joseph’s (sen – trialling) 6:25.3.

Four, coxed – Division One - A Final: 1 Trinity (sen) 6:21.2, 2 NUIG (inter) 6:21.8, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 6:32.2; 4 St Joseph’s (jun 18A) 6:40.0. Division Two – A Final: 1 Univ of Limerick (nov) 6:43.1, 2 UCD (nov) 6:44.8, 3 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 6:55.2. B Final: 1 Col Iognaid (jun 16) 6:55.1. C Final: Trinity (nov) 7:05.1.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 6:07.7, 2 Shandon (jun 18A) 6:12.0, 3 UCC (sen) 6:12.7. B Final: Neptune (jun 18A) 6:22.6.

Double – Division Two – A Final: 1 Lee (jun 18B) 6:54.4, 2 Cork (jun 18B) 7:01.3, 3 Skibbereen (nov) 7:03.7; 5 Shandon (jun 16) 7:40.6. B Final: Trinity (nov) 7:20.6, 2 Clonmel (jun 16) 7:27.1. C Final: Col Chiarain (jun 16) 7:35.3. D Final: Blackrock Col (jun 18B) 7:53.4.

Single – Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (Higgins) 7:29.8, 2 Sligo (Patterson) 7:37.3, 3 University of Limerick (Kobayashi) 7:40.8. B Final: Cork (Higgins) 7:47.8. C Final: Lee (Turner) 7:56.0. D Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy) 8:05.1

Women

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 Trinity (sen) 6:39.1, 2 UCD (under-23) 6:40.7, 3 Shannon (jun 18) 7:05.7; 4 Queen’s (inter) 7:06.3. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (nov) 7:05.8, 2 Commercial (nov) 7:08.3, 3 Athlunkard (nov) 7:19.3; 4 Shannon (jun 16) 7:31.6. B Final: NUIG (nov) 7:24.3.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 NUIG/St Michael’s (u23) 6:45.3, 2 St Michael’s (u23) 7:00.4, 3 UCD (sen) 7:02.0. B Final: Skibbereen (jun 18A) 7:13.8.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (inter) 7:22.3, 2 NUIG (inter) 7:24.0, 3 UCD (inter) 7:29.5. B Final: Trinity (inter) 7:38.0. Division Two – B Final: 1 Shannon (nov) 7:38.3, 2 Galway (nov) 7:38.5, 3 NUIG (nov) 7:46.9. B Final: Shandon (jun 16) 7:55.4.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (sen) 6:59.0, 2 Cork (jun 18A) 7:04.8, 3 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 7:07.1. B Final: Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 7:33.3. Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 7:34.6, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:38.7, 3 Neptune (jun 16) 7:43.8; 4 Commercial (jun 18B) 7:54.1. B Final: Carrick-0n-Shannon 8:20.8.  

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 S Jennings/C Lambe (timing only) 7:02.1, 2 Three Castles (sen) 7:12.6, 3 Skibbereen (sen) 7:27.3; 4 UCC (inter) 7:44.1. B Final: 1 St Michael’s (u23) 7:40.9, 2 Castleconnell (jun 18A) 7:56.1; 4 Col Iognaid (jun 18A) 8:50.9.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:46.3, 2 Skibbereen (jun 16) 7:59.6, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 8:04.6; 4 Skibbereen (nov) 8:05.2. B Final: St Michael’s (jun 18B) 8:21.8. C Final: Cork (nov) 8:33.9.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING CORK REGATTA: Grainne Mhaol/NUIG dominated the final race of the day, the A Final of the men’s eight at Cork Regatta today, with NUIG’s intermediate eight second. Grainne Mhaol had also won the men’s four.

Trinity also had a good day, winning the women’s eight and shading the men’s coxed four – they had .6 of a second to spare over NUIG. Skibbereen were strong in the sculling events, with wins in the men’s and women’s quadruple sculls and the men’s double – the Ireland under-23 crew of Gary O’Donovan and Shane O’Driscoll.

The men’s junior four which was trialling for a place at the Coupe de la Jeunesse (Kevin Fallon and Jack Smyth of St Joseph’s, and twin brothers David and Brian Keohane of Presentation, Cork) landed their places. The women’s four which hopes to represent Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships (Lisa Dilleen, Aifric Keogh, Ailish Sheehan and Emily Tormey) also won their final.

Sinead Jennings and Claire Lambe impressed when they teamed up in a double scull, winning well and setting a good time of seven minutes 2.1 seconds.

Published in Rowing

# ROWING: Young crews took full advantage of the absence of some of the big guns at Queen’s Regatta at Castlewellan today. The women’s Division One eights of the first eFlow Grand League regatta of the season gave Galway Rowing Club the chance to showcase their ambitious tyros – all but cox Aifric O’Regan are juniors – and they won from UCD’s intermediates and Portora’s junior eight. The men’s Division One single sculls was won by 18 year old Andy Harrington from clubmate Jack Casey, who is just 17. The two later teamed up to win the Division One double sculls’ title.

The top prize on the day, the Division One men’s eights, was taken by the Queen’s University senior crew, but they got quite a battle from the junior eight from St Joseph’s of Galway.   

Queen’s Regatta, Castlewellan, Co Down (1500 m), Saturday (Selected Results: Division One comprises senior (open, under-23 and lightweight), intermediate and junior 18A grades; Division Two comprises novice, junior 18 B and junior 16 grades.

Men

Eight, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (sen) 4:54.68, 2 St Joseph’s (jun 18) 4:58.83, 3 Portora (jun 18) 5:11.50; 5 Queen’s (u23) 5:29.67. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 4:46.02, 2 Queen’s (nov) 4:47.92, 3 Belfast (nov) 4:53.10; 4 Portora (jun 16) 4:54.56; 6 Coleraine AI (jun 18B) 5:10.46. B Final: RBAI (jun 18B) 5:00.66.

Four, coxed, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (sen) 5:01.13, 2 UCC (inter) 5:06.40, 3 Galway (jun) 5:10.30. B Final: Commercial (inter) 5:23.13. Masters: 1 Belfast BC/Belfast RC 5:48.15, 2 Bann 5:54.23, 3 Portadown 6:33.67. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (nov) 5:47.67, 2 Queen’s (nov) 5:57.21, 3 Blackrock (jun 18B) 6:01.14; 4 Methodist (jun 16) 6:06.18. B Final: Queen’s (nov) 6:03.00. C Final: Belfast RC (nov) 6:02.89.

Pair, Division One – A Final: 1 Queen’s (u23) 5:24.30, 2 Queen’s (sen) 5:27.59, 3 Queen’s (sen) 5:31.41. B Final: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:38.89; 2 Shandon (jun 18) 5:40.43; 5 Neptune (inter) 5:57.68. C Final: Portora (inter) 5:44.35. D Final: Commercial (sen) 5:47.30.

Sculling,

Quadruple, Division One – A Final: 1 Commercial (sen) 5:09.64, 2 Lee (jun 18) 5:14.69, 3 Garda (inter) 5:23.44. B Final: Neptune (jun 18) 5:27.68.

Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 5:30.30, 2 Commercial (jun 18B) 5:33.79, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 5:34.68. B Final: RBAI (jun 18B) 5:53.44. C Final: 1 Portadown (jun 18B) 6:20.67; 2 Sliog (nov) 6:25.96.

Double, Division One – A Final: 1 Shandon (jun 18) 5:28.89, 2 UCC (sen) 5:39.42, 3 Queen’s/Skibbereen (sen) 5:40.43; 4 Garda (inter) 5:50.04. B Final: Commercial (inter) 5:55.04. Division Two – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (nov) 6:00.22, 2 Cork (jun 18B) 6:00.81, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 6:05.43. B Final: UCD (nov) 6:02.19; 5 Galway (jun 16) 6:55.56. C Final: Commercial (jun 16) 6:31.34. D Final: Belfast RC (jun 18B) 6:55.86.

Single, Division One – A Final: 1 Shandon (A Harrington, jun 18) 5:39.79, 2 Shandon (Casey, jun 18) 5:41.78, 3 Lee (Mitchell, jun 18) 5:43.58; 5 Skibbereen (Murphy, sen) 5:45.40. B Final: Lee (Buckley, jun 18) 5:45.19; 3 Commercial (McKenna, inter) 5:52.13. C Final: Commercial (Dowling, sen) 5:40.29; 6 UCC (Griffin, lwt) 6:05.03. D Final UCC (O’Leary, lwt) 5:56.23. E Final: Carrick-on-Shannon (Cox, inter) 6:01.09.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Sligo (Patterson, nov) 5:50.62, 2 UCC (Stanton, nov) 5:51.69, 3 Lee (White, jun 18B) 5:58.15; 5 Cork (O’Connell, jun 16) 6:01.16. B Final: Cork (Dennehy, jun 18B) 5:56.0. C Final: Portadown (McKeown, nov) 5:50.70. D Final: Skibbereen (McCarthy, jun 16) 6:00.19. E Final: Lee (Larkin, nov) 6:02.12. F Final: Commercial (Meade, nov) 6:18.68. G Final: Cappoquin (Buckley, jun 16) 6:09.72.  

Women

Eight, Division One – A Final: 1 Galway (u23) 5:16.95, 2 UCD (inter) 5:18.53, 3 Portora (jun 18) 5:19.02; 5 Queen’s (inter) 5:31.06. Division Two – A Final: 1 Queen’s (nov) 5:50.98, 2 Portora (jun 16) 5:55.82, 3 UCD (nov) 6:01.23. B Final: Commercial (jun 18B) 6:21.01.

Four, Division One – A Final: 1 Portora (jun 18) 6:18.20, 2 Methodist Col (jun 18) 6:35.28.

Four, coxed, Division One – A Final: 1 UCD (inter) 5:44.98, 2 Commercial (inter) 5:50.63, 3 Commercial B (inter) 5:51.29. B Final: Queen’s B (inter) 5:56.77.

Pair, Division One – A Final: Bann (inter) 6:32.44, 2 Skibbereen (u23) 6:34.73, 3 Shandon (jun 18) 6:40.69; 4 Commercial (inter) 6:41.64. B Final: Cork (sen) 7:00.21.

Sculling, Quadruple, Division One – A Final: 1 Galway (jun 18) 5:31.91, 2 Shandon (inter) 5:34.77, 3 UCD (inter) 5:49.23.

Division Two, coxed – A Final: 1 Galway (jun 18B) 5:52.76, 2 Lee (nov) 6:00.32, 3 Bann (jun 18B) 6:02.19; 4 Methody (jun 16) 6:03.27. B Final: Cork (nov) 6:01.03. C Final: Athlunkard (nov) 6:18.70. D Final: Portadown (jun 16) 6:33.53.

Double, Division Two – A Final: 1 Muckross (jun 18B) 6:02.82, 2 Skibbereen (jun 16) 6:09.52, 3 Lee (jun 18B) 6:20.55; 5 Skibbereen (nov) 6:34.51. B Final: Methody (jun 18B) 6:25.72. C Final: Portadown (jun 16) 7:06.44.

Single, Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (O Hayes, lwt) 6:49.79, 2 Commercial (Dolan, lwt) 6:59.90, 3 Skibbereen (Dinneen, u23) 7:05.76; 5 Skibbereen (Hegarty, jun 18) 7:13.89; 6 Lee Valley (Corcoran-O’Hare, inter) 7:26.55. B Final: Shandon (Horgan, inter) 7:09.86.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Bann (E Barry, jun 16) 6:46.61, 2 Commercial (Foley, nov) 6:48.65, 3 Commercial (Lambe, jun 16) 6:57.22. B Final: Offaly (Mooney, jun 16) 7:04.65. C Final: Belfast BC (Cameron, nov) 7:29.49.

Published in Rowing

UCD stand on top of the Grand League points table after the first regatta of the season. Skibbereen, the hosts of last month's regatta are in second. Trinity, who won the Irish University Championships, have good showing for both their women's club, DULBC, and the men's club.  

Below is the  Grand League Rowing points table. Next up for the Grand League series: Queens Regatta, May 14th, Metro Regatta, May 28th and Cork & Monkstown Regatta, July 2nd.

  
Overall Club Points After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 187
2 Skibbereen RC 119
3 Shandon BC 107
4 St. Michaels Rowing Club 103
5 Dublin University Ladies BC 94
6 Cork BC 92
7 NUI Galway BC 82
8 Commercial RC 72
9 Neptune RC 71
10 Dublin University BC 55
11 Muckross RC 53
12 U.C.C. RC 49
13 University of Limerick RC 47.5
14 Carlow RC 46
15 St. Josephs College RC 43
16 Shannon RC 41
17 Fermoy RC 40
18 Clonmel RC 32
19 Athlunkard BC 29
20 Lee RC 29
21 Galway RC 20
22 Killorglin RC 18.5
23 Cappoquin 17
24 Tralee RC 17
25 Three Castles Rowing Club 15
26 Garda Siochana BC 14
27 Colaiste Chiarain RC 12
28 Lee Valley RC 12
29 Workmens RC 12
30 Old Collegians BC (Walshe) 10
31 Presentation College RC 10
32 Graiguenamanagh BC 9
33 Fossa RC 7
34 Grainne Mhaol RC 4
35 Castleconnell BC 1
 
 
Mens Division 1 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 74
2 Skibbereen RC 65
3 Neptune RC 39
4 Dublin University BC 30
5 Carlow RC 28
6 Commercial RC 28
7 Lee RC 24
8 Cork BC 22
9 NUI Galway BC 22
10 Muckross RC 21
11 St. Josephs College RC 17
12 University of Limerick RC 17
13 St. Michaels Rowing Club 15
14 Lee Valley RC 12
15 Shandon BC 12
16 Presentation College RC 10
17 Fossa RC 7
18 Garda Siochana BC 6
19 U.C.C. RC 6
20 Workmens RC 5
21 Grainne Mhaol RC 4
22 Three Castles Rowing Club 3
23 Clonmel RC 1
 
 
Mens Division 2 After Skibbereen Regatta
1 St. Michaels Rowing Club 38
2 Cork BC 33
3 Neptune RC 32
4 U.C.D. BC A 27
5 St. Josephs College RC 26
6 Dublin University BC 25
7 Shannon RC 24
8 Shandon BC 23
9 U.C.C. RC 23
10 Fermoy RC 21
11 Athlunkard BC 17
12 Carlow RC 12
13 Cappoquin RC 11
14 University of Limerick RC 11
15 Commercial RC 9
16 Skibbereen RC 9
17 Tralee RC 9
18 Workmens RC 7
19 Clonmel RC 6
20 Graiguenamanagh BC 6
21 NUI Galway BC 6
22 Lee RC 5
23 Colaiste Chiarain RC 4
24 Muckross RC 1
 
 
Womens Division 1 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 U.C.D. BC 61
2 Dublin University Ladies BC 47
3 Skibbereen RC 45
4 Shandon BC 40
5 St. Michaels Rowing Club 38
6 NUI Galway BC 29
7 Muckross RC 23
8 Killorglin RC 14.5
9 Three Castles Rowing Club 12
10 Old Collegians BC 10
11 University of Limerick RC 9.5
12 Clonmel RC 9
13 Cork BC 9
14 U.C.C. RC 9
15 Athlunkard BC 1
 
 
Womens Division 2 After Skibbereen Regatta  
1 Dublin University Ladies BC 47
2 Commercial 35
3 Shandon BC 33
4 Cork BC 28
5 NUI Galway BC 25
6 U.C.D. BC 25
7 Galway RC 20
8 Fermoy RC 19
9 Shannon RC 17
10 Clonmel RC 16
11 St. Michaels Rowing Club 12
12 Athlunkard BC 11
13 U.C.C. RC 11
14 University of Limerick RC 10
15 Colaiste Chiarain 8
16 Garda Siochana BC 8
17 Muckross RC 8
18 Tralee RC 8
19 Cappoquin 6
20 Carlow RC 6
21 Killorglin RC 4
22 Graiguenamanagh 3
23 Castleconnell BC 1
Published in Rowing

The first Grand League rowing regatta of the season, hosted by Skibbereen at the National Rowing Centre in Cork, came successfully through a bout of fog. The fastest crew on the day were the University of Limerick/Garda senior eight, while John Keohane of Lee Valley and Becky Quinn of Three Castles were the fastest single scullers.

 Skibbereen Regatta, National Rowing Centre, Cork, Sunday

Men

Eight – Divison One – A Final: 1 University of Limerick/Garda (senior) 6:01.02, 2 Trinity (under-23/senior) 6:03.05, 3 Neptune (intermediate) 6:04.69; 5 St Joseph’s (junior 18A) 6:12.15. 

Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity A (novice) 6:29.64, 2 UCC (nov) 6:35.37, 3 Trinity B (nov) 6:45.81; 4 St Michael’s (jun 16) 7:19.31. B Final: 1 UCD B (nov) 6:58.60, 2 St Joseph’s (jun 16) 7:01.38, 3 NUIG (nov) 7:07.41.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD A (senior) 6:22.39, 2 UCD B (sen) 6:29.47, 3 Commercial (sen) 6:34.00.

Four, coxed – Division One - A Final: Trinity (intermediate) 6:39.28, 2 Univ of Limerick (senior) 6:39.96, 3 UCD  B (inter) 6:45.00.  B Final: 1 Neptune (intermediate) 6:57.16, 2 Fossa (inter) 6:58.80, 3 NUIG (inter) 6:59.36); 5 Presentation (jun 18A) 7:21.80. Division Two – A Final: 1 UCC (novice) 6:55.61, 2 Cappoquin (nov) 6:59.11, 3 UCD A (nov) 7:02.33; 5 St Joseph’s A (jun 16) 7:23.49. B Final: 1 Workmen’s (novice) 7:10.14, 2 Clonmel (jun 16) 7:20.88, 3 St Michael’s (jun 16) 7:29.93.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 UCD B (senior) 7:07.81, 2 UCD A (sen) 7:11.76, 3 Commercial (sen) 7:19.40; 4 NUIG (inter) 7:25.25; 6 St Joseph’s (jun 18) 7:36.35. B Final: 1 Presentation (jun 18) 7:25.43, 2 St Michael’s (senior) 7:32.99, 3 Lee (jun) 7:33.60. C Final: Commercial/Carlow (u23/sen) 7:33.31.

Sculling, Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (senior) 6:24.80, 2 Skibbereen (jun 18A) 6:27.50, 3 Carlow (jun 18A) 6:27.92. Division Two (coxed) – A Final: 1 Carlow (jun 18B) 7:09.09, 2 Neptune (jun 18B) 7:10.97, 3 Cork (jun 16) 7:11.23. B Final: 1 Neptune (jun 16) 7:23.32, 2 Col Chiarain (jun 16) 7:45.88, 3 Fermoy (jun 16) 7:55.38.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Muckross (senior) 6:46.41, 2 Skibbereen (sen) 6:55.41, 3 Cork/Neptune 7:04.47; 4 Lee (intermediate one) 7:06.39; 5 Skibbereen (jun 18A) 7:16.16. B Final: 1 UCC (intermediate) 7:09.84, 2 Neptune (jun 18A) 7:11.74, 3 Lee (jun 18A) 7:21.59. Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 7:18.41, 2 Univ of Limerick (novice) 7:19.23, 3 Shannon (jun 16) 7:22.42; 5 Athlunkard (jun 18B) 7:40.98. B Final: 1 Graiguenamanagh (jun 18B) 7:41.55, 2 Lee (jun 16) 7:43.06, 3 Tralee (jun 18B) 7:48.74.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Lee Valley (Keohane; senior) 7:16.01, 2 Carlow (Brady; inter) 7:27.80, 3 Skibbereen (Murphy; sen) 7:29.58. B Final: 1 Skibbereen (O’Donovan; jun 18A) 7:25.42, 2 Grainne Mhaol (Mannion; senior) 7:32.01, 3 Three Castles (Folan; inter) 7:36.08. C Final: Clonmel (Prendergast; inter) 7:42.81. D Final: Univ of Limerick (Sheehan; inter) 8:00.00. E Final: Skibbereen (Murphy; inter) 8:18.69.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Neptune (Griffin; novice) 7:56.42, 2 Shandon (Casey; jun 16) 8:13.04, 3 Shannon (Radic; jun 18) 8:18.06. B Final: 1 Shandon (Harrington; jun 16) 8:16.11, 2 Shandon (Coffey; jun 18) 8:27.98, 3 Shannon (O’Carroll; novice) 8:28.98. 

Women

Eight – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 6:50.43, 2 Trinity (senior) 6:54.23, 3 NUIG (intermediate) 6:57.04; 5 Trinity (u23/senior) 7:06.39. Division Two – A Final: 1 NUIG (novice) 7:13.61, 2 UCC (nov) 7:14.07, 3 UCD (nov) 7:16.71; 5 Cork (jun 16) 7:23.04; 6 Commercial (jun 18B) 7:25.69. B Final: 1 Trinity C (novice) 7:22.23, 2 Killorglin (jun 16) 7:33.24, 3 Trinity B (nov) 7:34.28; 7 Athlone (jun 16) 10:00.83.

Four – Division One – A Final: 1 Muckross (senior) 7:23.62, 2 UCD (senior) 7:29.41, 3 Trinity (senior) 7:31.83; 4 Clonmel (junior 18A) 7:59.65.

Four, coxed – Division One – A Final: 1 Trinity (inter) 7:45.79, 2 NUIG (inter)  7:50.28, 3 UCD (inter) 8:01.89. Division Two – A Final: 1 Trinity (novice) 7:51.33, 2 NUIG (nov) 7:57.33, 3 Galway (jun 16) 8:01.52; 6 Clonmel (jun 18B) 8:18.28. B Final: 1 UCD B (nov) 8:06.59, 2 Trinity B (nov) 8:15.39, 3 Fermony (jun 18B) 8:30.62.

Pair – Division One – A Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 18A) 8:13.64, 2 UCD (u23/senior) 8:18.20.

Sculling

Quadruple – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (u23/sen) 7:23.48, 2 UCD (senior) 7:33.75, 3 Shandon (junior) 7:46.03. Division Two – A Final: 1 Cork (jun 16) 8:01.23, 2 Commercial (jun 16) 8:12.81, 3 Galway (jun 16) 8:21.32. B Final: 1 Cappoquin (jun 16) 8:40.69; 3 Commercial (nov) 8:59.23. C Final: Cork (novice) 8:39.28.

Double – Division One – A Final: 1 Skibbereen (u23/sen) 7:48.93, 2 Univ of Limerick/Killorglin (senior) 8:01.02, 3 Skibbereen (jun 18) 8:06.83. B Final: 1 Shandon (jun 18A) 8:25.22, 2 St Michael’s (inter) 8:27.17, 3 UCC (inter) 8:52.65.  Division Two – A Final: 1 Fermoy (jun 16) 8:17.80, 2 Shannon (novice) 8:22.14, 3 Univ of Limerick (nov) 8:26.38; 7 Carlow (jun 18B) 9:04.96. B Final: 1 St Michael’s (jun 16) 8:39.32, 2 Commercial (jun 16) 8:41.44, 3 Shandon (jun 18B) 8:59.64.

Single – Division One – A Final: 1 Three Castles (Quinn; lightweight) 8:17.41, 2 Skibbereen (Fitzgerald; inter one) 8:21.39, 3 Old Collegians (Walshe; senior) 8:27.23. B Final: 1 Trinity (Dolan; u23/senior) 8:21.16, 2 St Michael’s (O’Brien; jun 18A) 8:33.33, 3 Univ of Limerick (O’Sullivan; senior) 8:38.31.

Division Two – A Final: 1 Shandon (Mertz; jun 18B) 8:52.83, 2 Athlunkard (Green; jun 18B) 9:00.19, 3 Trinity (Dowling; novice) 9:16.15; 5 Tralee (Deady; jun 16) 9:46.58.

Published in Rowing
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Ireland's offshore islands

Around 30 of Ireland's offshore islands are inhabited and hold a wealth of cultural heritage.

A central Government objective is to ensure that sustainable vibrant communities continue to live on the islands.

Irish offshore islands FAQs

Technically, it is Ireland itself, as the third largest island in Europe.

Ireland is surrounded by approximately 80 islands of significant size, of which only about 20 are inhabited.

Achill island is the largest of the Irish isles with a coastline of almost 80 miles and has a population of 2,569.

The smallest inhabited offshore island is Inishfree, off Donegal.

The total voting population in the Republic's inhabited islands is just over 2,600 people, according to the Department of Housing.

Starting with west Cork, and giving voting register numbers as of 2020, here you go - Bere island (177), Cape Clear island (131),Dursey island (6), Hare island (29), Whiddy island (26), Long island, Schull (16), Sherkin island (95). The Galway islands are Inis Mór (675), Inis Meáin (148), Inis Oírr (210), Inishbofin (183). The Donegal islands are Arranmore (513), Gola (30), Inishboffin (63), Inishfree (4), Tory (140). The Mayo islands, apart from Achill which is connected by a bridge, are Clare island (116), Inishbiggle (25) and Inishturk (52).

No, the Gaeltacht islands are the Donegal islands, three of the four Galway islands (Inishbofin, like Clifden, is English-speaking primarily), and Cape Clear or Oileán Chléire in west Cork.

Lack of a pier was one of the main factors in the evacuation of a number of islands, the best known being the Blasket islands off Kerry, which were evacuated in November 1953. There are now three cottages available to rent on the Great Blasket island.

In the early 20th century, scholars visited the Great Blasket to learn Irish and to collect folklore and they encouraged the islanders to record their life stories in their native tongue. The three best known island books are An tOileánach (The Islandman) by Tomás Ó Criomhthain, Peig by Peig Sayers, and Fiche Blian ag Fás (Twenty Years A-Growing) by Muiris Ó Súilleabháin. Former taoiseach Charles J Haughey also kept a residence on his island, Inishvickillaune, which is one of the smaller and less accessible Blasket islands.

Charles J Haughey, as above, or late Beatle musician, John Lennon. Lennon bought Dorinish island in Clew Bay, south Mayo, in 1967 for a reported £1,700 sterling. Vendor was Westport Harbour Board which had used it for marine pilots. Lennon reportedly planned to spend his retirement there, and The Guardian newspaper quoted local estate agent Andrew Crowley as saying he was "besotted with the place by all accounts". He did lodge a planning application for a house, but never built on the 19 acres. He offered it to Sid Rawle, founder of the Digger Action Movement and known as the "King of the Hippies". Rawle and 30 others lived there until 1972 when their tents were burned by an oil lamp. Lennon and Yoko Ono visited it once more before his death in 1980. Ono sold the island for £30,000 in 1984, and it is widely reported that she donated the proceeds of the sale to an Irish orphanage

 

Yes, Rathlin island, off Co Antrim's Causeway Coast, is Ireland's most northerly inhabited island. As a special area of conservation, it is home to tens of thousands of sea birds, including puffins, kittiwakes, razorbills and guillemots. It is known for its Rathlin golden hare. It is almost famous for the fact that Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, retreated after being defeated by the English at Perth and hid in a sea cave where he was so inspired by a spider's tenacity that he returned to defeat his enemy.

No. The Aran islands have a regular ferry and plane service, with ferries from Ros-a-Mhíl, south Connemara all year round and from Doolin, Co Clare in the tourist season. The plane service flies from Indreabhán to all three islands. Inishbofin is connected by ferry from Cleggan, Co Galway, while Clare island and Inishturk are connected from Roonagh pier, outside Louisburgh. The Donegal islands of Arranmore and Tory island also have ferry services, as has Bere island, Cape Clear and Sherkin off Cork. How are the island transport services financed? The Government subsidises transport services to and from the islands. The Irish Coast Guard carries out medical evacuations, as to the RNLI lifeboats. Former Fianna Fáíl minister Éamon Ó Cuív is widely credited with improving transport services to and from offshore islands, earning his department the nickname "Craggy island".

Craggy Island is an bleak, isolated community located of the west coast, inhabited by Irish, a Chinese community and one Maori. Three priests and housekeeper Mrs Doyle live in a parochial house There is a pub, a very small golf course, a McDonald's fast food restaurant and a Chinatown... Actually, that is all fiction. Craggy island is a figment of the imagination of the Father Ted series writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, for the highly successful Channel 4 television series, and the Georgian style parochial house on the "island" is actually Glenquin House in Co Clare.

Yes, that is of the Plassey, a freighter which was washed up on Inis Oírr in bad weather in 1960.

There are some small privately owned islands,and islands like Inishlyre in Co Mayo with only a small number of residents providing their own transport. Several Connemara islands such as Turbot and Inishturk South have a growing summer population, with some residents extending their stay during Covid-19. Turbot island off Eyrephort is one such example – the island, which was first spotted by Alcock and Brown as they approached Ireland during their epic transatlantic flight in 1919, was evacuated in 1978, four years after three of its fishermen drowned on the way home from watching an All Ireland final in Clifden. However, it is slowly being repopulated

Responsibility for the islands was taking over by the Department of Rural and Community Development . It was previously with the Gaeltacht section in the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.

It is a periodic bone of contention, as Ireland does not have the same approach to its islands as Norway, which believes in right of access. However, many improvements were made during Fianna Fáíl Galway West TD Éamon Ó Cuív's time as minister. The Irish Island Federation, Comdháil Oileáin na hÉireann, represents island issues at national and international level.

The 12 offshore islands with registered voters have long argued that having to cast their vote early puts them at a disadvantage – especially as improved transport links mean that ballot boxes can be transported to the mainland in most weather conditions, bar the winter months. Legislation allowing them to vote on the same day as the rest of the State wasn't passed in time for the February 2020 general election.

Yes, but check tide tables ! Omey island off north Connemara is accessible at low tide and also runs a summer race meeting on the strand. In Sligo, 14 pillars mark the way to Coney island – one of several islands bearing this name off the Irish coast.

Cape Clear or Oileán Chléire is the country's most southerly inhabited island, eight miles off the west Cork coast, and within sight of the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, also known as the "teardrop of Ireland".
Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast, which has a monastic site dating from the 6th century. It is accessible by boat – prebooking essential – from Portmagee, Co Kerry. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, it was not open to visitors in 2020.
All islands have bird life, but puffins and gannets and kittiwakes are synonymous with Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. Rathlin island off Antrim and Cape Clear off west Cork have bird observatories. The Saltee islands off the Wexford coast are privately owned by the O'Neill family, but day visitors are permitted access to the Great Saltee during certain hours. The Saltees have gannets, gulls, puffins and Manx shearwaters.
Vikings used Dublin as a European slaving capital, and one of their bases was on Dalkey island, which can be viewed from Killiney's Vico road. Boat trips available from Coliemore harbour in Dalkey. Birdwatch Ireland has set up nestboxes here for roseate terns. Keep an eye out also for feral goats.
Plenty! There are regular boat trips in summer to Inchagoill island on Lough Corrib, while the best known Irish inshore island might be the lake isle of Innisfree on Sligo's Lough Gill, immortalised by WB Yeats in his poem of the same name. Roscommon's Lough Key has several islands, the most prominent being the privately-owned Castle Island. Trinity island is more accessible to the public - it was once occupied by Cistercian monks from Boyle Abbey.

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