Hello and welcome aboard this week’s edition of Seascapes your maritime programme .......glad to be back this week after our break during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro we salute the Irish competitors who participated and congratulate our medal winners and wish our Paralympians every success , writer and broadcaster Hugh Oram relates the tale of how The Celtic Sea came by its name ; we have the results of our Seascapes competition and the winners of those copies of “ Shackleton’s South” as retold by John MacKenna in a Real Reads edition ; first this week to the recent Swim Ireland event at Coosan Point in Athlone ––Ron Coveney and Laura Hannon went along for Seascapes .......... let’s hear first from Mary McMorrow, Operations Manager of Swim Ireland as the National 5 and 10k Championships and Swim for A Mile all part of Waterfest began at the start line..........
Mary McMorrow, Operations Manager, Swim Ireland we can hear next from Marathon Swimmer Steven Miller...
Next to Charlie Lawn at Waterfest, Charlie is Inspector of Navigation with Waterways Ireland...
From Charlie Lawn to some of the winners of the National 5K Championship as Laura Hannon and Ron Coveney greeted them at the finish line at Coosan Point in Athlone....they talked to Adrian Cosgrove of Ennis ; Jordan Sexton of St Fiaccs the National 5K Champion but first to Amy Wolfe of Sandycove Island who was 1st across the line in the Senior Female (wetsuit) in the National 5K Championships..
A final word from Waterfest in Athlone with Kevin Clabby who is Chairman of Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.
The Athlone River Festival and Food Village takes place in the Shannonside town from the Friday 9th of September to Sunday 11th more details on the Waterways Ireland webpage and on the Seascapes webpage....
With all the coverage of the remarkable feat in the lightweight double sculls by the O'Donovan brothers Gary and Paul and the jubilation felt by all involved in Irish rowing circles throughout this island I was drawn to a piece by Alex Clark who wrote in last weekend’s Observer........
“ They do things differently in Skibbereen, as Gary and Paul O Donovan, Ireland’s first –ever rowing medal winners, demonstrated in their post-victory interviews. “
“The lightweight double scullers thrilled as they might have been, were not about to go overboard; rather they explained in Cork’s distinctive sing-song accent they had “done some Nutella, done the podium thing and peed in a cup”
“Back home, the duo rather wistfully explained on Irish (national) broadcaster Raidio Telefis Eireann, “its mad excitement altogether “and Skibbereen was “after closing everything down and having a national holiday and we’re missing it all.” Clark writes “Don’t worry lads: the ‘craic’ will still be ninety when you get home.”
In sailing, Annalise Murphy secured her silver medal after almost a decade of constant training and perseverance and her victory was celebrated in Dun Laoghaire and at her home sailing club The National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire , she is now hotly tipped to take on the Moth for Tokyo in four years time. Congratulations also go to the entire Irish sailing squad
Finn Lynch (20) from Carlow and also a National YC sailor was the youngest ever Olympic helm to represent Ireland as well as being the youngest in his 46-strong class. He achieved several notable performances during his ten-race series at Rio including several top 20 results. In an event where the average age of the top ten finishers is 30, he has proven his ability with an Olympic experience under his belt and is certain to be a prospect for Tokyo 2020.
Andrea Brewster and Saskia Tidey from the Royal Irish YC started their campaign together exactly three years ago and sailed the 49erFX class for the new Women’s Skiff event at Rio. Overcoming a three-month injury hiatus to their campaign, they qualified Ireland for the event earlier this year and their form improved steadily in the build-up to the Olympics. Over their 12 race series, they achieved five top ten results and ended their debut Olympic Games in 12th place overall.
Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern, from Carrickfergus Sailing Club, Ballyholme YC & Royal Ulster YC were the last of the six Irish sailors into action on Guanabara Bay in the Men’s Skiff event Medal Race final. The London 2012 veterans improved on their performance from four years ago by qualifying for the final to place tenth overall. Their results included two race wins in which they beat the four times world champions and eventual Gold medal winners. This ensured they were within reach of the podium going in to the last day of fleet racing.
“This result proves that our strategy in high performance is working and is providing the success that all involved in sailing and sport crave,” commented David Lovegrove, President of the Irish Sailing Association. “I want to acknowledge the tremendous professionalism of our coaching staff who have demonstrated such passion and commitment to our sailors. In particular I want to commend James O’Callaghan’s leadership and guidance of high performance sailing, ably supported by Rory Fitzpatrick.”
“Annalise’s medal confirms the intent of our programme that both delivers the highest standard of performance but also makes a return to our domestic sport,” said James O’Callaghan, ISA Performance Director.
We wish all our Paralympians well in Rio particularly our Paralymic Sailing Team of John Twomey , Ian Costelloe and Austin O Carroll , this is Johns ‘ 11th consecutive games...fair winds...
As the clock counts down to the America’s Cup proper next year, the pressure is building week by week. Pressure for Sir Ben Ainslie’s team, Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing ; also for the Defenders Oracle Team USA and indeed for all six teams as they fight for the bonus points that could increase their chances next year when the road to the America’s Cup kicks off.
Next to our recent Seascapes competition you may remember that we asked you to name the last vessel on which Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed before his untimely passing the answer as many of you correctly guessed was The Quest, so copies of “Shackletons South “ as retold by John MacKenna are going out to ...
*Kevin O'Halloran, Youghal, Co. Cork
*Marcelline Cody Roscrea Co Tipperary
*Tony O'Connor Malahide, Co. Dublin
A new statue is unveiled in Athy to Sir Ernest Shackleton this coming week and we’ll be there.......
Well from the World of exploration to our coastal waters and the Celtic Sea...........broadcaster and writer Hugh Oram on the how this body of water got its name.........
Hugh Oram and the origins of The Celtic Sea, Hugh’s latest book is a pictorial history of Sandymount, published by The History Press Ireland ...
“ On the sound desk this week Niall O’ Sullivan, next week here on your maritime programme Grainne McPolin heads for Fenit and Tralee Bay for Seascapes and profiles the crane company Liebherr who came to Tralee in 1958 and how the company has expanded , their shipping movements through Fenit and Tralee Bay ..........we’ll meet the Chief Executive Officer of Liebherr , Pat O ‘Leary ; retiree Max McCarthy ; Port Manager - Don O’ Herlihy ; Commodore and Vice Commodore of Tralee Bay Sailing Club Fiona Frawley and Gary Forte and Harbour Master - Batt McCarthy......and we’ll be at the unveiling of that new statue to Sir Ernest Shackleton in Athy .........until next Friday tight lines and fair sailing.”
