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Bray Rowing Club said goodbye to its founding member and legend Mr Noel Walsh yesterday (Tuesday, September 16) writes club member Mick O'Toole

Noel, we thank you for your years of commitment and selfless dedication to Bray Rowing Club. A true community man, gone but never forgotten. We will make sure that your years of service to the club will not be in vain and strive to continue the high standards you have set. There is no doubt that the rowing club would not be where it is today without you. You have paved the way for rowing in Bray for generations to come. We are forever grateful.

The sea stood still and the sun shone through for your send-off, something we always pray for on regatta day.

We would like to thank everyone who came to give Noel the send-off he deserved, the turnout was overwhelming and no doubt he was looking down on it a very proud man.

A special thanks to the other clubs on the east coast for making the long journey to show support for Noel. The east coast rowing community stood tall yesterday and it was a testament to the character of the people in the rowing community.

We send our condolences to Anne, John and the extended family.

Rest in Peace Noel, till we meet again my friend.

Published in Coastal Rowing

William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland and internationally for many years, with his work appearing in leading sailing publications on both sides of the Atlantic. He has been a regular sailing columnist for four decades with national newspapers in Dublin, and has had several sailing books published in Ireland, the UK, and the US. An active sailor, he has owned a number of boats ranging from a Mirror dinghy to a Contessa 35 cruiser-racer, and has been directly involved in building and campaigning two offshore racers. His cruising experience ranges from Iceland to Spain as well as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, and he has raced three times in both the Fastnet and Round Ireland Races, in addition to sailing on two round Ireland records. A member for ten years of the Council of the Irish Yachting Association (now the Irish Sailing Association), he has been writing for, and at times editing, Ireland's national sailing magazine since its earliest version more than forty years ago