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Displaying items by tag: St Michael's

#Rowing: Cork clubs had a set of good results in the first session of Sunday finals at the Irish Rowing Championships at the National Rowing Centre.

Cork Boat Club's junior women's pair started the ball rolling, while Skibbereen then took their second title of Championships as Aodhan Burns proved a strong winner of the lightweight single sculls.

Margaret Cremen of UCC had a huge win in the lightweight single sculls, and Lee added the junior men's double to the junior quadruple title they had won on Saturday.

The tighest finish came in the men's club coxed four. NUIG made a tremendous effort to catch St Michael's of Limerick but they fell short by just .329 of a second.

Commercial of Dublin and Fermanagh's Enniskillen Royal Boat Club are having a good reatta. Enniskillen won the men's intermediate pair, while Commercial won the womens intermediate coxed four.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: St Michael’s of Limerick had an excellent day at the National Schools Regatta at Dorney Lake. Their Girls’ Championship Four took silver behind Henley, pushing the elite English crew right to the finish.

 Ryan Spelman of St Michael’s also featured in one of the prestigious finals – he took fifth in the A Final of the Championship Single.

 Earlier, Enniskillen’s Peter Murphy and Sam Balcombe took bronze in the Championship Pair and Enniskillen were just one place outside the medals in the Boys Championship Four.

 Coleraine Grammar School finished fifth in the Junior 16 Girls Double.

Published in Rowing
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#Rowing: Enniskillen’s Sam Balcombe and Peter Murphy took a fine third place in the men’s Championship Pair at the National Schools Regatta at Dorney Lake today.

 On Saturday, Enniskillen had won gold in the Junior 16 Girls coxed four by a big margin.

 Ryan Spelman of St Michael’s took his place in the A Final of the Championship Single Sculls, and finished well to challenge the leaders. He took fifth.

 Coleraine Grammar School also took fifth in the final of the Junior 16 Girls Double.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: The St Michael’s Head of the River, scheduled for Saturday, March 16th, has been cancelled. The weather forecast for Limerick changed, and the organisers felt they could not be certain of running a safe event. Monday was considered for a rescheduled event, but some clubs could not change their plans.   

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Rory O’Neill and James O’Donovan of Castleconnell shared top billing in the men’s junior 18 rankings after the concluding stage of the Dirty Dozen Challenge. Eabha Benson of St Michael’s won the women’s junior 18 series. There were four rounds, beginning in October (three kilometres) and running through November (5k) and December and January (6k).  

CategoryShellRower(-s)Bow #PlaceCourse time
W J161XC. Leahy112100:14:50
W J161XJ. O'Brien (CCBC)110200:14:51
W J161XR. Hickey (Shannon Rowing Club)114300:15:00
W J161XC. Kiely (Castleconnell)1094th00:15:02
W J161XG. Fitzgerald (CCBC)1135th00:15:29
W J161XC. Ni Dhonabhain (SRC)111DNF
W J181X�. Benson (SMRC)76100:28:45
W J181XN. Kiely (Castleconnell BC)74200:29:04
W J181XC. KIRWAN (SMRC)75300:29:58
W J181XS. Gilmore (CCBC)774th00:30:00
W J181XS. Fitzgerald (TRC)785th00:31:05
W J181XC. Storan (SMRC)826th00:31:42
W J181XC. Kelly (Castleconnell BC)797th00:33:37
W J181XA. King (SMRC)818th00:33:48
W J181XH. Bradshaw (CCBC)809th00:34:12
W J181XO. Murphy (St Michaels)8410th00:34:47
W J181X�. Phillips (SMRC)8311th00:37:41
W J181XL. O'Brien (Castleconnell Boat Club)73DNF
W OPEN1XE. Redlichova (SMRC)85DNF
W U211XC. O'Brien (Castleconnell boat club)86100:28:37
W U231XS. Murphy (SMRC)87100:32:03
W U23 Lt Wt1XN. Hartney (SMRC)88100:29:34
W J162-F. Gleeson (Shannon rowing club)
A. Curtin (shannon rowing club)116100:13:38
W J162-E. McMahon (CCBC)
T. Mulready (Ccbc)117200:14:04
W J162-C. Gleeson (Shannon rowing club)
A. Caffrey (Shannon)115DNF
W J182-S. Byrnes (CCBC)
N. Silke (Castleconnell boat club)92100:27:44
W J182-E. Mcinerney (Smrc)
E. Murphy (SMRC)89200:28:15
W J182-A. Mckeon (Smrc)
M. O'Byrne (SMRC)93300:29:10
W J182-N. Jones (SMRC)
K. McGann (SMRC)944th00:30:51
W J182-S. Broggy (Athlunkard Boat Club)
M. Malone (Athlunkard Boat Club)905th00:31:08
M J161XP. Mcinerney (Smrc)105100:13:11
M J161XD. Foley (SMRC)103200:13:12
M J161XG. O'Donoghue (Shannon Rowing Club)97300:13:21
M J161XJ. Cunningham (Castleconnell)964th00:13:41
M J161XT. Byrne995th00:13:44
M J161XI. Byrne Delimata (Castleconnell)986th00:13:49
M J161XD. De Brun (SMRC)1047th00:13:59
M J161XN. Larkin Damm (Tralee Rowing CLUB)1028th00:14:47
M J161XS. Cunningham (CCBC)100DNF
M J161XC. Oconnell (Waterville lake rowing cl...)101DNF
M J181XR. O'Neill (Castleconnell)59100:25:39
M J181XJ. O Donovan (CCBC)57100:25:39
M J181XM. English (St Michaels Rowing Club)58300:26:59
M J181XJ. Scanlon France (ABC)604th00:32:50
M J18 Lt Wt1XB. France (St. Michaels)61100:28:22
M J18 Lt Wt1XC. Bowen (Castleconnell boat club)62200:29:03
M Master B1XR. Egan (Ccbc)63100:27:01
M Master C1Xc. Byrne (CCBC)64100:28:32
M OPEN1XD. O'Connor (St. Michael's Rowing...)50100:24:45
M U211XR. Spelman (Smrc)51100:25:23
M U211XC. Mulready (Castleconnel)52200:26:53
M U211XJ. Desmond (Caslteconnell)53300:28:16
M U211XA. King (Athlunkard Boat Club)54DNF
M U231XA. Lennon (St Michaels Rowing Club)55DNF
M J152-R. Lyons (Castleconnell)
A. SWEENEY (Ccbc)106100:13:22
M J162-E. Gilmartin (CCBC)
J. McGrath (CCBC)107100:12:48
M J162-P. Mcinerney (Smrc)
D. Hartney (SMRC)108200:13:28
M J182-R. O Gorman (St.Michaels Rowing Club)
D. Hartney (SMRC)69100:25:36
M J18 Lt Wt2-S. Fitzgerald (CCBC)
C. Nolan (Castleconnell)70100:26:50
M J18 Lt Wt2-C. Foster (SMRC)
C. Kemp (SMRC)72200:27:46
M J18 Lt Wt2-A. McFerran (CCBC)
E. Healy (Castleconnell Boat Club)71300:28:09
M Master B2-P. Williams (CCBC)
E. Meskell (CCBC)65100:26:05
M Master C2-k. mc donald
M. O'Callaghan (Shannon rowing club)66DNF
M U212-J. O Brien (Castleconnel Boat Club)
C. Feely (Castleconnel rowing club)67DNF
M U232-T. McKeon (St. Michael's rowing...)
J. Cuddy (SMRC)68100:24:31
Published in Rowing

#Rowing: The Workmen’s junior women’s double took a silver at the National Schools’ Regatta at Dorney Lake in England today. In the Championship Doubles, Annie O’Donoghue and Ciara Browne finished one and a half lengths down on Latymer Upper School. Ciara Moynihan of Workmen’s finished seventh in the A Final of the Championship Singles, while Molly Curry of Coleraine Grammar School took control of the B Final and won.

 Enniskillen took silver in the Boys’ Non-Championship Eights, and their girls’ junior 16 coxed four matched them in their A Final. Ireland clubs placed second and third in the B Final of the Girls’ Championship/Non Championship Eights.

British National Schools’ Regatta, Dorney Lake (Selected Results; Irish interest)

 

Saturday

Boys

Championship/Non-Championship Eight – B Final: 3 Enniskillen RBC.

Girls

Championship/Non-Championship Eight – B Final: 2 Galway 7:35.72; 3 St Michael’s 7:45.46.

Junior 16 Four, coxed – A Final: 2 Enniskillen RBC 8:22.68.

Sculling, Double – Championship A Final: 2 Workmen’s (A O’Donoghue, C Browne) 8:06.37.

Single – Championship A Final: 7 Workmen’s (C Moynihan) 9:10.40. B Final: 1 Coleraine Grammar School (M Curry) 8:43.03.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Castleconnell Sprint Regatta had a huge entry and a good day for rowing. The host club, which had amassed a set of fine results at Ghent regatta, did so again at their home regatta. They won the junior 15 eights for boys and girls. St Michael’s won the girls’ junior 16 eight. Athlunkard won the final race of the day, beating St Michael’s in the final of the men’s club two coxed four.

Castleconnell Sprint Regatta, Saturday (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Jun 15: Castleconnell. Masters: Castleconnell.

Four – Club Two, coxed: Athlunkard. Jun 16, coxed: Castleconnell.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two, coxed: St Michael’s. Jun 18B, coxed: Muckross.  

Double – Club Two: Workmen’s. Jun 18B: Workmen’s A.

Single – Club Two: Shandon (Diffley). Jun 18A: Castleconnell (D Martin).

Women

Eight – Masters: Univ of Limerick. Jun 16: St Michael’s. Jun 15: Castleconnell.

Four – Jun 18B, coxed: Shannon.

 Sculling, Quadruple – Jun 18B, coxed: CRCC. Jun 16, coxed: Workmans.

Double – Club Two: Waterford. Jun 18B: CRCC.

 Single – Club Two: Workmen’s (M Fleming). Novice: Cappoquin (B O’Rourke). Jun 18B: Muckross. Masters: Offaly (Nolan). 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: The Tribesmen Head of the River, set for Lough Rynn on Saturday (February 10th) has had to be called off because of a forecast of rain and gale force gusts of wind. The organisers hope to hold a deferred event in March.

 The weather has caused a change in venue for another event. Flooding at O’Brien’s Bridge has forced the organisers of the St Michael’s Head of the River on February 24th to move it to the St Michael’s club on O’Callaghan’s Strand in Limerick.  

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Neptune won the men’s junior 18 eight and Commercial were second at the Ghent International May Regatta in Belgium. Commercial’s Gillian Crowe and Hazel O’Neill won the women’s senior pair.

Commercial crews finished 1-2-3 of the eight crews which competed in the junior women’s pair.

Aaron Keogh of Three Castles won the junior 16 single sculls – first of 39 competitors and Jack Butler of Neptune was third of 28 in the junior 18 singles.

Cork took second in the women’s junior eight, while New Ross were third in the women’s junior quadruple.

Ghent International May Regatta, Belgium (Irish interest; selected results, finals)

Men

Eight: 1 Neptune 6:04.89, 2 Commercial 6:07.61.

Four, coxed – Jun 18: 1 Commercial 7:00.29 (two crews).

Pair – Sen: 2 Commercial (D Joyce, M Maher) 6:57.08. Under-23: 1 St Michael’s (T McKeon, D O’Byrne) 7:14.20, 3 St Michael’s (B McKeon, C Garvey) 7:15.78. Jun 18: 3 St Michael’s (T McKeon, D O’Byrne) 7:11.18.

Sculling

Quadruple – Jun 18: 2 Three Castles 6:21.19.

Double – Jun: 3 Three Castles (R Quinn, O Clune) 6:48.19.

Single: 3 S McKeown 7:25.96. Lightweight: 2 St Michael’s (D O’Connor) 7:21.71. Jun 18: 3 Neptune (J Butler) 7:42.19. Jun 16: 1 Three Castles (A Keogh) 7:38.98.

Women

Eight – Junior: 2 Cork 7:05.83, 3 Commercial 7:20.22.

Four – Jun: 2 Commercial 7:42.63.

Pair – Sen: 2 Commercial (G Crowe, H O’Neill) 7:50.48. Jun: 1 Commercial (A Keogh, S Maxwell) 8:14.43, 2 Commercial (G McNamara, K Dolan) 8:23.96, 3 Commercial (C Ryan, A O’Rourke) 8:39.88.

Sculling, Quadruple – Jun: 3 New Ross 7:22.57.

 

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Irish clubs had some excellent placings on Saturday at the Ghent International May Regatta in Belgium. Commercial and Neptune finished first and second in the junior men’s eight and Commercial also finished second in the women’s junior eight and four, and second and third in the junior women’s pair. The Three Castles junior double of Rory Quinn and Oisin Clune took silver – second of 47 crews which competed. New Ross were the second-placed crew in the junior quadruple.

In the adult events, which generally had smaller entries, St Michael’s had wins through Declan O’Connor, Ben McKeon and Colm Garvey, while Skibbereen’s Orla Hayes won the lightweight women’s single. Sam McKeown of Queen’s University finished second to Dave Bell of Molesey in the senior single sculls.

Ghent International May Regatta, Belgium (Irish interest; selected results; Saturday)

Men

Eight – Junior: 1 Commercial 6:42.02, 2 Neptune 6:47.0.

Four – Junior: 2 Commercial 7:01.64. Four, coxed – Junior: 2 Neptune 7:13.78.

Pair – Senior: 1 Commercial (D Joyce, M Maher) 7:45.01 Under-23 (Two Crews): 1 St Michael’s (B McKeon, C Garvey) 8:22.06, 2 St Michael’s (T McKeon, D O’Byrne) 8:23.88. Lightweight Pair: 1 St Michael’s (B McKeon, C Garvey) 8:09.34. Junior: 2 St Michael’s (T McKeon, D O’Byrne) 7:36.89.

Quadruple – Junior: 2 Three Castles 6:48.14.

Double – Junior: 2 Three Castles (R Quinn, O Clune) 7:18.24.

Single – Senior: 2 Queen’s (S McKeown) 8:03.56. Lightweight: 1 St Michael’s (D O’Connor) 7:05.24. Under-23 Lightweight: 3 Queen’s (M Taylor) 8:13.94.

Women

Eight – Junior: 2 Commercial 7:52.67, 3 Cork BC 8:04.40.

Four – Junior: 2 Commercial 8:18.63, 3 New Ross 8:27.38.

Pair – Senior: 3 Commercial (H O’Neill, G Crowe) 9:06.60. Junior: 2 Commercial (A Keogh, S Maxwell) 8:57.17, 3 Commercial (G McNamara, K Dolan) 9:03.31.

Sculling – Quadruple – Junior: 2 New Ross 7:52.00.

Lightweight Single: 1 Skibbereen (O Hayes) 8:52.88.

Published in Rowing
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Sharks in Irish waters

Irish waters are home to 71 species of shark, skates and rays, 58 of which have been studied in detail and listed on the Ireland Red List of Cartilaginous fish. Irish sharks range from small Sleeper sharks, Dogfish and Catsharks, to larger species like Frilled, Mackerel and Cow sharks, all the way to the second largest shark in the world, the Basking shark. 

Irish waters provide a refuge for an array of shark species. Tralee Bay, Co. Kerry provides a habitat for several rare and endangered sharks and their relatives, including the migratory tope shark, angel shark and undulate ray. This area is also the last European refuge for the extremely rare white skate. Through a European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) project, Marine Institute scientists have been working with fishermen to assess the distribution, diversity, and monthly relative abundance of skates and rays in Tralee, Brandon and Dingle Bays.

“These areas off the southwest coast of Ireland are important internationally as they hold some of the last remaining refuges for angel shark and white skate,” said Dr Maurice Clarke of the Marine Institute. “This EMFF project has provided data confirming the critically endangered status of some species and provides up-to-date information for the development of fishery measures to eliminate by-catch.” 

Irish waters are also home to the Black Mouthed Catshark, Galeus melastomus, one of Ireland’s smallest shark species which can be found in the deep sea along the continental shelf. In 2018, Irish scientists discovered a very rare shark-nursery 200 nautical miles off the west coast by the Marine Institute’s ROV Holland 1 on a shelf sloping to 750 metres deep. 

There are two ways that sharks are born, either as live young or from egg casings. In the ‘case’ of Black Mouthed Catsharks, the nursery discovered in 2018, was notable by the abundance of egg casings or ‘mermaid’s purses’. Many sharks, rays and skate lay eggs, the cases of which often wash ashore. If you find an egg casing along the seashore, take a photo for Purse Search Ireland, a citizen science project focusing on monitoring the shark, ray and skate species around Ireland.

Another species also found by Irish scientists using the ROV Holland 1 in 2018 was a very rare type of dogfish, the Sail Fin Rough Shark, Oxynotus paradoxus. These sharks are named after their long fins which resemble the trailing sails of a boat, and live in the deep sea in waters up to 750m deep. Like all sharks, skates and rays, they have no bones. Their skeleton is composed of cartilage, much like what our noses and ears are made from! This material is much more flexible and lighter than bone which is perfect for these animals living without the weight of gravity.

Throughout history sharks have been portrayed as the monsters of the sea, a concept that science is continuously debunking. Basking sharks were named in 1765 as Cetorhinus maximus, roughly translated to the ‘big-nosed sea monster’. Basking sharks are filter feeders, often swimming with their mouths agape, they filter plankton from the water.

They are very slow moving and like to bask in the sun in shallow water and are often seen in Irish waters around Spring and early Summer. To help understand the migration of these animals to be better able to understand and conserve these species, the Irish Basking Shark Group have tagged and mapped their travels.

Remarkably, many sharks like the Angel Shark, Squatina squatina have the ability to sense electricity. They do this via small pores in their skin called the ‘Ampullae of Lorenzini’ which are able to detect the tiny electrical impulses of a fish breathing, moving or even its heartbeat from distances of over a kilometre! Angel sharks, often referred to as Monkfish have a distinctively angelic shape, with flattened, large fins appearing like the wings of an angel. They live on the seafloor in the coastal waters of Ireland and much like a cat are nocturnal, primarily active at night.

The intricate complexity of shark adaptations is particularly noticeable in the texture of their skin. Composed of miniscule, perfectly shaped overlapping scales, the skin of shark provides them with protection. Often shark scales have been compared to teeth due to their hard enamel structure. They are strong, but also due to their intricate shape, these scales reduce drag and allow water to glide past them so that the shark can swim more effortlessly and silently. This natural flawless design has been used as inspiration for new neoprene fabric designs to help swimmers glide through the water. Although all sharks have this feature, the Leafscale Gulper Shark, Centrophorus squamosus, found in Ireland are specifically named due to the ornate leaf-shape of their scales.