A new coastal rowing boat named after St Laurence was blessed in Ringsend, Dublin, today for the Stella Maris Rowing Club.

The St Laurence II has been sponsored by Dublin Port Company, and is named after the original St Laurence, which was built, owned and competed in by Dublin Port workers in the 1950s.

Dublin Port Company says it represents yet another investment by it in promoting the sport of rowing in Dublin.

Dublin Port Company CEO Barry O’Connell alongside Alicia Weafer, Trudi Pepper, Emma Gannon and Niamh Kane of the Stella Maris Rowing Club’s Under-16 Girls Team, who take to the water on their new coastal rowing boat, the St Laurence II, sponsored by Dublin Port Company

Dublin Port Company CEO Barry O’Connell alongside Alicia Weafer, Trudi Pepper, Emma Gannon and Niamh Kane of the Stella Maris Rowing Club’s Under-16 Girls Team, who take to the water on their new coastal rowing boat, the St Laurence II, sponsored by Dublin Port Company.

It will also provide Stella Maris Rowing Club's dedicated members – ranging from aged ten onwards - with state-of-the-art equipment that will enhance their training and capabilities, the port company says.

(Left to Right) Coach Louise Kane with Niamh Kane, Emma Gannon, Trudi Pepper and Alicia Weafer of the Stella Maris Rowing Club’s Under-16 Girls Team take to the water on their new coastal rowing boat, the St Laurence II Photo Tommy Dickson

“This continued and long-standing partnership comes as part of Dublin Port Company’s wider plans for a new maritime village,”it says

The village is part of its 3FM development project, and will involve a “modern sailing and rowing campus” for sailing and rowing clubs, sea scouts, the Nautical Trust and local boat owners.

The 3FM project is the port’s masterplan for 2040, and is focused on port lands on the Poolbeg peninsula, on the south side of the bay.

Dublin Port Company continues its support of Stella Maris Rowing Club with the sponsorship of the new skiff (above and below Photos: Tommy Dickson

The port says the village “has been developed in consultation with local groups and will replace the current much smaller facilities as well as improving opportunities to view port activities from the new waterside public plaza area”.

The new boat was blessed today by Father Ivan Tonge during a ceremony held at the Ringsend Club’s home on the Pigeon House Road in Dublin.

Founded in 1937, Stella Maris is one of Dublin's oldest and most respected rowing clubs, with levels from junior right up to senior.

The club recently won a Dublin South Central Garda Youth Award, which is awarded to young people who have contributed positively to their communities.

Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive, Dublin Port Company, said: “We are honoured to offer our continued support to Stella Maris Rowing Club. The values Stella embodies, such as teamwork, dedication and perseverance, align perfectly with our own ethos at Dublin Port Company."

(Left to Right) Coach Louise Kane with Niamh Kane, Emma Gannon, Trudi Pepper and Alicia Weafer of the Stella Maris Rowing Club’s Under-16 Girls Team take to the water on their new coastal rowing boat, the St Laurence II Photo: Tommy Dickson

"This commitment ties in with our wider community initiatives to come under the 3FM Project, which will see a new maritime village providing enhanced facilities for a range of users, including sailing and rowing clubs.”

Dublin Port Company CEO Barry O’Connell (far right) with members of Stella Maris Rowing Club at the blessing of their new coastal rowing boat Photo: Tommy Dickson

Pat Kane, Chairman, Stella Maris Rowing Club, said: “Dublin Port has long been a friend to Stella Maris, and we would like to thank them for their continued support. The original St Laurence served the club well for over 30 years and, thanks to Dublin Port, the St Laurence II will inspire and enable the next generation of rowers.”

A team of novice rowers from Holyhead Sailing Club recently undertook an incredible feat to raise awareness for mental health. On Tuesday, August 15th, the team set off from Holyhead at 7 am, rowing to the Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire Harbour Dun Laoghaire Harbour and back again, a journey of almost 30 hours.

The team, consisting of five teams of five, swapped out every hour to ensure they could continue the gruelling journey. They arrived in Dun Laoghaire just before midnight and hoisted their flag on the RStGYC flagpole before setting off on the return leg.

Their efforts did not go unnoticed, as the RStGYC proudly flew the Row4gaz flag to support their mission. The team safely returned to Holyhead Sailing Club at 12:30 pm the following day, having completed their impressive journey.

The team of novice row4gaz rowers from Holyhead Sailing Club close in on Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay 

The team's goal was to raise awareness for mental health, and they succeeded in their mission. The RSGYC was delighted to support their cause, and the team's efforts are sure to inspire others to take action for mental health awareness.

To learn more about this incredible journey and the cause they were supporting, visit Row4gaz.com.

Stella Maris Rowing Club succeeded at its 2023 regatta, winning eight out of 16 races.

Fair rowing weather, good spirits, healthy rivalries, and races running efficiently and on time all made for a wonderful East Coast Regatta enjoyed by a wide range of coastal rowing clubs. 

Building on the success of 2022's first post-pandemic regatta on the River Liffey at Poolbeg Marina, the regatta has been widely praised by the east coast coastal rowing community not necessarily for the on-water success enjoyed by the host club but more for all the other elements that made for a great day out on the capital's waters in Dublin Port.

"Amazing results at today’s regatta @stellamarisrowingclub, a tough ole jaunt down the river. Well done to all crews & all who came & supported", Dalkey Rowing Club posted on social media.

This was the second coastal rowing regatta to take place on the East Coast circuit this year but the first on the Liffey.

Ten clubs from along the East Coast from Balbriggan to Arklow took part bringing over 120 crews onto the water throughout the day.

While Stella Maris may have been the big winners over the day there were great performances from all the East Coast Clubs, with nearly every club in attendance represented on the overall Medal table. 

Attention turns to Dalkey Rowing Club Regatta on the south side of Dublin Bay next Saturday (June 17th) for the next regatta of the East Coast Rowing Council.

Stella Maris Rowing Club enjoyed success at its own 2023 regatta

Dalkey Rowing Club (DRC) hosts its first regatta on Saturday (June 17th) since 2019 due to the pandemic and bad weather last year. 

The coastal rowers are marking their 90th year, so there's an added buzz and excitement in the air and on the water!

The racing is based at Otranto Park in Sandycove Park, with racing in Scotsman's Bay.

The first race is at 9.00 am sharp (cox meeting at 8.30 am). The novice men go first, and the regatta schedule is below.

Dublin Bay live webcams x 3 here may provide a glimpse of the rowing action

Dalkey Rowing Club 2023 Regatta Schedule

• Novice men
• Mixed
• Senior Women
• U18 boys
• Inter Men
• Junior Women
• Inter Women
• Vets
• Novice Women

Royal Cork Yacht Club was the centre of attention on Saturday as rowing craft of all kinds were launched in glorious sunshine in anticipation of the weekend's centrepiece event, An Rás Mór, Cork harbour’s Ocean to City race.

The coastal rowing event organised by the traditional boat group Meitheal Mara returned to the water this weekend after a break of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The multi-craft rowing and paddling race has attracted a fleet of over 200 boats.

Crosshaven is the official start venue of the main fleet in the Ocean to City Race 2023

Now in its 18th year, the all-inclusive rowing event welcomes traditional wooden working boats, gigs, skiffs, sloops, lifeboats, longboats, cutters and currachs, kayaks, canoes, ocean sliding-seat boats and stand-up paddleboards as depicted in Bob Bateman's photo gallery below.

Billed as Ireland's largest long-distance rowing and paddling race, Ocean to City has four-course distances to choose from across the 28 km course - as in two, seven, 12 and 15 nautical miles, all finishing in Cork city centre.

Ocean to City Rowing Race in Cork Harbour 2023 Photo Gallery

Dalkey Rowing Club will host a blessing of its new boat, ‘Bláth na Farraige’, on Saturday, 1 April, at 3 pm at The Club Pub in Dalkey Village, Co. Dublin.

The new wooden clinker hull for the coastal rowing club on Dublin Bay was built by W.C. Hunkin and Sons boat builders with support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media through the Capital Sports programme.

Inver Colpa Coastal Rowing Club & SK Fitness hosted a 12 Hour Charity Skipathon and Bikeathon in Scotch Hall Shopping Centre in December to raise much-needed funds for the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service.

The skippers and bikers who participated presented a cheque for €1,900 to the Drogheda-based rescue organisation.

The Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service comprises 30 volunteers on call 24 hours, 365 days a year. Volunteers are alerted through a VHF-based paging system.

Inver Colpa Coastal Rowing Club attended this summer's Islandmagee Challenge.

The men’s senior team set off early morning to make the journey to Whitehead, Co. Antrim, located on the picturesque coastline between Belfast and Larne. The race course was originally set to start in Brownes Bay and follow the Islandmagee peninsula south to finish in the town of Whitehead. The wind was stronger than hoped for so the course was changed at the 11th hour on the grounds of health & safety, and the start and finish line were set for Whitehead itself. Despite the so called strong wind, conditions were excellent, with no rain and a relatively calm sea.

The men’s team was made up of Darragh Farrell, Andrew Cassidy, Andy Grennan and James McKevitt, with Glenda Murphy the Coxswain and the team's spiritual leader. There were thirteen boats in the race, split between two categories; traditional skiffs and all-Ireland one-design yawls. The Inver Colpa boat took off to a great start, with the four lads using their imposing strength to get out ahead of the other boats from the off. From that point on it was down to tactical coxing from Glenda and the fitness of the crew to hold the lead. Despite the surrounding beauty of the cliffs, birdlife and lighthouse, all focus was on winning the race. Having trained all summer, and following the disappointment of the Row around Rockabill Race the previous month, the four men put in a herculean effort to lead the race from start to finish. They left everything out there, Andy Grennan in particular. Inver Colpa clocked the fastest time in their category, but also the fastest time overall.

Whitehead is a beautiful town, a traditional holiday destination dating from Victorian times, with pretty seafront houses and a promenade. All involved in the event were invited back to the yacht club for food and drink. Although the team are all finely tuned athletes they relaxed and enjoyed all that the yacht club bar had to offer, well earned after the day’s endeavours. Following a minute’s silence to acknowledge Queen Elizabeth’s recent death, the winners medals were presented. Inver Colpa received the trophy, an engraved decanter. The trip home to Drogheda was long but the spirits were high.

The club look forward to returning to compete in the Islandmagee Challenge again next year and defend their title. All going to plan the club plans to enter two boats in 2023 with both men’s and women’s teams. Inver Colpa extend their sincere thanks to Whitehead Rowing Club for all their hospitality and a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Organised by Skerries Coastal Rowing Club, ‘Round Rockabill Rowing Race’ is a gruelling, 15km race into open sea, open to various categories, including FISA, East Coast Skiffs, One Design and more.

At least 25 boats will arrive in Skerries on Saturday 27th August.

The race starts at 10:30 from the south strand in Skerries followed by a 7.5km row straight out towards Rockabill, round it and back again to the south strand for a beach sprint finish!

The event is supported by Fingal Co. Co. and sponsored by local businesses.

Rowers racing in last years round Rockabill race

‘Round Rockabill Rowing Race’ will bring rowing clubs from all over Ireland to our beautiful coastline.

Spectators will have a perfect, unobstructed view of this spectacle from the whole of the south beach and boats will take off in waves, depending on specific handicaps.

Each boat will set off from the south beach in Skerries at 10:30 and row straight out towards the Rockabill lighthouse. Once rounded, the crews will need to row back the same way for a beach sprint finish on the south beach.

Skerries Rowing Club
Skerries Rowing Club is a young and vibrant coastal rowing club, founded in 2012 and celebrating 10 years this year. Today the club consists of over 100 members, from age 11 to over 70, from all sorts of backgrounds with all sorts of abilities and aspirations, from recreational rowing to seriously competitive rowing. Skerries row in clinker-built traditional wooden east-coast skiffs with fixed seats and wooden oars. There are four oars people - each with a sweep oar, and a coxswain. SRC is a member of the East Coast Rowing Council and competes in ECRC regattas most summer weekends against our fellow east coast clubs.

On Saturday 23rd July 2022, Inver Colpa Coastal Rowing Club hosted a 12 Hour Charity Skipathon in Scotch Hall Shopping Centre to raise much-needed funds for both Drogheda Women’s and Children’s Refuge Centre and Inver Colpa Coastal Rowing Club.

The club were delighted to meet again last Saturday in Scotch Hall to present the Drogheda Women’s and Children’s Refuge Centre with a cheque for €2,655.

Club Secretary Glenda Murphy stated:
‘We are thrilled with the amount that we have raised both for the club and for such an important charity like the Drogheda Women’s and Children’s Refuge Centre. We really have to thank all the skippers for their dedication and determination on the day and in their training beforehand, along with Sean Kilroy Fitness & St. Nicholas G.F.C., especially chairman Dessie McDonald, for all their help! We would also like to thank Scotch Hall for hosting the Skipathon, along with everyone who donated, Gillian Marry and Lisa Devlin for the food and Brian Millan for the leg rubs during what was a real test of endurance for our skippers’.

It’s an exciting time for the club as they train for two upcoming races in Skerries and Islandmagee over the next few weeks. Ongoing thanks as always is due to the club’s sponsors - Flo Gas, KC Shipping, EBS Bank, Premium Pellets and helpmypension.ie