Two of West Cork's best-known achievers with maritime interests were celebrated with Honorary Doctorates at University College Cork this week. International actor Jeremy Irons is renowned for his acclaimed performances on stage and screen, but in West Cork he is best known for his sympathetic restoration of Kilcoe Castle on the eastern shore of Roaringwater Bay, and his enthusiastic involvement in the area's traditional boat scene.
Dominic Casey was for years much sought after as a superb boatbuilder. Working in Donal O'Donovan Senr's boatyard at Oldcourt, he could turn his hand to anything, but made steel welding into an art form. Noted cruising man and sailing directions pioneer Norman Kean of Courtmacsherry remarked that the way Dom Casey could inert a new plate into the vintage steel ketch Xanadu "was like watching somebody sewing up curtains".
MULTIPLE SHIPWRIGHT SKILLS
But Dominic Casey's other passion was competitive rowing to the highest level. As Afloat reported previously, He is an exceptionally gifted rowing coach, so although Donal O'Donovan valued his multiple shipwright skills very highly, he had to accept Dominic's increasingly long absences as he encouraged Skibbereen, and then regional and national rowing crews, to ever higher achievements.
The recent waves of Olympic medals for Irish rowing - including several Golds - have demonstrated Dominic Casey's special talents to the level of genius as Lightweight National Rowing Coach, and his Doctorate of Education from UCC has been praised from all quarters. But although he continues to make his home in West Cork, owners of steel boats will have to accept that their repairs will be done by other hands.
