What is The Irish Coast Guard?

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

What is its main role of the Irish Coast Guard?

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Is the Irish Coast Guard service 24/7?

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

How many emergencies does the Irish Coast respond to each year?

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Does it also handle medical emergencies?

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

Is the Irish Coast Guard an all-island body?

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

How much does the Irish Coast Guard cost?

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

What resources does the Irish Coast Guard have?

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

How quickly can Irish Coast Guard assets respond?

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

How are Irish Coast Guard units managed?

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Are Irish Coast Guard volunteers paid?

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

Does the Irish Coast Guard charge for rescue?

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

What communications systems do the Irish Coast Guard use?

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Is the Irish Coast Guard responsible for pollution response?

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

What is the Irish Coast Guard's safety record?

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

What was the Government response to the Coast Guard fatalities?

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

When was The Irish Coast Guard formed?

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

Who was The Irish Coast Guard's first director?

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

Who is The Irish Coast Guard's current director?

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

Where are Coast Guard Units located in Ireland?

Achill, Co. Mayo Ardmore, Co. Waterford Arklow, Co. Wicklow Ballybunion, Co. Kerry Ballycotton, Co. Cork Ballyglass, Co. Mayo Bonmahon, Co. Waterford Bunbeg, Co. Donegal Carnsore, Co. Wexford Castlefreake, Co. Cork Castletownbere, Co. Cork Cleggan, Co. Galway Clogherhead, Co. Louth Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway Courtown, Co. Wexford Crosshaven, Co. Cork Curracloe, Co. Wexford Dingle, Co. Kerry Doolin, Co. Clare Drogheda, Co. Louth Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Dunmore East, Co. Waterford Fethard, Co. Wexford Glandore, Co. Cork Glenderry, Co. Kerry Goleen, Co. Cork Greencastle, Co. Donegal Greenore, Co. Louth Greystones, Co. Wicklow Guileen, Co. Cork Howth, Co. Dublin Kilkee, Co. Clare Killala, Co. Mayo Killybegs, Co. Donegal Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford Knightstown, Co. Kerry Mulroy, Co. Donegal North Aran, Co. Galway Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork Oysterhaven, Co. Cork Rosslare, Co. Wexford Seven Heads, Co. Cork Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork Toe Head, Co. Cork Tory Island, Co. Donegal Tramore, Co. Waterford Waterville, Co. Kerry Westport, Co. Mayo Wicklow Youghal, Co. Cork

O'Donovan

13th April 2014

Puspure Strikes Silver Again For Ireland Rowing Team

#ROWING: Sanita Puspure added a second silver medal to the one she won on Saturday at the Memorial Paolo d’Aloja regatta in Italy today. She finished, as she had on Saturday, behind Donata Vistartaite of Lithuania. Paul O’Donovan was again near the head of the field in the men’s lightweight single sculls, but he had to settle for fourth.

Memorial Paolo d’Aloja, Piediluco, Italy (Irish interest)

Men

Lightweight Single Sculls: 1 Italy (M Miani) 7:01.88, 2 Greece Two (E Konsolas) 7:07.15, 3 India (D Dushyant) 7:09.36, 4 Ireland (O’Donovan) 7:09.63

Women

Pair: 1 Ireland (Kennedy, Dilleen) 7:30.0, 2 Italy (Arcangiolini, Marzari) 7:43.67, 3 Italy Two (Basadonna, Bellio) 7:47.89.

Double Sculls: 1 Italy Two (Schiavone, Palma) 7:20.55, 2 Italy (Patelli, Bertolasi) 7:25.08, 3 Belgium (J Ghuysen, M Lewuillon) 4 Ireland (Moran, Dukarska) 7:30.78.

Single Sculls: 1 Lithuania (Vistartaite) 7:48.66, 2 Ireland (Puspure) 7:54.83, 3 Italy (S Magnaghi) 8:03.06.

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12th April 2014

Ireland Rowers Set For Sunday Finals in Italy

#ROWING: All four Ireland crews will compete in Finals on Sunday at the Memorial Paolo d’Aloja regatta in Italy. Sanita Puspure and Paul O’Donovan guaranteed their places by finishing second in their heats. The women’s pair and women’s double sculls go directly through to their finals.

Memorial Paolo d’Aloja, Piediluco, Italy (Irish interest, Finals)

Men

Lightweight Single Sculls: 1 South Africa (LS Ndlovu) 7:00.21, 2 India (D Dushyant) 7:00.93, 3 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:02.33.

Women

Pair: 1 Ireland (L Kennedy, L Dilleen) 7:25.22, 2 Ialy (B Arcangiolini, G Marzari) 7:33.70, 3 Italy Three (I Broggini, V Calabrese) 7:36.35.

Sculling, Double: 1 Italy Two (L Schiavone, G Palma) 7:17.10, 2 Italy One (A Patelli, S Bertolasi) 7:23.75, 3 Ireland (E Moran, M Dukarska) 7:33.44.

Single: 1 Lithuania (D Vistartaite) 7:45.46, 2 Ireland (S Puspure) 7:49.92, 3 Italy (S Magnaghi) 8:00.86.

Saturday Heats

Lightweight Men – 2 P O’Donovan 7:23.19

Women’s Single – 2 S Puspure 7:44.91

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28th March 2014

Headwind No Problem for O'Donovan and Puspure

#ROWING: Paul O’Donovan and Sanita Puspure headed the rankings on the first day of the Ireland Trial at the National Rowing Centre in Cork today. O’Donovan, who is still just 19 and a lightweight, was the fastest single sculler on the water. In sometimes difficult headwind conditions he hit 85.5 per cent of projected world gold medal winning time for an under-23 lightweight. Puspure was the fastest woman and her per centage as an openweight single sculler was 84.42.

Ireland Trials, National Rowing Centre, Cork (Selected Results (provisional); Ranked by Time and Per Centage of projected World Gold Medal Time)

Men

Pair – Under-23: 1 M Pukelis, K Neville 7:19.33 (79.67), 2 R O’Callaghan, R Bennett 7:20.13 (79.52). Junior: 1 B Keohane, D Keohane 7:24.93 (78.66), 2 E Murray, B Rix 7:39.46 (76.18), 3 K Fallon, J Bennett 7:41.17 (75.89).

Sculling, Single – Senior: 1 J Keohane 7:31.69 (81.91 per cent), 2 D Neale 7:45.56 (79.47). Under-23: 1 A Harrington 7:33.35 (81.61), 2 D Quinlan 7:46.62 (79.29), 3 T Oliver 7:50.01 (78.72).

Lightweight Single – Under-23: 1 P O’Donovan 7:24.47 (85.50), 2 S O’Driscoll 7:33.88 (83.72), 3 B Beck 7:40.24 (82.57).

Junior: 1 D O’Malley 7:39.10 (80.59), 2 C Carmody 7:43.20 (79.88), 3 S Mulvaney 7:49.15 (78.87).

Women

Pair – Junior: 1 N Casey, E McCarthy 8:28.74 (76.27), 2 Clarke, Glover 8:36.22 (75.16), 3 O’Connor, Hickey 8:40.66 (74.52).

Sculling, Double – Senior: E Moran, M Dukarska 7:41.83 (81.05)

Single – Senior: S Puspure 7:56.20 (84.42)

Lightweight Single – Senior: 1 S McCrohan 8:21.77 (83.31), 2 O Hayes 8:30.20 (81.93), 3 C Jennings 8:31.52 (81.72).

Junior: 1 E Barry 8:32.96 (78.37), 2 E Lambe 8:43.60 (76.78), 3 E Hegarty 8:48.04 (76.13).

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23rd February 2014

Lightweight Rowers Top Rankings at Ireland Trial

#ROWING: Irish rowing grabbed a few hours of relative calm between spells of gusting wind to stage the second session of the Ireland Trial at Newry Canal today. Lightweight single sculler Siobhán McCrohan (26) again topped the overall rankings – bettering her per centage of projected world gold medal winning time set on Saturday.

Paul O’Donovan and Sanita Puspure also confirmed their good form, with O’Donovan teaming up to good effect with Shane O’Driscoll in a lightweight double scull. One of the most encouraging aspects of the weekend was the evidence of a breadth of talent in the lightweight men’s category – Anthony English did well today, and Niall Kenny was not far behind.

Ireland Trial, Newry Canal (Run over 5km; Selected Results)

(Percentage is of projected world gold medal winning time)

Saturday

Men

Pair – Senior: 1 D Neale, C Folan 18 minutes 41.53 seconds (82.03), 2 D Power, P O’Connell 18:53.62 (81.6). Under-23: 1 R O’Callaghan, R Bennett 18:29.53 (82.92), 2 M Pukelis, K Neville 19:23.43 (79.08). Junior: D Keohane, B Keohane 19:06.58 (80.24), 2 Murphy, O’Connell 19:26.23 (78.89), 3 Fallon, Bennett 19:32.47 (78.47).

Lightweight: 1 Quinlan, O’Connor 19:27.59 (81.36), 2 McKenna, Murphy 19:30.72 (81.15), 3 Keane, Breen 19:32.55 (81.02).

Sculling,

Single – Senior: 1 J Keohane 19:16.47 (84.31), 2 A McEvoy 19:37.34 (82.81). Under-23: 1 T Oliver 19.47.82 (82.08), 2 A Harrington 19:52.47 (81.76), 3 S McKeown 20:06.03 (80.84). Junior: 1 D O’Malley 19:41.55 (82.5), 2 C Carmody 19:57.29 (81.43), 3 C Hennessy 20:15.6 (80.21).

Lightweight – Senior: 1 N Kenny 19:18.40 (86.33), 2 J Ryan 19:28.13 (85.61), 3 M O’Donovan 19:30.07 (85.46). Under-23: P O’Donovan 19:05.46 (87.3), 2 S O’Driscoll 19:26.18 (85.75), 3 C Beck 19:41.35 (84.65).

Women

Four – Senior: Deasy, McCarthy, O’Brien, Leahy 19:51.76 (84.33).

Pair – Senior: L Dileen, A Keogh 20:12.32 (84.14), 2 Bennett, Gilligan 21:28.79 (79.14). Under-23: G Collins, O Finnegan 21.05.13 (80.62). Junior: 1 K O’Connor, H Hickey 21:43.08 (78.28), 2 Clarke, Glover 21:54.75 (77.58), 3 Nagle, O’Keeffe 22:33.06 (75.38).

Sculling

Single – Senior: 1 S Puspure 20:21.36 (86.99), 2 M Dukarska 2:40.57 (85.65), 3 E Moran 21:20.92. Under-23: 1 C Fitzgerald 21.50.12 (81.10), 2 H O’Sullivan 22:14.21 (79.64), 3 M Dineen 22:27.69 (78.84). Junior: 1 E Lambe 21:47.62 (81.25), 2 J English 21:54.17 (80.85), 3 E Barry 22:03.17 (80.30).

Lightweight – Senior: 1 S McCrohan 20:58.15 (87.43), 2 C Jennings 21:15.24 (86.26), 3 O Hayes 21:18.60 (86.03). Under-23: 1 R Morris 21:32.68 (85.09), 2 S Horgan 21:47.18 (84.15).

Sunday

(Provisional Results)

Overall (ranked on per centage of projected world gold medal time): 1 S McCrohan (lightweight senior single scull) 2o:50.49 (87.97), 2 P O’Donovan, S O’Driscoll (lightweight under-23 double) 17:26.91 (87.40), 3 S Puspure (women’s senior single) 20:17.63 (87.26), 4 A English (lightweight senior single) 19:13.24 (86.71), 5 M Dukarska, E Moran (women’s senior double) 19:02.81 (86.63), 6 N Kenny (lightweight single) 19:18.26 (86.34).

Men

Pair, Senior: 1 Coughlan, Buckley 19:02.79 (80:50), 2 Neale, Folan 19:08.71 (80.09). Under-23: 1 O’Callaghan, Bennett 18:34.83 (82.52), 2 Power, O’Connell 18:44.47 (81.82), 3 M Pukelis, K Neville 19:13.78 (79.74). Junior: 1 Keohane, Keohane 19:04.69 (80:37), 2 Fallon, Bennett 19:20.32 (79.29), 3 Murphy, O’Connell 19:21.50 (79.21).

Lightweight, Senior: 1 Prendergast, O’Donovan 18:35.31 (85.18), 2 Ryan, Griffin 18:38.23 (84.96), 3 McKenna, Murphy 19:05.94 (82.90). Under-23: 1 Hegarty, Ryan 19:24.87 (81.55), 2 Keane, Breen 19:25.40 (81.52).

Sculling, Double – Under-23: 1 T Oliver, C Beck 18:06.94 (82.57).

Lightweight, Under-23: O’Donovan, O’Driscoll 17.26.91 (87.40)

Single – Senior: 1 Keohane 19:05.78 (85.09), 2 A McEvoy 19:27.84 (83.49), 3 A Bolger 20:52.45 (77.85). Under-23: 1 A Harrington 19:29.92 (83.34), 2 S McKeown 20:03.43 (81.02), 3 A Boreham 20:57.27 (77.55). Junior: 1 O’Malley 19:29.80 (83.35), 2 Carmody 19:55.68 (81.54), 3 A Gough 20:12.44 (80.42).

Lightweight, Senior: 1 A English 19:30.24 (86.71), 2 N Kenny 19:18.26 (86.34). Under-23: 1 D Quinlan 19:54.86 (83.69), 2 S O’Connor 20:05.94 (82.92)

Women

Pair – Senior: 1 Dilleen, Keogh 20:00.78 (84.94), 2 M O’Neill, E Tormey 20:30.55 (82.89). Under-23: Fitzgerald, Dinneen 21:33.47 (78.86). Junior: 1 O’Connor, Hickey 21:36.52 (78.67), 2 Wray, Morelli 21:41.98 (78.34), 3 Clarke, Glover 22.11.23 (76.62).

Double – Senior: Dukarska, E Moran 19:02.81 (86.63)

Sculling, Single – Senior: Puspure 20:17.63 (87.26). Under-23: 1 H O’Sullivan 22:16.18 (79.52), 2 B Walsh 22:35.91 (78.36)

Junior: 1 J English 21:23.36 (82.79), 2 E Lambe 21:27.12 (82.55), 3 E Hegarty 21:37.89 (81.86).

Lightweight – Senior: 1 McCrohan 20:50.49 (87.97), 2 O Hayes 21:14.15 (86.33), 3 C Jennings 21:19.10 (86.00). Under-23: 1 R Morris 21:37.26 (84.79), 2 S Horgan 22:10.68 (82.66)

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14th February 2014

High Five for Rowers as Irish Sports Council Confirms Carding

#ROWING: A relatively good 2013 for Irish international rowing will bring practical benefits this year. Five rowers, three more than last year, will receive funding from The Irish Sports Council under the 2014 International Carding Scheme. Sanita Puspure and Claire Lambe have again hit the mark: Puspure qualifies for €20,000 as a world class category athlete and Lambe receives €12,000 as an international class competitor. The two are joined this year by Paul O’Donovan, Leonora Kennedy and Monika Dukarska, who will also be granted €12,000 as international class athletes.

O’Donovan won a medal at the World Under-23 Championships in 2013, while the women’s double sculls of Dukarska and Kennedy finished 10th at the World Championships. This position would secure Olympic qualification for an Ireland boat if it were reproduced at the World Championships next year.

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23rd December 2013

Paul O'Donovan is Afloat Rower of the Year for 2013

# RowerOfTheYear: Paul O’Donovan is the Afloat Rower of the Year for 2013. The scholarship student at UCD raced to a bronze medal in the lightweight single sculls the World Under-23 Championships at Linz-Ottensheim in Austria in July. The previous month the 19-year-old had made his mark as a senior international when the reached the A Final at the World Cup Regatta at Dorney Lake, the Olympic venue, finishing sixth.

For these feats the Skibbereen man won the Afloat Rower of the Month Awards for June and July. He is a worthy recipient of the Afloat Rower of the Year Award for 2013.

Rower of the Year: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times and David O'Brien, Editor of Afloat magazine.

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9th November 2013

UCD Rowers Fastest and Ireland Training Squad Four Impress at Neptune Head

#NeptuneHead: The fastest crew home at the Neptune Head of the River at Blessington Lakes today was the UCD men’s senior eight, but a four made up of two pairs in the Ireland training system were third, nine seconds behind the UCD eight. Cormac Folan and Dave Neale, who train in Dublin, and Aidan McEvoy and Finbar Manning, who are based in Limerick, were watched by Don McLachlan, the Ireland lead coach. The double of Gary and Paul O’Donovan caught a crab directly in front of McLachlan, but were the fastest double of the day. However, Niall Kenny won the senior single sculls impressively, posting significantly faster times in both the first and second heads than Paul O’Donovan could manage in his effort in the first head.

Neptune Head of the River, Blessington Lakes (Selected Results):

Overall: 1 UCD senior eight (2nd head) 12 minutes 34 seconds, 2 Carlow/Three Castles sen eight (1st hd) 12:41, 3 Gráinne Mhaol/St Michael’s senior four (2nd hd) 12:43, 4 Neptune sen eight (1st hd) 12:45, 5 Carlow intermediate eight (2nd hd) 13:01, 6 Portora junior eight (2nd head) 13:02.

Men

Eight, Senior: 1 UCD 12:34, 2 Carlow/Three Castles 12:41, 3 Neptune 12:45. Intermediate: Carlow 13:01. Novice: Neptune 14:55. Junior: Portora 13:02. Junior 16: Portora 13:48. Masters: Commercial 14:12.

Four, Senior: Grainne Mhaol/St Michael’s 12:43, 2 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (1st hd) 13:20, 3 Grainne Mhaol/NUIG (2nd hd) 13:23. Intermediate, coxed: Trinity 13:37. Novice: NUIG 15:44. Junior, coxed: Blackrock 14:53. Masters, coxed: NUIG 16:02.

Sculling

Quadruple – Novice, coxed: Blackrock 17:03. Junior 16, coxed: Portora 15:06. Double – Senior: 1 Skibbereen/UCD 13:29, 2 NUIG 14:05, 3 Carlow 14:20.

Single – Senior: 1 UCD (N Kenny; 1st hd) 15:07, 2 UCD (N Kenny; 2nd hd) 15:19, 3 UCD (P O’Donovan) 15:23. Intermediate: Trinity (Morgan) 15:41.

Women

Eight, Senior: Trinity 14:18. Intermediate: Trinity 15:20. Jun 18: Portora 14:45. Jun 16: Portora 15:37.

Four, Senior: 1 NUIG/Tribesmen 14:32, 2 UCD 15:15, 3 Trinity 15:45. Intermediate, coxed: NUIG 16:17. Novice, coxed: Trinity 17:12. Junior: Neptune 19:05.

Sculling

Quadruple – Junior, coxed: Offaly 16:39. Double – Senior: 1 Commercial (C Jennings, G Foley) 16:09, 2 NUIG/Tribesmen 16:14, 3 UCD 16:41.

Single - Senior: Three Castles (H Walshe) 16:26, 2 Three Castles (E Moran) 16:31, 3 Commercial (Dolan) 16:37. Intermediate: Commercial (G Foley) 17:37.

Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boat	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Mens Inter 4+	1	210	D.U.B.C.	2	00:13:37
	2	9	D.U.B.C.	1	00:14:10
	3	208	NUI Galway BC	2	00:14:36
	4	209	U.C.D. BC	2	00:14:49
	5	112	Carlow **TIME ONLY	1	00:14:57
	6	10	NUI Galway BC	1	00:15:10
	7	8	U.C.D. BC	1	00:15:12
	8	212	NUI Galway BC B	2	00:15:46
	Mens Inter. 1X	1	276	D.U.B.C. A (Morgan)	2	00:15:41
	2	73	D.U.B.C. A (Hurley)	1	00:15:59
	3	72	U.C.D. BC A (Moore)	1	00:16:07
	4	75	NUI Galway BC A (Keane)	1	00:16:13
	5	279	D.U.B.C. B (Acheson)	2	00:16:13
	6	280	D.U.B.C. C (Magan)	2	00:16:16
	7	71	Garda Siochana BC A (Kelly)	1	00:16:28
	8	78	D.U.B.C. B (McElroy)	1	00:16:43
	9	285	D.U.B.C. F (Keogh)	2	00:16:50
	10	288	D.U.B.C. J (McCormick)	2	00:16:54
	11	287	D.U.B.C. I (Dunne)	2	00:16:56
	12	283	D.U.B.C. D (Kelly)	2	00:17:00
	13	289	D.U.B.C. L (Ryan)	2	00:17:15
	14	86	D.U.B.C. E (Rawlinson)	1	00:17:17
	15	82	Commercial RC C (Keogh)	1	00:17:20
	16	85	D.U.B.C. D (Butler)	1	00:17:29
	17	284	D.U.B.C. E (Coulter)	2	00:17:30
	18	277	City of Derry BC (D'Urso)	2	00:17:44
	19	77	U.C.D. BC B (Kennedy)	1	00:17:45
	20	302	Carlow (Roberts) **TIME ONLY	2	00:17:53
	21	286	D.U.B.C. G (Keegan)	2	00:17:58
	09 November 2013	Page 1 of 7
Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Mens Inter. 1X	22	88	D.U.B.C. G (Corcoran)	1	00:17:58
	23	275	U.C.D. BC (Kennedy)	2	00:18:01
	24	301	Carlow (Ayres) **TIME ONLY	2	00:18:01
	25	91	D.U.B.C. J (Pounch)	1	00:18:06
	26	90	D.U.B.C. I (Costello)	1	00:18:08
	27	291	D.U.B.C. N (Addison)	2	00:18:12
	28	80	NUI Galway BC B (Breen)	1	00:18:17
	29	89	D.U.B.C. H (Riegel)	1	00:18:19
	30	76	Garda Siochana BC B (Murphy)	1	00:18:20
	31	290	D.U.B.C. M (Dover)	2	00:18:29
	32	116	Carlow (Ayres) **TIME ONLY	1	00:18:42
	33	292	D.U.B.C. O (Brennan)	2	00:19:00
	34	74	Commercial RC A (Sweetman)	1	00:19:14
	35	117	Carlow (Roberts) **TIME ONLY	1	00:19:36
	36	93	D.U.B.C. L (Moreau)	1	00:20:01
	37	281	Blackrock College RC C (Egan)	2	00:20:06
	38	278	Blackrock College RC B (Mc Namara)	2	00:20:10
	39	273	Blackrock College RC A (Brassil)	2	00:22:09
	40	92	D.U.B.C. K (Slevin)	1	00:22:22
	Mens Inter. 8	1	201	Carlow RC	2	00:13:01
	2	3	U.C.D. BC	1	00:13:03
	3	202	Garda Siochana BC	2	00:13:47
	Mens Junior 8	1	203	Portora Boat Club	2	00:13:02
	2	4	Carlow RC	1	00:15:11
	Mens Junior 16 4X+	1	245	Portora Boat Club	2	00:15:06
	2	246	Blackrock College RC	2	00:15:15
	3	247	Graiguenamanagh BC	2	00:15:18
	4	248	Three Castles Rowing Club	2	00:16:20
	5	249	Blackrock College RC B	2	00:18:26
	09 November 2013	Page 2 of 7

Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Mens Junior 16 8	1	23	Portora Boat Club	1	00:13:48
	2	231	Neptune RC	2	00:15:48
	3	24	Carlow RC	1	00:16:08
	4	26	Blackrock College RC	1	00:16:13
	5	229	Blackrock College RC	2	00:16:34
	6	22	Neptune RC	1	00:16:35
	7	27	Portora Boat Club B	1	00:16:53
	8	232	Portora Boat Club	2	00:17:18
	9	25	Commercial RC	1	00:21:43
	Mens Junior 4+	1	250	Blackrock College RC	2	00:14:53
	2	37	Blackrock College RC	1	00:15:10
	Mens Masters 4+	1	38	Carlow RC (c 195)	1	00:16:02
	Mens Masters 8	1	11	Commercial RC (c 377)	1	00:14:12
	2	214	Old Collegians BC/Three Castles	2	00:15:28
	Mens Novice 4+	1	39	NUI Galway BC	1	00:15:44
	Mens Novice 4X+	1	41	Blackrock College RC	1	00:17:03
	2	244	Commercial RC	2	00:18:15
	3	42	Commercial RC	1	00:21:05
	Mens Novice 8	1	207	Neptune RC	2	00:14:55
	2	21	Neptune RC	1	00:15:03
	Mens Senior 1X	1	268	U.C.D. BC C (Kenny)	2	00:15:07
	2	70	U.C.D. BC D (Kenny)	1	00:15:19
	3	65	U.C.D. BC B (O'Donovan)	1	00:15:23
	4	263	NUI Galway BC (O'Connor)	2	00:15:25
	5	63	Skibbereen RC (O'Donovan)	1	00:15:38
	6	61	Lee Valley RC (Keohane)	1	00:15:59
	7	62	U.C.D. BC A (Bailey)	1	00:16:04
	09 November 2013	Page 3 of 7

Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Mens Senior 1X	8	67	U.C.C. RC (Ryan)	1	00:16:07
	9	66	L.E.B.C. A (King)	1	00:16:24
	10	264	Three Castles Rowing Club	2	00:16:25
	11	267	Portora Boat Club A (Murphy)	2	00:17:12
	12	265	Offaly RC A (O'Donohue)	2	00:17:13
	13	69	L.E.B.C. B (Smyth)	1	00:18:23
	Mens Senior 2-	1	113	St. Michaels RC **TIME ONLY	1	00:14:52
	Mens Senior 2X	1	216	Skibbereen RC/U.C.D. BC	2	00:13:29
	2	223	NUI Galway BC B	2	00:14:05
	3	220	Carlow RC	2	00:14:20
	4	13	Gráinne Mhaol RC/U.C.D. BC	1	00:14:36
	5	215	NUI Galway BC	2	00:14:47
	6	222	L.E.B.C.	2	00:14:51
	7	14	Portora Boat Club	1	00:14:57
	8	221	Neptune RC B	2	00:15:00
	9	12	Garda Siochana BC	1	00:15:43
	10	16	NUI Galway BC	1	00:16:07
	11	17	U.C.D. BC B	1	00:16:31
	12	219	D.U.B.C.	2	00:16:53
	13	218	Commercial RC	2	00:23:35
	Mens Senior 4-	1	205	Gráinne Mhaol RC/St. Michaels	2	00:12:43
	2	5	Gráinne Mhaol RC/NUI Galway BC	1	00:13:20
	3	204	Gráinne Mhaol RC/NUI Galway BC	2	00:13:23
	4	7	NUI Galway BC B	1	00:13:50
	5	206	NUI Galway BC	2	00:14:03
	6	217	Neptune RC	2	00:14:23
	Mens Senior 8	1	200	U.C.D. BC	2	00:12:34
	2	2	Carlow RC/Three Castles Rowing Club	1	00:12:41
	09 November 2013	Page 4 of 7

Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Mens Senior 8	3	1	Neptune RC	1	00:12:45
	Mixed Masters 8	1	300	Carlow **TIME ONLY	2	00:15:31
	Touring 4X	1	303	Tribesmen RC A **TIME ONLY	2	00:20:00
	2	119	Tribesmen RC B **TIME ONLY	1	00:20:01
	3	304	Tribesmen RC B **TIME ONLY	2	00:21:17
	4	118	Tribesmen RC A **TIME ONLY	1	00:21:32
	Womens Inter 4 +	1	254	NUI Galway BC	2	00:16:17
	2	48	Dublin University Ladies BC	1	00:17:06
	3	45	NUI Galway BC	1	00:17:12
	4	44	U.C.D. BC	1	00:18:14
	5	253	U.C.D. BC	2	00:18:24
	6	46	Commercial RC	1	00:18:39
	7	255	Neptune RC	2	00:19:27
	8	47	Neptune RC	1	00:19:36
	Womens Inter. 1X	1	110	Commercial RC B (Foley)	1	00:17:37
	2	299	Garda Siochana BC (Holden)	2	00:17:55
	3	106	Commercial RC A (Jennings)	1	00:18:19
	4	108	Dublin University Ladies BC B (Leahy)	1	00:18:32
	5	111	Dublin University Ladies BC C	1	00:19:00
	6	107	Garda Siochana BC B (Gannon)	1	00:19:05
	7	105	Carlow RC A (Byrne)	1	00:19:58
	8	109	Carlow RC B (Mc Grath)	1	00:20:22
	9	104	Dublin University Ladies BC A (Cass)	1	00:21:08
	Womens Inter. 8	1	224	Dublin University Ladies BC	2	00:15:20
	2	18	Dublin University Ladies BC	1	00:15:56
	Womens Jun 16 4X+	1	259	Offaly RC	2	00:16:39
	2	56	Commercial RC	1	00:18:32
	3	57	Three Castles Rowing Club	1	00:18:40
	09 November 2013	Page 5 of 7
Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Womens Jun 16 4X+	4	258	Commercial RC	2	00:18:41
	Womens Jun 16 8	1	51	Portora Boat Club	1	00:15:37
	2	251	Portora Boat Club	2	00:16:26
	3	52	Portora Boat Club B	1	00:17:28
	4	252	Portora Boat Club B	2	00:18:08
	5	53	Portora Boat Club C	1	00:18:42
	Womens Junior 8	1	228	Portora Boat Club	2	00:14:45
	2	226	Commercial RC	2	00:15:57
	3	227	Neptune RC	2	00:16:22
	4	19	Neptune RC	1	00:18:37
	Womens Junior 4-	1	43	Neptune RC	1	00:19:05
	Womens Masters 4+	1	115	Carlow **TIME ONLY	1	00:18:32
	Womens Novice 4+	1	256	Dublin University Ladies BC	2	00:17:12
	2	257	U.C.D. BC	2	00:17:22
	3	55	U.C.D. BC	1	00:17:53
	Womens Novice 4X+	1	261	Graiguenamanagh BC	2	00:17:57
	2	59	Graiguenamanagh BC	1	00:18:43
	3	260	Garda Siochana BC	2	00:19:44
	4	60	Commercial RC B	1	00:23:38
	Womens Senior 1X	1	298	Three Castles Rowing Club B (Walshe)	2	00:16:26
	2	294	Three Castles Rowing Club A (Moran	2	00:16:31
	3	297	Commercial RC C (Dolan)	2	00:16:37
	4	101	Three Castles Rowing Club B (Moran	1	00:16:53
	5	95	Commercial RC (Dolan)	1	00:17:23
	6	102	Three Castles Rowing Club C (Walshe)	1	00:17:23
	7	100	Dublin University Ladies BC B	1	00:18:00
	8	99	NUI Galway BC (Hurst)	1	00:18:07
	09 November 2013	Page 6 of 7
Category Report –Neptune HOR 9th November 2013
Category	Rank	Boa	Club/Crew	Race	Time
	Womens Senior 1X	9	98	Three Castles Rowing Club A (Quinn)	1	00:18:07
	10	296	Commercial RC A (Rodger)	2	00:18:16
	Womens Senior 2X	1	236	Commercial RC	2	00:16:09
	2	31	NUI Galway BC/Tribesmen RC	1	00:16:14
	3	235	U.C.D. BC	2	00:16:41
	4	240	U.C.D. BC B	2	00:16:45
	5	33	Commercial RC	1	00:16:49
	6	237	Carlow RC	2	00:17:43
	7	34	U.C.D. BC B	1	00:17:48
	8	32	Neptune RC	1	00:18:30
	9	241	Commercial RC B	2	00:19:24
	10	243	U.C.D. BC C	2	00:19:29
	11	238	Neptune RC	2	00:19:47
	12	30	U.C.D. BC	1	00:20:15
	13	35	U.C.D. BC C	1	00:21:39
	Womens Senior 4-	1	233	NUI Galway BC/Tribesmen RC	2	00:14:32
	2	29	U.C.D. BC	1	00:15:15
	3	28	Dublin University Ladies BC	1	00:15:45
	4	234	U.C.D. BC	2	00:16:53
	Womens Senior 8	1	213	Dublin University Ladies BC	2	00:14:18
	09 November 2013	Page 7 of 7

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28th July 2013

O'Donovan Races to Bronze at World Under-23 Rowing Championships

#World Under-23Rowing: Paul O’Donovan took a bronze medal for Ireland at the World Under-23 Championships in Linz in Austria this morning. The 19-year-old Skibbereen man, who is a scholarship student at UCD, had a controlled race in the A Final of the lightweight single sculls. Andrew Campbell Jr of the United States was the strong leader from early on, while O’Donovan and eventual silver medallist Franciscus Goutier of the Netherlands stayed in the mix behind him. New Zealander Adam Ling did push to take bronze, but O’Donovan saw him off with his characteristic fast finish.

World Under-23 Rowing Championships, Linz, Austria, Day Five (Irish interest, selected results)

Men

Pair – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Netherlands 6:47.87, 2 Hungary 6:49.68, 3 Slovenia 6:49.83, 4 Ireland (S O’Connor, F McQuillan-Tolan) 7:00.93, 5 Ukraine 7:03.46, 6 Lithuania 7:07.13.

Lightweight Double Sculls – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Denmark 6:37.95, 2 Poland 6:40.97, 3 Lithuania 6:41.40, 4 Britain 6:44.76, 5 Norway 6:45.20, 6 Ireland (S O’Driscoll, G O’Donovan) 6:46.78.

Lightweight Single Sculls – A Final: 1 United States (A Campbell Jr) 7:07.84, 2 Netherlands (F Goutier) 7:10.49, 3 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:11.67; 4 New Zealand 7:12.44, 5 Turkey 7:18.84, 6 Britain 7:20.54.

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – A Final: 1 Greece (A Nikolaidou) 7:58.12, 2 Belarus (A Kryvasheyenka) 8:02.79, 3 Japan (A Oishi) 8:06.68; 4 Belgium 8:09.10, 5 Austria 8:09.32, 6 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:14.47.

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28th July 2013

Walsh Sixth in A Final at World Under-23 Rowing Championships

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Denise Walsh finished sixth in the A Final of the lightweight single sculls at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in Linz in Austria this morning. The Skibbereen woman and Belgium’s Eveline Peleman were not far off the pace at the back of the field in the first half of the race, but when Peleman moved away, Walsh struggled. The race was won by Aikaterini Nikolaidou of Greece.

Seán O’Connor and Fionnán McQuillan-Tolan finished fourth in the B Final of the men’s pair, 10th overall. The Netherlands were the premier crew throughout, and for most of the first half of the race Slovenia held second and Hungary and Ireland were in third and fourth. Hungary had a good second half and left Ireland behind and then caught and passed Slovenia at the finish, to take second.

In the men’s lightweight double sculls, Shane O’Driscoll and Gary O’Donovan finished sixth. Denmark won convincingly. Ireland looked a possibility for fourth, and 10th overall, but were passed by Lithuania and Britain in the second half of the race.

World Under-23 Rowing Championships, Linz, Austria, Day Five (Irish interest, selected results)

Men

Pair – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Netherlands 6:47.87, 2 Hungary 6:49.68, 3 Slovenia 6:49.83, 4 Ireland (S O’Connor, F McQuillan-Tolan) 7:00.93, 5 Ukraine 7:03.46, 6 Lithuania 7:07.13.

Lightweight Double Sculls – B Final (Places 7 to 12): 1 Denmark 6:37.95, 2 Poland 6:40.97, 3 Lithuania 6:41.40, 4 Britain 6:44.76, 5 Norway 6:45.20, 6 Ireland (S O’Driscoll, G O’Donovan) 6:46.78.

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – A Final: 1 Greece (A Nikolaidou) 7:58.12, 2 Belarus (A Kryvasheyenka) 8:02.79, 3 Japan (A Oishi) 8:06.68; 4 Belgium 8:09.10, 5 Austria 8:09.32, 6 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:14.47.

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27th July 2013

Walsh and O'Donovan Join Four in World Under-23 Rowing Finals

#WorldUnder-23Rowing: Ireland qualified two more boats for the A Finals of the World Under-23 Rowing Championships at Linz in Austria this morning, nailing top-three places in the semi-finals to join the women’s four in the hunt for medals.

Denise Walsh started the day well for the team in green by qualifying in the lightweight single sculls. Aikaterini Nikolaidou of Greece led the semi-final all the way down the course and won. Walsh and Anna Berger of Austria got away from Julie Marechal of France to secure second and third, with the Austrian pipping the Skibbereen woman for second.

The favourite for gold, Andrew Campbell Jr of the United States, set the pace in the second semi-final of the lightweight single sculls. Paul O’Donovan again had a slow start and by half way still trailed the American by more than a length. O’Donovan, characteristically, closed on his rival in the second half, but Campbell held him off. Zak Lee-Green of Britain took the third qualifying place.

In the men’s pair, Fionnán McQuillan-Tolan and Seán O’Connor finished fifth in a race in which South Africa, Greece and Serbia took a grip of the qualifying places quite early.

Ireland’s lightweight double scull of Shane O’Driscoll and Gary O’Donovan fought their way from sixth to fourth in the middle stages of their semi-final, but could not break into the top three. Poland pushed them into fifth in the second half of the race.

World Under-23 Rowing Championships, Linz, Austria, Day Four (Irish interest, selected results)

Men

Pair - (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final) – Semi-Final One: 1 South Africa (D Hunt, V Breet) 6:46.15, 2 Greece (K Christomanos, A Dafnis) 6:49.16, 3 Serbia (M Vasic, R Deric) 6:49.47; 4 Hungary 6:50.31, 5 Ireland (S O’Connor, F McQuillan-Tolan) 6:59.77, 6 Lithuania 7:20.32.

Lightweight Double Sculls – (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final) – Semi-Final One: 1 Germany (M Moos, J Osborne) 6:36.55, 2 Italy (L Barbaro, S Molteni) 6:37.75, 3 Spain (J de Haz, J Zabala Artetxe) 6:37.88; 4 Poland 6:38.49, 5 Ireland (S O’Driscoll, G O’Donovan) 6:46.30, 6 Norway 6:48.13.

Lightweight Single Sculls – (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final) – Semi-Final One: 1 United States (A Campbell) 7:11.15, 2 Ireland (P O’Donovan) 7:12.58, 3 Britain (Z Lee-Green) 7:14.26; 4 Australia 7:22.67, 5 Italy 7:24.34, 6 Germany 7:28.69.

Women

Lightweight Single Sculls – (First Three to A Final; rest to B Final) – Semi-Finals Two: 1 Greece (A Nikolaidou) 7:54.92, 2 Austria (A Berger) 8:00.22, 3 Ireland (D Walsh) 8:00.28; 4 France 8:04.30, 5 Germany 8:11.25, 6 Cyprus 8:11.63.

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