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Displaying items by tag: Kenmare

#Rowing: Enniskillen, Kenmare and the host club all had notable results at the giant Castleconnell Head of the River today. Enniskillen’s girls’ eights were fastest at junior 18, junior 16 and junior 15 level – and their junior 18 women’s quadruple also hit the mark. The top junior 18 single sculler was Eabha Benson of St Michael’s. Georgia O’Brien was the top senior single sculler.

O’Brien is a Kenmare woman, and her club of origin had two remarkable results. Tom Kelly won the junior 18 singles and teamed up with 16-year-old Rowan Glynn-Johnston in the junior 18 double sculls to record a brilliant time of 11 minutes 12 seconds. Kealan Mannix of the University of Limerick was the fastest senior with a time of 11 minutes 52 seconds.

Enniskillen’s junior men’s eight were the fastest of all, in nine minutes 58 seconds, while UCD B were the fastest four with a time of 10 minutes 21 seconds.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Seven different clubs won in the second session of finals on the second day of the Irish Championships. The races were run in hot sunshine.

Two women's finals senior finals were won in emphatic fashion. Georgia O'Brien of Kenmare won in the women's senior single sculls to give the club its second Championship. NUIG were also well in control in their victory in the women's senior pair.

Sadhbh Scully of Carlow, who is a junior, followed the trend in her big win in the women's club single sculls.

The women's junior 18 eights was a tighter affair, though Bann, once in the lead, held on strongly to rebuff Enniskillen.  

The men's junior quadruple was a big event, with Lee taking the title ahead of Three Castles and Neptune.

Cork clubs are having a good Championships, and UCC took the women's club eights.

Skibbereen figured strongly in some finals, but had their first Championship win when Kealan Mannix won the intermediate single sculls from Shane Haugh of Castleconnell.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: NUIG had a very good first day at the Irish Championships at the National Rowing Centre, taking four titles.

They won the women's senior four, the women's intermediate eight and the women's club coxed four. Sadhbh O'Connor and Fiona Murtagh added the women's senior double sculls for the Galway club.

Enniskillen took two notable titles: their men's junior eight came through under pressure from Colaiste Iognaid, and the women's junior four won from Bann.

Fionnan Crowley retained his title in the men's senior single sculls. The Castleconnell man - a brother of Aileen, who was doing well in the Ireland pair at Rotterdam - won by under a length from Niall Beggan of Commercial, who came at him hard in the closing stages.

UCD's senior four also successfully defended their title.

Tom Kelly won the junior single - the first Championships for the Kenmare club. Kelly, who turns 17 next month, is coached by Noel Casey, who is 85. Casey as based in Britain for decades and coached British women's crews to the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Carlow's Sadhbh Scully and Ciara Egan won the women's junior double - a first title at this level for the club.

Trinity won the men's club eight in a good race, while Cork Boat Club won the men's intermediate coxed four, and Anna Liffey the women's intermediate pair.

NUIG pushed Queen's hard in the men's novice coxed quadruple, but the Belfast men came through. The women's novice coxed quad from Queen's also won, giving them two victories on a busy day.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Georgia O’Brien has been chosen to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse. The Kenmare girl was added to the team, which will compete in Belgium on July 29th and 30th, after Cork Regatta. However, Rory Quinn and Oisin Clune, who had been in the mix for the Coupe de la Jeunesse team, were not chosen. They have been named in the team for the Home International Regatta in Scotland on July 22nd.

Junior Team selections 2017
The following junior teams have been selected to race at international regattas this coming summer.
Junior World Championships (Trakai, Lithuania, August 2-6)
JW2x
Margaret Cremen (Lee Rowing Club)
Aoife Casey (Skibbereen RC) Coach: Dan Buckley (Lee RC)
(Eleanor Casey, Skibbereen RC will travel with the crew as chaperone).
Coupe de la Jeunesse (Hazewinkel, Belgium, July 29-30)
JM4x-
Barry O'Flynn (Cork BC)
Matt Dundon (Clonmel RC)
Jack Keating (Carlow RC)
James Quinlan (Castleconnell BC) Coach: Ray Morrison (Fermoy RC) JW1x Georgia O' Brien (Kenmare) Coach: Ray Morrison (Fermoy RC)
JW2-
Ellie O' Reilly (Fermoy)
Gill McGirr (Fermoy) Coach: John Walsh (St Joseph's RC)
JM4-
Nathan Timoney (Enniskillen)
Barry Connolly (Cork BC)
Ross Corrigan (Enniskillen)
Aaron Johnston (Enniskillen) Coach: John Walsh (St Joseph's RC)
Home International (Strathclyde, Scotland, July 22)
Junior Women - Sweep Team
JW 4+
Siobhan Maxwell (Commercial)
Aishling Keogh (Commercial)
Mia Kovacs (Shandon)
Chelsey Minehane (Shandon)
Cox: Vicky Hanlon (Cork BC)
JW4-
Mia Jane Elliot (Enniskillen)
Zoe McCutcheon (Enniskillen)
Caitlyn Fee (Enniskillen)
Miriam Kelly (Enniskillen)
JW2-
Megan Tully (Shannon)
Megan Carmody (Shannon) Coach: Fran Keane (Presentation College RC)
*The JW Eight will be a combination of the 4+ and the 4-
Junior Men - Sweep Team
Olly O' Toole (Commercial)
Edward Meehan (Commercial)
Michael Lynch (Commercial)
Ewan Jarvis (Commercial)
Tom McKeon (SMRC)
Dylan O' Byrne (SMRC)
Odhran Donaghy (Enniskillen)
Jack Dorney (Shandon)
Calum MacRae (Methodist)
Alexander Wilson (Methodist)
Cox: Rory Farragher (Enniskillen) Coach: Stewart Davis (Lee RC)
Junior Women - Sculling Team
Cliodhna Nolan (Carlow RC)
Ciara Browne (Workmans)
Anna O'Sullivan (Fermoy RC)
Ciara Moynihan (Workmans)
Aoibhinn Keating (Skibbereen)
Ella Buckley (Lee Valley)
Ruth Carson (Bann) Coach: Amy Phelan (Colaiste Iognaid)
Junior Men - Sculling Team
Aaron Christie (Bann)
Tadhg McKnight (Three Castles)
Andy O' Toole (Carlow)
Ross O' Brien (Carlow)
Alex Byrne (Shandon BC)
Rory Quinn (Three Castles)
Oisin Clune (Three Castles) Coach: TBC
Published in Rowing

Tributes have been paid to the Kenmore man who died after his canoe capsized on Sunday (31 January).

As the Belfast Telegraph reports, Bill Topham was canoeing with a friend to islands in Kenmare Bay for a duck-shoot when their two-man vessel overturned in high winds as Storm Henry swept in from the Atlantic.

While his friend was able to swim to shore a few hundred yards away, Topham disappeared – and his body was recovered the following morning (Monday 1 February) after hundreds turned out to help with the search in often stormy conditions.

"Bill Topham and Kenmare, they sort of almost defined each other - willing to help everybody, always there and ready," said Rev Michael Cavanagh of St Patrick's Church of Ireland of the electrician, survived by his wife and three children.

The Belfast Telegraph has more on the story HERE.

Published in News Update

#MarineWildlife - A minke whale who beached along a river far upstream from Kenmare has been rescued thanks to the timely response of locals.

As RTÉ News reports, it's believed that the whale - found some 3km from the Kerry coastal town along the River Roughty – is the deepest inland such marine wildlife has ever been found in Ireland.

Two local boats guided the lone whale back towards the sea after tireless effort by community volunteers to keep it alive out of the water during low tide.

Published in Marine Wildlife

#ROWING: Portora won the Stephen Doran prize for best club at Athlone Regatta on Saturday. The Enniskillen club won a remarkable 11 finals, including clean sweeps of the men’s and women’s junior 18, junior 16 and junior 15 eights – with Bann of Coleraine coming in second in the junior 18 races. Portora also won the junior men’s coxed four and junior women’s coxless four.

The men’s senior single sculls winner was Turlough Hughes of UCD, with Damien Kelly of Garda second. Conor Carmody of Shannon won the junior 18 single sculls.

Kenmare celebrated their recent affiliation to Rowing Ireland by recording their first win – in the men’s noviced coxed quadruple sculls.

Published in Rowing

Hugo Montgomery Swan, the editor of Powerboat & Rib Magazine is part of the line up at Dromquinna Manor's Motor Boat Weekend this May bank Holiday at Kenmare, Co. Kerry. Dromquinna's John Brennan promises a weekend 'filled with adventure and activities' dedicated to motor boat enthusiasts on Kenmare Bay. The weekend format is below. A pdf flyer is also available for download below.

Friday

7pm Welcome Reception at Dromquinna Manor 

Speaker Hugo Montgomery Swan Editor of Powerboat & Rib Magazine Organiser of Round Ireland Challenge 2013

9pm Tom Crean Restaurant - Explorer Dinner

Hosted by Tom Crean's grandaughter who will tell of his epic voyages following
dinner. €35 Reservations 064 6641589.

Saturday

10am Navigation Workshop

11am Mechanical Workshop with Marine Motors Cork

12pm Basic Safety Demonstration

1pm Launch of 'The Men's Shed' Curragh

Blessing of the Boats

2pm Treasure Hunt on Kenmare Bay

A leisurely fun filled excursion on Kenmare Bay

6pm Helens Bar Kilmackillogue

Optional night cruise back to Kenmare

Sunday

7-9am Refuelling

10am Bull Run for Fun

The famous annual outing to The Bull Rock

Lunch in Portmagee at own expense

Afternoon Cruise to The Skellig Rocks

Return to Dromquinna Manor

Total distance 120 miles

7pm BBQ at Dromquinna Manor

€20. Reservations 064 6642888

Monday

Wash down and depart

Published in Powerboat Racing
Tagged under

#IRISH HARBOURS - Protesters took to the water off Kerry's piers last month in an organised swim drawing attention to proposed harbour bylaws designed to regulate the activities of water users.

“We need to make the public aware they have to make submissions,” Denise Collins told The Irish Times from Kells, which hosted one of the largest swims. “Traditional activities such as swimming will be over-regulated, we fear.”

The proposed bylaws would give Kerry County Council greater control over 16 of the county's 57 harbours and piers, including Kells, Kenmare, Portmagee, Brandon and Ventry.

Under the new bylaws, strict regulations would be placed on the use of loudhailers, landing and unloading passengers and freight, waste and even movement around the harbour.

"Draconian" charges are also set to be imposed on fishermen and other harbour users, while campaingers also feel that a ban on swimming and diving could also be added to the list.

The proposed bylaws already suffered a set-back earlier this year when Kerry County Councillors decided to restart the consultation process to allow the fishing industry, tourism operators and other interests more time to make submissions.

According to the Irish Examiner, only two submissions had been received by the council as of its January monthly meeting, despite senior council officials working for months on the draft proposals.

Cllr Toiréasa Ferris commented that the proposed charges in particular "would have huge implications for fishermen, some of whom might currently be earning only between €40 and €50 for a 14-hour day."

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, charges may also soon be hiked on yachts berthing at Ireland's main fishing harbours, a list that includes Dingle in Co Kerry.

Irish Marine Federation chairman David O'Brien expressed concern at the potential for such charges to damage "the good tourism dividend for coastal towns", noting that for every euro spent on a harbour berth, €10 was normally spent in the locality.

Published in Irish Harbours

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award

This unique and informal competition was inaugurated in 1979, with Mitsubishi Motors becoming main sponsors in 1986. The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs. 

In making their assessment, the adjudicators take many factors into consideration. In addition to the obvious one of sailing success at local, national and international level, considerable attention is also paid to the satisfaction which members in every branch of sailing and boating feel with the way their club is run, and how effectively it meets their specific needs, while also encouraging sailing development and training.

The successful staging of events, whether local, national or international, is also a factor in making the assessment, and the adjudicators place particular emphasis on the level of effective voluntary input which the membership is ready and willing to give in support of their club's activities.

The importance of a dynamic and fruitful interaction with the local community is emphasised, and also with the relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level. The adjudicators expect to find a genuine sense of continuity in club life and administration. Thus although the award is held in a specific year in celebration of achievements in the previous year, it is intended that it should reflect an ongoing story of success and well-planned programmes for future implementation. 

Over the years, the adjudication system has been continually refined in order to be able to make realistic comparisons between clubs of varying types and size. With the competition's expansion to include class associations and specialist national watersports bodies, the "Club of the Year" competition continues to keep pace with developing trends, while at the same time reflecting the fact that Ireland's leading sailing clubs are themselves national and global pace-setters

Irish Sailing Club of the Year Award FAQs

The purpose of the award is to highlight and honour the voluntary effort which goes into creating and maintaining the unrivalled success of Ireland's yacht and sailing clubs.

A ship's wheel engraved with the names of all the past winners.

The Sailing Club of the Year competition began in 1979.

PR consultant Sean O’Shea (a member of Clontarf Y & BC) had the idea of a trophy which would somehow honour the ordinary sailing club members, volunteers and sailing participants, who may not have personally won prizes, to feel a sense of identity and reward and special pride in their club. Initially some sort of direct inter-club contest was envisaged, but sailing journalist W M Nixon suggested that a way could be found for the comparative evaluation of the achievements and quality of clubs despite their significant differences in size and style.

The award recognises local, national & international sailing success by the winning club's members in both racing and cruising, the completion of a varied and useful sailing and social programme at the club, the fulfilling by the club of its significant and socially-aware role in the community, and the evidence of a genuine feeling among all members that the club meets their individual needs afloat and ashore.

The first club of the Year winner in 1979 was Wicklow Sailing Club.

Royal Cork Yacht Club has won the award most, seven times in all in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2015 & 2020.

The National YC has won six times, in 1981, 1985, 1993, 1996, 2012 & 2018.

Howth Yacht Club has won five times, in 1982, 1986, 1995, 2009 & 2019

Ireland is loosely divided into regions with the obviously high-achieving clubs from each area recommended through an informal nationwide panel of local sailors going into a long-list, which is then whittled down to a short-list of between three and eight clubs.

The final short-list is evaluated by an anonymous team based on experienced sailors, sailing journalists and sponsors’ representatives

From 1979 to 2020 the Sailing Club of the Year Award winners are:

  • 1979 Wicklow SC
  • 1980 Malahide YC
  • 1981 National YC
  • 1982 Howth YC
  • 1983 Royal St George YC
  • 1984 Dundalk SC
  • 1985 National YC (Sponsorship by Mitsubishi Motors began in 1985-86)
  • 1986 Howth YC
  • 1987 Royal Cork YC
  • 1988 Dublin University SC
  • 1989 Irish Cruising. Club
  • 1990 Glenans Irish SC
  • 1991 Galway Bay SC
  • 1992 Royal Cork YC
  • 1993 National YC & Cumann Badoiri Naomh Bhreannain (Dingle) (after 1993, year indicated is one in which trophy is held)
  • 1995 Howth Yacht Club
  • 1996 National Yacht Club
  • 1997 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 1998 Kinsale Yacht Club
  • 1999 Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club
  • 2000 Royal Cork Yacht Club (in 2000, competition extended to include class associations and specialist organisations)
  • 2001 Howth Sailing Club Seventeen Footer Association
  • 2002 Galway Bay Sailing Club
  • 2003 Coiste an Asgard
  • 2004 Royal St George Yacht Club
  • 2005 Lough Derg Yacht Club
  • 2006 Royal Cork Yacht Club (Water Club of the Harbour of Cork)
  • 2007 Dublin Bay Sailing Club
  • 2008 Lough Ree YC & Shannon One Design Assoc.
  • 2009 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2010 Royal St George YC
  • 2011 Irish Cruiser Racing Association
  • 2012 National Yacht Club
  • 2013 Royal St George YC
  • 2014 Kinsale YC
  • 2015 Royal Cork Yacht Club
  • 2016 Royal Irish Yacht Club
  • 2017 Wicklow Sailing Club
  • 2018 National Yacht Club
  • 2019 Howth Yacht Club
  • 2020 Royal Cork Yacht Club

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