Transatlantic Oarswoman Karen Weekes to Lead Kinvara St Patrick's Day Parade

17th March 2022

Oarswoman Dr Karen Weekes celebrates her solo transatlantic success in February - today she is grand marshal” for Kinvara's St Patrick’s day parade

Ireland’s first solo transatlantic oarswoman Dr Karen Weekes is to lead the St Patrick’s Day parade in Kinvara, Co Galway today.

Weekes, who rowed into Barbados on February 24th, spent almost 81 days at sea on her 3,000 nautical mile transit from the Canaries.

She was invited by the Kinvara community to become “grand marshal” for the St Patrick’s day parade.

The Afloat Sailor of the Month for February will travel in an open-top convertible through the harbour village and will be followed by representatives of the Shecando campaign which she established as part of her rowing effort.

Weekes has pledged to continue the work of the Shecando campaign, which aims to encourage more young women into adventure sports and to highlight UN sustainability goals.

The Kinvara parade returns after a two-year break due to Covid-19 and will involve traditional musicians, a drum and samba band and youth and community groups. Children participating have been asked to make flags or hearts in Ukrainian colours to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Listen to Afloat's recent podcast with Weekes here

Published in Coastal Rowing

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Karen Weekes

About The Author

Lorna Siggins

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Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award

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