The curtain has come down on the 2024 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships (23-25 August), but all from Myross Rowing Club who visited the host town Dingle will have made memories that will far outlive last weekend.
The event can only be described as a huge success, with 555 crews from throughout the country descending on the West Kerry town. A total of 71 races were completed, with over 2,000 rowers participating from the ages of 10 to 70-plus.
Kerry rowing stalwart Mary B Teahan has said that ‘the Kingdom’ put its stamp on the occasion from beginning to end, on and off the water.
More action from the 2024 All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships
Education Minister Norma Foley, who is from Tralee, opened the championships on the Friday afternoon, with Myross Rowing Club’s Pat Deasy receiving an award from the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation for his dedication to the sport of rowing.
Myross Rowing Club had an extremely successful weekend, coming home with four silver medals — in the 800m men’s sprint, Junior men’s, U16 girls and U12 boys — and three bronze medals (Pre-veteran men’s, Legends mixed and U18 girls).
Club members Mary Sullivan, Hannah Cahalane and Carmel Connolly also brought home five gold, two silver and three bronze medals as part of composite crews with Kilmacabea RC, Kilmacsimon Quay RC, Reen Pier Killarney RC and Passage West Quay RC.
A heavy shower caught these rowers off guard
In addition, Myross was well represented in many different categories from the U12 beginners race to the Legends mixed race, which comprises a crew with a total age of over 240. The underage division proved themselves to be indestructible by powering through the tough conditions that proved Dingle was a true coastal town.
It was also announced that Myross Rowing Club will be travelling to Glenarm, Co Antrim for the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships in 2025.
To finish off the all-Ireland week, Myross Rowing Club were honoured to be included as the coastal rowing representation in the homecoming parade for Ireland’s Olympians in Skibbereen. Some of the members were lucky enough to meet Jacqui Hurley and be interviewed by the legendary Teresa Mannion of RTÉ.
