Great night was had by all at rowing club fundraiser in Tipperary

Above: The Clonmel Rowing Club eight crew of 1974, who were honoured at the club’s fundraising concert. Included are Liam Hurley, Dermot Dougan, PJ Carey, Matty McKenna, Brian Corbett, PJ Cummins, Fergus Nugent, Andy Ryan and Paul Carroll

You know that the sport of rowing has gone mainstream when Barry’s Tea feature a girl having a cuppa after doing her stint on the water down in Skibbereen. 

Rowing being flavour of the month didn’t come about by accident. It is as a result of the dedication of coaches and mentors all around the country at grassroots level  that has culminated in the  popularity and success of the sport today. 

Sports organisations are always on the lookout for fundraising ideas. So when longstanding Clonmel Rowing Club member Donal Lyons, aka Marty Daniels, offered to perform a concert for the club, the committee rowed wholeheartedly in behind him and the event held in the magnificent ballroom of the Talbot Hotel was an outstanding success.

Supporters of the club and businesses around the town donated great spot prizes and this enabled us to run a generous raffle, with our recent winner in the 2x at the World Under 23 championships, Donnacha Keeley, on hand to draw the prizes.

Marty Daniels performed a lively session of much-loved country classics, which got the  dancers on their feet for the night waltzing, jiving and even doing the slosh. A huge thank you to  Marty, the rowing club members, sponsors and supporters for giving us a memorable night.

All proceeds from the night will go to improving the facilities at The Island and the committee have plans in place to rise to the challenge of running a very successful sports club and to build on the legacy of those who helped to provide a rowing facility in Clonmel for the last 155 years. 

Earlier in the evening club President, Dermot Dougan made a presentation to Michelle Gregory and Sandra Wall, who won a gold medal at the World Masters Championships in Germany.

A presentation was also made to Donnacha Keeley to commemorate his brilliant achievement with Ciaran Purdy at the World Under 23 championships in Canada. It’s not everyday that we get a chance to acknowledge world champions, so when we get the chance, we do so in style.

Also on the night  a presentation was made to the newly-elected President of Rowing Ireland, Jane Williams, who began her rowing career in Clonmel Rowing Club many moons ago.

We also presented a set of rowing tops to the men’s eight of 1974, with four of that crew going on to win the maiden fours championship that year.

The presentations were made by the Mayor of Clonmel Michael Murphy.

There was much reminiscing about the halcyon days of the 1970s and sure isn’t that what rowing is all about- enjoying those little incidents you had when messing about in boats.

As the night wore on it could have been a case of “the older I get, the better I was”.

This weekend the Munster Indoor Rowing Championships take place at the UL sports arena in Limerick.

People from gyms and the cross-fit community will be going head-to-head against the rowers on the ergometers and this event always provides an electric atmosphere in a packed arena.

SEE ALSO: Tipperary senior athletics team strikes gold at national championships

We will also have a number of rowers attending trials for Rowing Ireland, with a view to breaking on to the national squad for 2025.

Everyone in Clonmel Rowing Club wishes our boys and girls the best of luck in the selection process.