Hi all,

Welcome to the 6th ‘Chairperson’s Quarterly Update, the 3rd of the current committee year, and the 2nd of 2018. The idea of these updates is to keep all you members of St. Michael’s Rowing Club up to speed with what’s going on within the club committee and the wider world where it’s relevant to what we do. The previous updates are all in this blog for any new members, or for anyone who missed them. They are intended to complement the more regular Member Updates, which generally cover specific topics.

As you’ll see I missed the target of June for this one, but sure it just means there’s more for me to tell you about! In this edition we have

  • The regatta season
  • New members and ‘Shoulder season’
  • All Irelands and long races
  • Social and fundraising events
  • New Boat!
  • Committee happenings
  • A big welcome to Wayne

The regatta season

Since the last update, we have the majority of the East Coast regatta circuit behind us. After a faltering start due to the cancellation of both Arklow and Dalkey’s regattas, we got stuck in with the remainder of the fixtures (https://eastcoastrowing.ie/fixtures/ ), including our own very successful regatta, which we should all be proud of. At the time of writing, we’ve 3 regattas left, albeit over just 8 days. Yikes!

We’ve had some solid performances and fantastic results from across the club in 2018, from kids to adults and from experienced rowers to newer crews. It’s also worth noting that in the ‘pre-season’ slot we sent a crew to the Boyne race in Drogheda and two to Ocean to City in Cork. Our on-water skills got a boost in May with a very well attended coxing course run by our own Niall Dennehy.

New members and ‘Shoulder season’

We ran two very popular open days in April and July, and have welcomed a heap of wonderful new rowers and friends into the club, who are just starting their journey in this fine sport and club. For these guys it will be their first quarterly update so.. hi!

As we head into the ‘shoulder season’ after August Bank Holiday Monday, and as experienced crews and cox’ns finish out their east coast campaigns, I’d urge members to stay involved, even on a less regular basis. It’s a great time of the year to pass on skills, mix up the crews, and get to know people from other crews that bit better!

All Irelands and long races

While the regatta circuit will soon be over, there are a number of events available to us. As previously communicated, the club committee undertakes to do whatever it takes to get everyone to the 9 East Coast regattas, but when it comes to other events, it’s down to the crews and rowers competing to carry the load on an administrative and logistical front.

The ‘All Irelands’ are coming up just 2 weeks after the Wicklow Regatta, and as you may know from https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/governing-bodies/ and https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/which-all-irelands-wexford-or-cork/ , there has been something of a split in coastal rowing, with competing events on the same weekend in Wexford and Cork this year. Off the back of a vote by you guys, the members, we’ve gone for Wexford. Captain Chris has formed a subcommittee for this, but unfortunately it looks like we can’t get the lend of a ‘one design’ boat, and will be entering skiff crews only this time around. More info to follow on this. On the wider ICRF/RI political issue, the latest is that there’s ‘mediation’ planned. Could be a way to go yet.

We will be holding our own ‘Long Race’ for the Hobblers Challenge Cup (https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/long-race-2018/ ) on September 1st. It will be the first year on this course, it having been planned for 2017, but cancelled due to adverse weather. This has all the ingredients of a very exciting, if challenging event.

Stella Maris Rowing Club will be holding their mid-distance ‘Hope Cup’ on September 15th, and Fingal are planning a long race around Lambay Island on September 22nd.

Again, more info will follow on these events, but if you’re interested, be sure to sign up at https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/members-area/availability/regatta-availability/ to let the selectors know.

Social and Fundraising events

As you will know from the members’ updates, we had a very successful (€1,005) bag packing session in Super Valu Blackrock in June, and a good hooley after our home regatta in McKenna’s. Coming up we have the now annual ‘Family Challenge’ day in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday August 25th,where rowers from within the club and their family members compete in a set of fun (often hilarious) races in the harbour, with a BBQ too. This will be when we announce the results of our whopper raffle (https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/details-on-our-fundraising-raffle/ ) with a massive €1,000 up for grabs. I hope you’re all out selling your tickets!

Our annual table quiz is slotted in for Friday 14th September. All this and more is being headed up by our own Aisling Lahiffe, aided and abetted by her team of merry helpers. There will also be an end of season awards party to be announced at a later date.

New Boat!

So, the reason for all this fundraising? Well partly to keep the lights on, but mostly because we’re getting a BRAND NEW SKIFF built, with construction starting in Cornwall next month by https://www.hunkinboatbuilders.co.uk/ (facebook link). We were awarded a sports capital grant for most of it, but we’ve to raise €5k ourselves. Some exciting times ahead this autumn though.

Committee happenings

Since last we spoke, we’ve drafted in the very capable Amy Smith to take over as interim treasurer, to free Dave Cullen up to be Membership Secretary full time. For new members, you’ll find the committee roles at https://www.dunlaoghairerowing.com/members-area/club-comms/current-committee/ (needs updating). To poke around the rest of the members area too. Loads to learn. On the wider front, the committee continues to meet monthly, year round, and I can report that everyone’s doing stirling work on the club’s behalf.

A big welcome to Wayne

We are delighted to welcome Wayne Buckley to the family, who started earlier this month. Wayne is joining us on the Tús scheme (https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/T%C3%BAs_holder.aspx ) and will be working with us on a part time basis for the next 12 months, helping with the boats and oars and equipment. He’s already been wowing us with his hard work and can-do attitude, and has helped us through the oar drought, along with new oars made by Terry Keogh that arrived last week.

Do welcome Wayne into the fold when you see him, and remember that we will all still need to work hard at boat maintenance this coming 12 months. He’s only one man, and our boats and equipment are worked very hard!

 

That’s all for now. Yours rowingly,

Ger Ryan,  Club Chairperson, St. Michael’s Rowing Club – Dun Laoghaire.