Dear All,

Here is the second of my chairman’s quarterly briefings on how things are progressing as viewed from the committee.  Apologies for the very long quarter, which is more like two since last update.

The season has got off to a flying start through the winter rowing,  Gráinne Mhaol launch, Celtic Challenge, newbie set up, and the Home Regatta kicking off the season.

In no particular order I will cover the following, hoping to give a flavour of some the things that the club, the committee, and various sub-committees have worked on over the last six months and also to look forward to the next few months.

  1. Welcome new rowers
  2. Maintenance coordination
  3. Our home regatta kicking off the East Coast racing calendar
  4. Racing crews
  5. Youth rowing
  6. Celtic Challenge Update
  7. Grants, Fundraising and respect
  8. The Harbour and the local elections
  9. Plastic ban and tidy up
  10. Other races All Ireland’s – ICRF & Rowing Ireland, and long races
  11. Club ethos & participation

I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all the new rowers who are joining us this year.  Cynthia (with Brendan and David’s advice) ran a really successful open night with over 30 new rowers getting out on the water, which is being followed up with a series of Friday evening sessions to cover the basics.  It is great to see a number of you racing in the novice regatta crews.  For me it was only four years ago I was in your shoes, so please throw yourself into all the club can offer.  For all of us less new rowers please continue to provide a friendly face and your time and patience to help them enjoy, learn and integrate into St Michaels.

On behalf of the committee and the club a huge thanks is due to Chris Greene who co-ordinated the maintenance through the dark winter months.  Chris decided to step off from the committee at the start of April, and I’m pleased that Colm Crilly has stepped into the role.  I’m sure with his co-ordination, and the help of the maintenance sub-committee (thanks Simone, Steve, Mark, Ger Liz, Brendan and Chris) we will have all seven(!) of our boats in great form throughout the season.

Thanks to everyone for all their work to make our home regatta such a success, and to set the bar for the ECRC season. Setting up a competition, for over 400 adults and kids, across 14 races with the time pressure of worsening winds and tides is a great achievement.  Thanks to Colm, Gary, Hilary, Jane, Sarah and Sonja in the sub-committee who organized everything and everyone on land and on sea. Thanks to Simone for rattling doors to get a full list of race sponsors for the first time, and thanks to Brendan for plugging them on the PA.  Days like this make me really proud to be a part of this Club.

Now that the regatta season is in full swing, the various crews have come together.  Thanks to the Selection committee Owen, Nic and captain Gary for their unenviable task to select these teams to choose the best squad which we can put out.  The competition on the water is of course the focus for each crew, which can cause blinkered vision.  It is important to remember that in selection some decisions must and will be made which do not please everyone.  We have all felt at times on the wrong end of such decisions, and it is important to respect these decisions which have been made in good faith by our club-mates with the welfare of the club to the forefront of their minds.

It is great to see the Youth’s rowing since early May, with all their enthusiasm, and getting medals in our home regatta – thanks to Sarah, her team, and all the garda vetted helpers. With their exam pressures easing over the next couple of weeks I’m looking forward to seeing this blossom.

Although it feels like ages ago now – watching everyone come into Aberystwyth at the crack of dawn after crossing the Irish sea is such a highlight of my year so far.  What an achievement by all the rowers, and support crews involved.

Clare has been doing sterling work applying for a wide variety of grants, with good support from Eoin and Amy.  Together with the fundraising efforts led by Simone this keeps us with refreshed equipment (So sign yourself up for the bag pack).  We should all respect club equipment as if it were our own – the money to purchase it is hard won.   This is particularly true of the safety equipment including the new life jackets.  Let’s support Sonja’s work to keep these in good stead, and not swimming in water on the floor of the boats.

With Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council taking over operational control of the harbour we continue to push for St Michael’s voice to be heard as clearly as possible in any future plans as they emerge.  I can’t say it’s easy, or clear as to who is making decisions, but between Gary and myself, we have attended a series of meetings, and are getting to know various people – some of whom are hopefully the key decision makers!

It is great to see the club transformed to be single use plastic free.  Thanks Cynthia for leading the beach clean ahead of the regatta to do our part in improving the marine environment.  Lets all maintain this effort.

Following the ECRC regatta – in August there are the twin All Ireland’s and in September a selection of Long races.  These provide top off our racing season in great style.  Of course the best of these will be the Hobblers on 7th September, as organised by ourselves.  You will hear more in due course about this.

To finish – I’d like to reflect on the values of St Michael’s club and our community – Inclusivity, Respect, Encouragement, Inspiration and Enjoyment.   It is not an easy task to always live up to these, but lets all do our best to think of these when dealing with one another.

St Michael’s Committee Chairperson, James Tedd