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| Sport | Rowing |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Ireland |
| Founded | 1899 (1899) |
| Affiliation | FISA |
| Affiliation date | 1948 |
| Headquarters | National Rowing Centre, Cork |
| President | Neville Maxwell |
| CEO | Michelle Carpenter |
| Vice president(s) |  Connacht: Martin Hogan Leinster: Noreen Maguire Munster: Pat Kinsella Ulster: Barry McWilliams |
| Director | Philip Quinn Aisling Carpenter Aoibheann Treacey |
| Secretary | Nessa Foley |
| Coach | HP Director:Antonio Maurogiovanni Coaches: Fran Keane Giuseppe De Vita Dominic Casey |
| Other key staff | Ceara O'Connor (Women in Sport lead) Derek Bowen (Get Rowing lead) Pat Kiely (Club Support Officer) Alec Moffett (Financial Officer) |
| Official website | |
| www | |
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Rowing Ireland, formerly theIrish Amateur Rowing Union, is the governing body of rowing forIreland.[1][2] It is a cross-border organisation administering the sport in both theRepublic of Ireland[1] andNorthern Ireland.[2]
Rowing Ireland is a member of theOlympic Council of Ireland[3] and theFédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron (FISA).[4]
Over 100 clubs are affiliated to Rowing Ireland.[5] These are from across the island and include schools, third level institutions and open clubs.
In 2019 Rowing Ireland launched its strategy until 2024. This has four pillars: Supporting clubs, High Performance, Rowing for all and Leading our sport.
The National Rowing Centre (NRC) inFarran Wood,County Cork is the headquarters of Rowing Ireland and is also the base of the High Performance team. The centre has an eight-laneAlbano course and hosts a number of regattas and the Championship Regatta each year. Every four years it hosts theHome International Regatta.[6] It hosted theCoupe de la Jeunesse in 1999, 2008 and 2018.[7][8]
Established in 1899 as the Irish Amateur Rowing Union, the association hosted its first championship in 1912.[3] At the 1912 AGM, which was held in February, it was agreed that a cup be purchased for £100 for the Union to be presented for annual competition amongst senior eights. This would in time become known as "The Big Pot".The inaugural Senior eights championship took place at Metropolitan Regatta in Ringsend on the Lower Liffey in July 1912 and City of Derry Boating Club were the winners.[9] It would be 1934 before the Junior (Intermediate) eights championship was added.[10] Since then many additional championships have been added and 44 are now contested each year at the Championship Regatta.[11] In 2017 it added the Irish Offshore Rowing Championship and in 2018 the inaugural Irish Coastal Rowing Championships took place. The results of all championships can be found at www.irishrowingarchives.com
Rowing Ireland is responsible for the selection and management of the Irish national team, through its High Performance programme. Crews are selected for regattas such as theOlympic Games,World Rowing Championships,European Rowing Championships, and theWorld Rowing Cup.[12]
This was the team selected for the 2024Olympic andParalympic regattas, held atVaires-sur-Marne, France.[13][14]
| Boat | Name | Date of birth (age) | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| W4- | Emily Hegarty | (1998-08-03)August 3, 1998 (age 27) | Skibbereen |
| W4- | Natalie Long | (1990-06-13)June 13, 1990 (age 35) | Lee Valley |
| W4- | Imogen Magner | (1998-07-08)July 8, 1998 (age 27) | Carlow |
| W4- | Eimear Lambe | (1997-08-11)August 11, 1997 (age 28) | Old Collegians |
| M2- | Ross Corrigan | (1999-01-04)January 4, 1999 (age 27) | Portora |
| M2- | Nathan Timoney | (2000-09-06)September 6, 2000 (age 25) | Enniskillen Royal |
| W2- | Aifric Keogh | (1992-07-09)July 9, 1992 (age 33) | Gráinne Mhaol |
| W2- | Fiona Murtagh | (1995-07-11)July 11, 1995 (age 30) | University of Galway |
| M2x | Daire Lynch | (1998-06-19)June 19, 1998 (age 27) | Clonmel |
| M2x | Philip Doyle | (1992-09-17)September 17, 1992 (age 33) | Belfast BC |
| W2x | Zoe Hyde | (1997-01-31)January 31, 1997 (age 29) | Killorglin |
| W2x | Alison Bergin | (2002-02-25)February 25, 2002 (age 23) | Fermoy |
| LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | (1996-11-23)November 23, 1996 (age 29) | Skibbereen |
| LM2x | Paul O’Donovan | (1994-04-19)April 19, 1994 (age 31) | UCC |
| LW2x | Aoife Casey | (1999-06-01)June 1, 1999 (age 26) | Skibbereen |
| LW2x | Margaret Cremen | (1999-01-05)January 5, 1999 (age 27) | UCC |
| PR2 Mix2x | Tiarnán O'Donnell | (1998-09-13)September 13, 1998 (age 27) | Lee |
| PR2 Mix2x | Katie O’Brien | (1996-08-30)August 30, 1996 (age 29) | Galway |
This was the coaching and management personnel selected for the 2024Olympic andParalympic regattas, held atVaires-sur-Marne, France.[15]
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
 Antonio Maurogiovanni | High Performance Director |
| David Breen | Pararowing Coach |
| Dominic Casey | Lightweight Coach |
| Giuseppe De Vita | Women's Team Head Coach |
| Fran Keane | Men's Team Head Coach |
| Nicolo Maurogiovanni | Men's Team Coach |
 Ashlee Rowe | Women's Team Coach |
| Orla Doolin | Physiotherapist |
| Heather O’Brien | Physiotherapist |
| Michael O’Rourke | Team Manager |
| George Fuller | Team Doctor |
| Cathal Sheridan | Team Psychologist |
| Laura Mahoney | Team Nutritionist |
| Pat Feerick | Driver |
| John Barrett | Driver |
Ireland first sent a boat to anOlympicregatta to the1948 Summer Olympics, where they sent amen's eight.[16] The IARU received its affiliation from FISA on the 3rd of August, 1948, two days before the start of the regatta, allowing Ireland to send a crew.[17]
Ireland would not appear at an Olympic regatta until1972, whenSeán Drea entered themen's single sculls, coming seventh.[18] Ireland would go on to field at least one crew at every Olympic regatta except1984.[19] Four years later, Drea came fourth inthe same event.[20]
At the1996 Summer Olympics, the crew in themen's lightweight coxless four consisting ofDerek Holland,Sam Lynch,Neville Maxwell andTony O'Connor also came fourth.[21]
It was not until2016, when brothersGary andPaul O'Donovan broke through and won Ireland's firstOlympic medal in rowing: asilver in themen's lightweight double sculls.[22] The O'Donovans' relaxed interview style endeared followers and they became internet sensations in the wake of their success,[23] and they were invited on toThe Graham Norton Show for its 2016 New Year's Eve special.[24]
At the delayed2020 Summer Olympics, Ireland entered thirteen athletes across six boats. Thewomen's coxless four, consisting ofEmily Hegarty,Aifric Keogh,Eimear Lambe, andFiona Murtagh, won abronze medal,[25] and Paul O'Donovan joinedFintan McCarthy to win Ireland's first rowinggold in themen's lightweight double sculls.[26]
For the2024 Summer Olympics, Ireland has qualified sixteen athletes across seven boats, more than any other Olympic regatta.[27][28] Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy successfully retained their gold medal in themen's lightweight double sculls, the last time the event would be held in an Olympic regatta,[29] andPhilip Doyle andDaire Lynch won a bronze medal in themen's double sculls.[30]
| Games | Event | Rower(s) | Club | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rio de Janeiro 2016 | LM2x | Gary O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |  Silver |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCD Boat Club | |||
 Tokyo 2020 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |  Gold |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCC Rowing Club | |||
| W4- | Aifric Keogh | UCC Rowing Club |  Bronze | |
| Eimear Lambe | UCD Ladies Boat Club | |||
| Fiona Murtagh | NUIG Boat Club | |||
| Emily Hegarty | UCC Rowing Club | |||
 Paris 2024 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club | Gold |
| Paul O'Donovan | ||||
| M2x | Philip Doyle | Belfast Boat Club | Bronze | |
| Daire Lynch | Clonmel Rowing Club |
At the2012 Summer Paralympics, Ireland fielded a crew in themixed coxed four.[31] For the2024 Summer Paralympics, Ireland has qualified a boat for thePR2 mixed double sculls.[32]
Ireland has won seventeen gold, seven silver and fourteen bronze medals at theWorld Rowing Championships.[33][34]
| Year | Event | Rower(s) | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
 Vienna 1991 | LM1x | Niall O'Toole | Commercial Rowing Club |
 Lucerne 2001 | LM1x | Sam Lynch | St Michael's Rowing Club |
| LW1x | Sinead Jennings |  St Andrew Boat Club | |
| LM2- | Gearoid Towey | Neptune Rowing Club | |
| Tony O'Connor | |||
 Seville 2002 | LM1x | Sam Lynch | St Michael's Rowing Club |
 Rotterdam 2016 | LM1x | Paul O'Donovan | UCD Boat Club |
 Sarasota 2017 | LM2- | Mark O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Shane O'Driscoll | |||
| LM1x | Paul O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club | |
 Plovdiv 2018 | LM2x | Gary O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | |||
| W1x | Sanita Pušpure | Old Collegians Boat Club | |
| Ottensheim 2019 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | |||
| W1x | Sanita Pušpure | Old Collegians Boat Club | |
 Račice 2022 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCC Rowing Club | ||
| PR2W1x | Katie O'Brien | Galway Rowing Club | |
 Belgrade 2023 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCC Rowing Club | ||
| LW1x | Siobhán McCrohan | Tribesmen Rowing Club | |
 St. Catherine's 2024 | LM1x | Paul O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
TheEuropean Rowing Championships were re-established in 2007, after a hiatus dating to 1973. At these, Ireland has won six gold, six silver, and five bronze medals.[35]
| Year | Event | Rower(s) | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
 Brandenburg 2016 | LM2x | Gary O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCD Boat Club | ||
| Račice 2017 | LM2- | Mark O'Donovan | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Shane O'Driscoll | |||
| Lucerne 2019 | W1x | Sanita Pušpure | Old Collegians Rowing Club |
 Poznań 2020 | W1x | Sanita Pušpure | Old Collegians Rowing Club |
| Varese 2021 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCC Rowing Club | ||
| Munich 2022 | LM2x | Fintan McCarthy | Skibbereen Rowing Club |
| Paul O'Donovan | UCC Rowing Club |
| Africa |  | |
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| Americas | ||
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Oceania | ||
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