Celebration time at Athlone Boat Club

Athlone Boat Club held its Celebration Dinner Dance 2024 in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel on Saturday, November 9.

This event brought together rowers, coaches, families and friends to celebrate a remarkable season which saw the club win four National Championships, the selection of five juniors to represent Ireland, two coaches selected to coach international crews and three masters’ rowers winning gold at the World Masters Rowing Championships!

In attendance on the night was Jane Williams, the newly appointed President of Rowing Ireland.

Club coaches Fergus Hannon and Paul Donovan were honoured for their contribution to the club and on their selection to coach crews at the U19 World Rowing Championships and Home Internationals Regatta respectively.

These were not the only successes that the club wanted to acknowledge. At a recent AGM club captain Dee Feary discussed the many ways that Athlone Boat Club measures success and how it cannot be limited to competitive and performance rowing.

One of the clubs most successful programs in recent years has been the development of its Adult Learn to Row programme and the growth of the master’s leisure and recreational rowing squad. Club coach Sandra Cunningham was recognised and awarded for her enormous contribution to this program which has gone from strength to strength under her guidance.

Honorary Life Membership was presented to former Athlone Boat Club rower and medal-winning Olympic rowing coach Fran Keane - a member of the Keane family, a family synonymous with Athlone Boat Club.

Fran, a former Marist student and secondary school teacher based in Cork has been a member of Rowing Ireland's High Performance coaching squad for 5 years. He was the coach of the men’s Heavyweight double scull of Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch that won bronze in Paris. This is Irelands first men’s medal in the Heavyweight category.

Club member Martin Hogan was also presented Honorary Life Membership for his contribution to rowing and to Athlone Boat Club over the years. Martin has been involved in rowing at local, provincial and national level for many years.

He is currently the Chair of Rowing Ireland. He remains hugely supportive to the club and in particular makes himself available to assist in umpiring at the annual regatta.

The weekend culminated on Sunday morning with a boat naming and blessing ceremony held at the clubhouse. In rowing boat naming is a way to acknowledge the importance not only of the boats themselves but also those who have contributed to our club and its legacy. Four boats were named and blessed, Fran Keane and Martin Hogan's names were unveiled on two of the racing quads.

Boxer Moran was named on the Filippi 8 boat. Boxer’s contribution to and support of the club has been unwavering in recent years, from support of the clubhouse development to the huge contribution he makes to our annual Regatta held at Coosan Point.

Johnny Farrell’s name was unveiled on the final quad. Johnny was a member of an Irish Championship 4 in 1974, It was a first Championship win for the club. Johnny sadly passed away in 1975. Members of Johnny's extended family and his crew from 1974 were present to mark the occasion.

Special thanks to Fr Declan Shannon who blessed the boats and all those who row in them.