Back in May, Abbeystrewry Parishioner Richard Hosford was guest of honour at the Skibbereen Rowing Club for a boat naming ceremony. The boat, an Eight, which is a racing shell used for competitive rowing and designed for eight rowers, was named after Richard in recognition of his long and outstanding service to the club. Richard is one of the founding members of the Skibbereen Rowing Club.

Richard’s involvement and dedication to the club is a wonderful example of how members from across our Diocese, and the whole Church of Ireland, are weighing in with community life, leading to extraordinary achievements. Most recently of course, this includes the two current members and one former member of the club competing at the Olympic Games in Paris.

On 2nd August 2024, Skibbereen rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy won the gold medal in the men’s lightweight double sculls for Ireland, successfully defending their title from the previous Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. In addition, Aoife Casey, who started rowing in Skibbereen, together with Mags Cremin, who started rowing at the Shandon Rowing Club, won the fifth place in the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls. Both rowers are representatives of the University College Cork Rowing Club.

Many other members of the club compete on national and international level, frequently bringing home medals to Skibbereen. The Olympic Homecoming will be celebrate at the club on 1st September 2024. For more information, you can visit their Facebook page.

Photos: Skibbereen Rowing Club Facebook Page