Rowing has grown in popularity after the success of the ODonovan brothers from Cork winning a silver medal at the Olympics and Shannonside FM’s John Lynch has been finding out about the popularity of Rowing in the region as he spoke in Kiltoom to Paul O’Donovan from the Athlone Boat club.
Founded in 1837 Athlone Boat Club is the second oldest rowing club in Ireland. The club is steeped in tradition and has played a leading role in the sporting history of the town. It is located on the banks of the River Shannon beside Custume Barracks. The club caters for oarsmen and oarswomen of all ages from Junior to Masters and has a proud history at National and International level.
Although small in size the club has produced many top class oarspeople and has had some notable successes. In 1974 the club won its first ever national when it won the Men’s Maiden Fours Championship of Ireland. In 1989 the club won its second men’s championship by taking the Novice Fours trophy. Women’s rowing was introduced in the club in 1974 and the ladies went on to win championships in 1980 (Novice 4), 1983 (Intermediate Four and Junior Four), 1985 (Junior Four), 1992 and 1993 (Composite Junior 18 with Offaly R.C.).
After a lapse of twenty six years Athlone Boat Club won another men’s national title when Patrick Munnelly won the Junior 18 Singles Championship of Ireland in 2015. This was the club’s first ever men’s junior championship win. Patrick also won three gold medals as a member of a very successful Irish Junior Quad at Coupe de Jeunesse (France 2014 and Hungary 2015). Several junior members for the club have been selected to row for Ireland over the years and some former members have gained senior international recognition with other clubs.
Paul says that the domestic rowing scene is very strong and he is proud of how the club has been growing and expanding in what is a hugely disciplined and highly technical sport with the participants adopting ‘phenomenal training regimes’. You can hear their conversation here
