LIMERICK’S potential to host a significant international race for traditional hand-built boats was realised last weekend when a record turnout of 30 crews took to the River Shannon in gandelows.
Gary McMahon of the Ilen School and Network For Boat Building, told the Limerick Post that “30 boats gathered on O’Callaghan Strand slip last Saturday evening, all wonderful vernacular boats, full of their owners character who had travelled with their rowing crews from Cork, West Clare, Limerick and the adjacent boat-beds of Clarina, Coonagh, Ringmoylan and Askeaton, to make up a generous inaugural King’s Island Race fleet.
Pleased that the weather played its part, Mr McMahon said that “the rowers pulled east towards Thomond Bridge, to begin what was a wonderful King’s Island row, in the warm autumn sunshine.
“Visiting rowers were more than surprised with the splendour of the city’s river environment, particularly how a small boat can so quickly contextualises it all, but they were also a little disappointed that we had not shared this metropolitan rowing pearl with them earlier.”
“At any rate, the secret has now escaped the city, as we at the Ilen.ie School plan to develop this inaugural King’s Island Race as a quality international annual river event for Limerick.” he continued.
He described the race as “an event for the energetic boater. It is a magnificent 45 minute dash over fast water, along ever changing river topography”.
For the leisurely rower, “it is an inimitable row to another world, near the meeting of the Shannon and the Abbey Rivers.”
See www.ilen.ie for more.
