All-Ireland Currach Championships

RECORD crowds turned out for the All-Ireland Currach Championships in Doonbeg on August Bank Holiday Monday to see Maharees, Kerry, win the men’s open currach race. They held off the challenges of top oarsmen from sClare, Galway, Donegal and Limerick to take the Blue Riband. In second spot was the Clare/Kerry crew comprising Sean Honan, Doonbeg, Thomas Blunnie, Kilrush and Brian Kennedy, Kerry. Third place was filled by the Doonbeg trio of Eoin and Alan Honan and Kieran Browne.
Honours in the ladies’ open race went to Gweedore, Donegal, with Carraroe, Galway and Dingle filling second and third.
In the Fear agus Bean Race, Clarecastle duo Eamonn Enright and Kerry Power were second behind Maharees and Rosses, Donegal were third. The Naomhog ladies was dominated by Rosses, Gweedore and runners-up were Clare/Kerry quartet, Leah O’Sullivan, Anne Potter, Eileen and Bríd Quirke. The third crew home was the Kilkee/Doonbeg combination of Lilian O’Donnell, Geraldine Kelly, Mary and Teresa Stanford.
The top three places in the Naomhog men’s race went to two Maharees crews and Spiddal. The youths’ U-18 race saw Dingle, Lettermore and Carna in pole positions.
The referee for the occasion was Pat Honan, Doonbeg, assisted by Bernard Ryan and Patrick Honan and the regatta commentator was Eugene Costello, Kilkee.