Rowing on the rise in county

LAST Thursday the great work being done locally to promote the sport of rowing was acknowledged by a visit to Sligo from Chief Executive of Rowing Ireland Michelle Carpenter and Emma Jane Clarke from Sport Ireland.

Sligo Rowing Club were delighted to welcome them and invited guests to their base in Cleveragh with both club competitive rowers and participants from their social rowing programme in attendance.

Michelle Carpenter acknowledged the excellent work being done by coaches and volunteers in the club to date in developing rowing in Sligo while also welcoming their expansion into the area of social rowing.

Rory Clarke, Chairperson Sligo Rowing Club noted the ambition of the club to continue to develop and grow and in doing this the need to have the programmes and facilities to enable this to happen.

The occasion also marked the launch of a report on the ‘Community Get Rowing’ programme facilitated by Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership.

The special guests along with local community representatives and agencies involved in the Community Get Rowing programme were welcomed to County Hall by Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Keith Henry and Chief Executive Ciaran Hayes.

The occasion marked the launch of a report on an indoor rowing programme which was funded under the Sligo County Council LCDC Healthy Ireland initiative.

The programme used indoor rowing as a form of exercise to engage men in rural areas in physical activity.

In presenting the findings from the report Sports Co ordinator Deirdre Lavin noted: “Fifty four men in the communities of Geevagh and Ballintogher benefited from the programme with many positive impacts including increased levels of physical activity and fitness, enhanced sense of heath and well being and an opportunity for greater social interaction”.

In commenting on the initiative Emma Jane Clarke of Sport Ireland stated: “This is a great example of an initiative to promote physical activity for the target group of inactive men and the manner in which the local community organisations, Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership and the Sligo County Council LCDC worked together is to be complimented,” she added.

Leisure rowing has become really popular at Sligo Rowing Club and new members are welcome.

Jude Mannion, Diane Middleton Cox, Maureen Meehan, Gretta O’ Hart and Deirdre Lavin at the Open Day at the Bowling Green.

Michelle Carpenter Rowing Ireland, Deirdre Lavin and Theresa Kilgannon SSRP and girls from Sligo Rowing Club promoting a new school rowing programme ‘Get Going Get Rowing’ for girls.