Women take to the water!

A NEW initiative is encouraging more women to get involved in water sports in Kerry in a bid to get people active and highlight the abundance of top quality waterways in the process.

Kerry’s Explore Our Waterways – Women on the Water is an initiative of the Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership. Chairperson of the Partnership, Jimmy Deenihan, said the county’s rivers make for the perfect setting: “Kerry’s abundant waterways provide an ideal environment for people to get outside and get active”, which is a key objective of the Sports partnership for this initiative.”

Fun and social engagement are the key operating principles, according to Kerry Canoe Club chairperson Brian O’Flaherty:

“The objective is to create a pathway to introduce women to the outdoors and to promote our abundance of waterways for sport and recreational purposes.

“An element of fun and social engagement will be implemented into the programme and should participants choose there is a progression pathway created into the Kerry Canoe Club, Killorglin.”

First up will be a beginner-based kayak course for women who have no previous experience of the water, run by the Club. The programme will take place Friday evenings, from 7-9pm starting on Friday, August 28, for five weeks. Community Sports Development Officer with the Partnership Patrice Diggin said it marks ‘a fantastic opportunity for all women who would like to meet new people and get active while being outdoors in nature and on the water.’

Contact info@kerryrecreationandsports.ie or 066-7184776 for more or check out the Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership social media pages.

Photo by Pauline Dennigan Pictured at the launch of Women on the Water in Killorglin are (from left): Colette Lawlor, Canoeing Ireland; Mary McGrath, Kerry Canoe Club, Killorglin with Jimmy Deenihan, Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership and members of the Kerry Canoe Club.