Dressed in gold: Irish rowers savour never-to-be-forgotten year at gala awards night

Rowing Ireland celebrates historic year at the Olympic celebration and annual awards night

SOMETHING IN THE WATER: Irish Olympic Rowers from left, bronze medallist Daire Lynch, Natalie Long, Fiona Murtagh, gold medallist Fintan McCarthy, Eimear Lambe, Alison Bergin, Margaret Cremen and gold medallist Paul O'Donovan at the Rowing Ireland's Olympic Celebration and Awards Night at Fota Island Resort in Cork. Pic: Matt Browne, Sportsfile

ROWING Ireland didn't do it, but might have been minded to advise on a non-gold dress code for the weekend's annual awards night at the glamorous Fota Island Hotel and resort in Cork. 

There was plenty of it about anyway.

An evening dripping in gold climaxed with the president's award being presented to Skibbereen's Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan for their extraordinary back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls. O’Donovan also made history as the first Irish athlete to medal at three Olympic Games, a feat guided by legendary Skibb coach Dominic Casey.

Rowing Ireland president Jane Williams presents the President's Award to Irish Olympic gold medallist's Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy

The event at five-star Fota Island was a who's who of world rowing, with guests including Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of World Rowing, Annamarie Phelps, President of European Rowing, Rowing Ireland president Jane Williams, and Chair, Barry McWilliams, and Dr. Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland. 

The president of European Rowing, Annamarie Phelps was in attendance, pointed out: "Rowing Ireland has developed a high-performance programme to support success at the highest level across men’s and women’s Olympic and Paralympic rowing alongside a growing, thriving club community.

"The awards are an energising celebration of national team rowers, high-performance success, and future talent as well as recognising the commitment of volunteers in clubs, behind the scenes, working to secure the future for clubs and our sport. Those first touch points in a sport (at club level) are just as valuable as high-performance programmes."

But the real stars of the evening were the multiple award winners honoured after an extraordinary 2024.

A special presentation was made to Olympians, Paralympians, and World medallists, including Ciaran Purdy and Donncha Keely, Adam Murphy and Brian Colsh along with world coaches, John Armstrong and Fergus Hannon.

Olympic athletes who attended were honoured along with Dominic Casey, Fintan McCarthy, Paul O’Donovan, Daire Lynch, Margaret Cremen, Alison Bergin, Fiona Murtagh, Natalie Long, Eimear Lambe and Tiarnan O’Donnell.

A standout moment of the night was the recognition of Daire Lynch and Philip Doyle, who made history by winning an Olympic bronze medal in the Men’s Double Sculls at the 2024 Paris Olympiccs.

Irish Olympian Margaret Cremen with her Senior Female Rower of the Year award and Olympic gold medallist Paul O'Donovan with his Senior Male Rower of the Year award.

Award winners - Coach of the Year: Pat McInerney, St. Michael’s Rowing Club; Up-and-Coming Rower: Grace Healy, Dublin University; Ladies Boat Club Senior Female Rower: Margaret Cremen, UCC/Lee Rowing; Club Senior Male Rower: Paul O'Donovan, Skibbereen; Junior Female Rower: Anna Brennan, New Ross; Junior Male Rower: Jack Rafferty, St. Michael’s; Master Female Rower: Barbara Nugent, Skibbereen; Master Male Rower: Paul Gallen, Athlone; Club of the Year: Kilmacsimon Swimming & Rowing Club; Umpire of the Year: TJ Ryan, Skibbereen; Women in Sports Advocate of the Year: Sandra Cunningham, Athlone; Rowability Award of the Year: Peter Cassidy, Tribesmen Rowing Club; Volunteer of the Year: Janet Walsh, New Ross.