The 2025 Irish coastal rowing season has officially burst into life—and Donegal is leading the charge.
In a weekend that showcased the sheer grit, spirit and strength of sea-rowers, Kincasslagh Rowing Club (KRC)hauled home three national titles and seven medals in total at the Irish Masters Coastal Rowing Championships, hosted by Olderfleet Rowing Club in Glenarm, Co. Antrim on Saturday, May 10th.
Rowing under clear blue skies that later gave way to testing swells and stiff crosswinds, crews from across Ireland and the UK converged on the Antrim coast—but it was the Donegal rowers, dressed in yellow and green, who stole the show.
From the eight championship events raced, KRC claimed podium finishes in seven, including:
Irish Championship Golds:
- Men’s Single: Colm Gaffney
- Men’s Double: Colm Gaffney & James McGonagle
- Mixed Double: Lena Breslin & Colm Gaffney — their third title in as many years
Silver Medals:
- Women’s Single: Lena Breslin
- Women’s Double: Shirley Lee (KRC) & Annie Guest (Dolphin RC, Southampton)
Bronze Medals:
- Women’s Quad: Bridget Sweeney, Shirley Lee, Lena Breslin & Annie Guest; coxed by James McGonagle
- Mixed Quad: Bridget Sweeney, Lena Breslin, Sean Davidson, Colm Gaffney; coxed by Finbar Breslin
There was heartbreak too—the Men’s Quad was forced to retire mid-race after snapping a carbon oar in the rising sea chop, a reminder of the raw force of open-water rowing.
Donegal Bay RC also flew the county colours with pride, a strong bunch Masters contenders with Massimo De Luca earning silver in a composite quad with hosts Olderfleet RC.
A Dual Battle: Flatwater Glory at Lough Rinn
Meanwhile, far from the coastal chaos, calm prevailed at the Lough Rinn Grand League Regatta in County Leitrim—one of Ireland’s premier flatwater events. With 782 competitors from 34 clubs, the 2,000m, 8-lane course was a hive of speed, precision and promise.
Donegal’s junior rowers made their mark:
- Brendan Shaw of Loughros Point RC claimed 3rd in the U18 Boys B Final—an impressive showing from Loughross with their junior boys and girls in their club’s Lough Rinn debut.
- Donegal Bay RC’s junior boys double placed 6th in the fiercely contested A Final.
Adding more gold to Donegal’s haul, KRC’s Ray Kenna raced with Neptune RC of Dublin, striking gold in both the quad and eight-man crew events.
The Season Ahead: More Waves to Conquer
With the Irish Beach Sprint Championships, Junior Championships, and the Home International Beach Sprints all set for Narin Beach, Portnoo later this summer, this is only the beginning of a landmark season for Donegal rowing.
And come October, many of these master rowers will represent Ireland at the World Rowing Coastal Masters Championships in Turkey—taking Donegal’s grit to a global stage.
So if you’ve ever been curious about rowing—not the Oxford v Cambridge variety, but the real, saltwater kind that tests body and soul—there has never been a better time to get involved.
Join a club. Pick up an oar. The sea is calling.
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