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A Harbour Seal photographed at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinnipeds, they are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Baltic and North seas. Photo: AfloatA photograph of a Harbour Seal taken at Dun Laoghaire Marina on Dublin Bay, Ireland. Also known as the common seal, this species can be found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are the most widely distributed species of pinnipeds and can be found in the coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as the Baltic and North Seas. Photo: Afloat

Displaying items by tag: Limerick Regatta

26th April 2019

Limerick Regatta Cancelled

#Rowing: Plans to hold Limerick Regatta on Sunday have been abandoned. The regatta was scheduled for O’Brien’s Bridge on Saturday, but the forecast predicted the arrival of Storm Hannah. The organisers have announced that a proposal to move to Sunday faltered because they could not source an ambulance and safety launch for the venue at such short notice. They thanked those who entered.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Limerick Regatta may be moved to Sunday. The weather conditions for Saturday (April 27th) at O’Brien’s Bridge could be very poor. The organisers will make an announcement later this evening.

 

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#Rowing: Kealan Mannix won both the senior and intermediate single sculls at Limerick Regatta today. The Skibbereen man was competing for University of Limerick, who also won in the senior fours. Muckross were the top men’s club eight, while Galway won the women’s intermediate and junior eights. Castleconnell were the top men’s junior 18 eight.

Limerick Regatta, Saturday (Selected Results):

Men

Eight – Club: Muckross. Junior 18: Castleconnell. Jun 16: Col Iognaid.

Four – Sen: University of Limerick. Inter, coxed: Clonmel. Jun 18A, coxed: Castleconnell.

Pair – Sen: Portadown.

Sculling, Quadruple – Novice, coxed: Univ of Limerick. Jun 18A: CRCC.

Double – Inter: St Michael’s B.

Single – Sen: Univ of Limerick (K Mannix). Inter: University of Limerick (K Mannix). Jun 18A: St Michael’s (R Spelman).  

Women

Eight – Inter: Galway. Jun 18: Galway. Jun 16: Commercial. Masters: University of Limerick.

Four – Inter, coxed: Fermoy. Jun 18: Shandon.  

Pair – Jun 18: CRCC.

Sculling, Quadruple – Jun 18: Castleconnell. Jun 16, coxed: Commercial A.

Double – Inter: St Michael’s.

Single – Inter: Castleconnell (C O’Brien). Jun 18A: Castleconnell (O’Brien).

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Cork Boat Club had a good day at Limerick Regatta at O’Brien’s Bridge today. They won the the men’s intermediate eight and senior pair and the women’s junior 18 eight. UCD won the women’s novice eight and Daire Lynch of Clonmel, who won the single sculls time trial in a very fast time (five minutes and nine seconds), went on to take the senior and intermediate singles titles.

Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge (Selected Results)

Men

Eight – Intermediate: Cork. Club: Neptune. Jun 18: Neptune. Masters – Final One (b-c): St Michael’s A. Final Two (d-e): Athlone. Jun 16: Col Iognaid.

Four – Sen: St Michael’s. Inter, coxed: Cork. Jun 18A, coxed: St Michael’s.

Pair – Senior: Cork. Jun 18: Clonmel.

Sculling

Quad – Sen: Carlow. Nov, coxed: UCC. Jun 18A: Carlow. Jun 16, coxed: CRCC.

Double – Inter: Castleconnell B.

Single – Senior: Clonmel (D Lynch). Inter: Clonmel (D Lynch). Jun 18A: Clonmel (A Butler). Jun 16: Castleconnell (R O’Neill). Masters – Final One: Lady Elizabeth (B Smyth). Final Two: Cork (B Crean). Final Three: Galway (A McCallion).

Women

Eight – Nov: UCD. Jun 18: Cork. Jun 16: St Michael’s.

Four – Sen: Shannon. Inter, coxed: Shannon. Jun 18: Col Iognaid.

Pair – Sen: Fermoy. Jun 18: Fermoy.

Sculling

Quadruple Novice, coxed: Cappoquin. Jun 18: Cork. Jun 16, coxed: Killorglin. Masters, coxed: Univ of Limerick

Double – Inter: Carlow.

Single – Inter: Garda (B Larsen). Jun 18A: Carlow (C Nolan). Jun 16: Cork (C O’Sullivan). Masters: Offaly (C Nolan).

Published in Rowing

#ROWING: Skibbereen won the men’s senior four and the intermediate coxed four at Limerick regatta at O'Brien's Bridge. Sam McKeown won the senior single sculls, beating Justin Ryan of Skibbereen, who has international experience as a lightweight sculler. Damien Kelly of Garda, who had finished second to McKeown in the intermediate final, was third. Portora had a day of wins at junior level, including the men’s and women’s junior 18 eights, the men’s junior 16 eight and the men’s junior 18 coxed quad and the women’s junior four and pair.

Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge, Selected Results:

Men

Eight – Intermediate: 1 St Joseph’s, 2 St Michael’s. Junior 18: 1 Portora, 2 St Joseph’s, 3 St Michael’s. Junior 15: 1 St Joseph’s, 2 Shandon, 3 Portora.

Junior 16: 1 Portora, 2 Col Iognáid, 3 St Joseph’s. Masters: St Michael’s.

Four – Senior: 1 Skibbereen, 2 St Michael’s. Inter, coxed: 1 Skibbereen, 2 Portora, 3 St Michael’s. Jun 18A, coxed: 1 Portora A, 2 Athlunkard, 3 St Michael’s A.

Pair – Senior: 1 St Michael’s, 2 Neptune, 3 Shannon. Junior 18: 1 Athlunkard A, 2 Athlunkard B, 3 CAI B.

Sculling – Quadruple – Club Two: 1 Cork B, 2 Shandon, 3 Cork A. Junior 18A: 1 Cork A, 2 Lee, 3 Commercial. Jun 16, coxed: 1 Lee, 2 St Michael’s C, 3 Cork A. Jun 15, coxed, Final One: 1 Shandon A, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Killorglin. Final Two: Castleconnell.

Double – Inter: 1 Skibbereen, 2 Garda, 3 St Michael’s. Jun 15: 1 St Michael’s B, 2 Lee A, 3 Workmens.

Single – Senior: 1 Portadown (S McKeown), 2 Skibbereen (J Ryan), 3 Garda (Kelly). Intermediate: 1 Portadown (S McKeown), 2 Garda (D Kelly), 3 St Michael’s (D O’Connor). Novice: 1 Castleconnell (A Mozdzer), 2 Waterford (S O’Brien), 3 Lee (H Sutton). Junior 18: 1 Athlone (P Munnelly), 2 Graiguenamanagh (A Lennon), 3 Castleconnell (N Meehan). Masters: 1 St Michael’s (S O’Donnell), 2 Lee Valley (T Corcoran), 3 Shandon (J O’Neill).

Women

Eight – Junior 18: 1 Portora, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Galway. Jun 16: 1 Shandon, 2 Commercial, 3 Portora. Jun 15: 1 Portora, 2 St Michael’s. Masters: 1 Shannon.

Four – Inter, coxed: 1 Garda, 2 Athlunkard. Junior 18: 1 Portora A, 2 Galway, 3 St Michael’s.

Pair – Junior: 1 Portora, 2 Lee, 3 St Michael’s A.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two: 1 Fermoy, 2 Athlunkard, 3 Sligo. Novice, coxed: 1 Fermoy, 2 Univ of Limerick, 3 Lee. Junior 18: 1 Lee, 2 Fermoy, 3 Offaly. Jun 15, coxed: 1 Cork A, 2 Fermoy A, 3 Workmens.

Double – Senior: 1 Castleconnell, 2 Sligo. Junior 15: 1 Workmens, 2 Fermoy, 3 Lee A.

Single – Inter: 1 St Michael’s (A O’Sullivan), 2 Garda (J Ryan), 3 Fermoy (S Bouanane). Novice: 1 Castleconnell (R Kilkenny), 2 Fermoy (A Collins), 3 Univ of Limerick. Jun 18A: 1 Lee (E Cummin), 2 Lee (C Maguire), 3 Fermoy (S Cotter). Jun 16: 1 Lee (C Synnott), 2 Workmens (S Burns), 3 Fermoy (A O’Sullivan).

Published in Rowing

#ROWING: Sam McKeown of Portadown won the intermediate single sculls, beating Damien Kelly of Garda, at Limerick Regatta today. The St Michael’s men’s senior pair came out on top and Portora won both the junior 18 and junior 16 men’s eights. Patrick Munnelly of Athlone won the final of the men’s junior 18 single sculls. The event had to be delayed for over an hour because of inclement weather and junior 14 events were cancelled. However, a meeting at the venue decided that the Irish Schools Regatta on Sunday will go ahead.

Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge, Selected Results:

Men

Eight – Junior 18: 1 Portora, 2 St Joseph’s, 3 St Michael’s.

Junior 16: 1 Portora, 2 Col Iognáid, 3 St Joseph’s. Masters: St Michael’s.

Four – Senior: 1 Skibbereen, 2 St Michael’s.

Pair – Senior: 1 St Michael’s, 2 Neptune, 3 Shannon.

Sculling – Quadruple – Club Two: 1 Cork B, 2 Shandon, 3 Cork A. Junior 15, coxed, Final One: 1 Shandon A, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Killorglin. Final Two: Castleconnell.

Single – Intermediate: 1 Portadown (S McKeown), 2 Garda (D Kelly), 3 St Michael’s (D O’Connor). Junior 18: 1 Athlone (P Munnelly), 2 Graiguenamanagh (A Lennon), 3 Castleconnell (N Meehan).

Women

Eight – Junior 18: 1 Portora, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Galway.

Sculling, Quadruple – Junior 18: 1 Lee, 2 Fermoy, 3 Offaly.

Double – Junior 15: 1 Workmans, 2 Fermoy, 3 Lee A.

Published in Rowing

#ROWING: Tim Harnedy of Skibbereen claimed his first win since his return to rowing in Ireland at a wet and cool Limerick Regatta at O’Brien’s Bridge today. The 31-year-old, who took a World Championship silver medal with Ireland in 2005, put Eimantas Grigalius of Three Castles and Tiernan Oliver of Queen’s University behind him in today's racing.

Limerick Regatta, O’Brien’s Bridge (Selected Results)

Men, Eight – Junior 18: 1 St Joseph’s, 2 Col Iognaid, 3 Cork.

Junior 16: 1 Cork, 2 St Joseph’s, 3 St Michael’s. Masters: St Michael’s. Junior 15: 1 Cork, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Muckross.

Four – Senior: 1 Carlow, 2 St Michael’s. Intermediate, coxed: 1 Carlow, 2 Muckross, 3 Castleconnell. Novice, coxed: 1 Shandon A, 2 Univ of Limerick A, 3 Univ of Limerick B. Junior 18A, coxed: 1 Col Iognaid, 2 St Joseph’s, 3 St Michael’s.

Pair – Senior: 1 St Michael’s A, 2 Carlow, 3 St Michael’s B.

Sculling, Quadruple – Senior: 1 Queen’s, 2 Carlow/Three Castles, 3 Carlow. Club Two: 1 Skibbereen, 2 Carlow, 3 Clonmel. Junior 18: 1 Skibbereen, 2 Cork, 3 St Joseph’s. Junior 16, coxed: 1 Cork A, 2 Killorglin, 3 Cork C. Junior 15, coxed – A Final: Col Iognaid B. B Final: St Michael’s A.

Double – Intermediate: 1 St Michael’s A, 2 Shannon, 3 Queen’s D. Junior 15 – Final One: St Michael’s. Final Two: Lee C.

Single – Senior: 1 Skibbereen (T Harnedy), 2 Three Castles (E Grigalius), 3 Queen’s (T Oliver). Intermediate: 1 Portadown (S McKeown), 2 St Michael’s (O’Connor), 3 St Michael’s (O’Brien). Junior 18A: St Michael’s (D O’Malley). Junior 16: Graiguenamanagh (A Lennon). Masters:

Women

Eight – Junior 18: 1 Shannon, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Shandon. Junior 16: Cork. Junior 15: St Michael’s.

Four – Junior 18: 1 Muckross, 2 Shannon, 3 Shandon.

Pair: 1 Shannon/Univ of Limerick, 2 St Michael’s, 3 Muckross A.

Sculling, Quadruple – Club Two: 1 Shannon, 2 Athlunkard. Novice, coxed: 1 Clonmel, 2 St Michael’s, Athlunkard. Junior 18: 1 Cork, 2 Fermoy, 3 Portadown. Junior 16, coxed: 1 Galway, 2 Clonmel, 3 Athlone. Junior 15, coxed – A Final: Shandon A. B Final: Castleconnell.  

Double – Senior: 1 St Michael’s, 2 Castleconnell, 3 Cappoquin. Junior 15 – A Final: Fermoy A. B Final: Lee A.

Single – Intermediate: 1 Cork (A Bulman), 2 Shannon (Lane), 3 Killorglin (Joy). Novice: Clonmel (O’Loughlin). Junior 18A: 1 St Michael’s (Murphy), 2 Col Iognaid (Cushen), 3 Athlone (Curley). Junior 16: 1 Portadown (Walker), 2 Col Iognaid (Coyne) 3 St Michael’s (O’Riordan).

Published in Rowing

With the sculling championships coming up in September, there was great interest in the Division 1 and 2 competitions at the Limerick Regatta over the weekend with Skibbereen competing well to hold their Grand League top table position.

In Division 1 of the men's race, with 20 scullers declared, Sam Lynch of St Michael's, Limerick pipped  Richard Coakley of Skibbereen in the heats by 0.48 seconds . The two former lightweight internationals battled it out in the final with Coakley exacting revenge in fine style putting Lynch into third spot with Cian Pidgeon, an intermediate from Castleconnell, putting in a fine performance to clinch second place.

In the men's Division 1 4x- race Skibbereen again showed the strength of their junior squad as they beat their club seniors and St Michael's seniors into second and third spot respectively.   St Michael's took the Division 1 pairs from the aspiring intermediates from Cappoquin Rowing Club.

The double sculls competition was also keenly contested with several strong Skibbereen  doubles in the heats but is was  their juniors, fresh back from their silver medal at the European Junior Championships, who took first ahead of their club seniors with Clonmel and St Michaels taking second and third spot.

The Division 2 men's single sculls race, with 34 boats, was made up of novice, junior B and Junior 16 scullers. After the time trials it came down to the top four in Final A which was won by Prenderville from Muckross by 13 seconds from Lee RC, followed by Skibbereen and Workman's, who dead-heated for third place.

The women's Division 1 final was taken by Gillian Hosford of Skibbereen from a young Kate O'Brien from St Michaels.    In the Division 2 final Corcoran-O'Hare (Shandon) beat Marie Piggott (Bantry) by a mere 0.43 seconds in a close finish.

In the Junior 14 and 15 ranks there was a massive entry of enthusiastic young rowers with the honours spread fairly widely around the clubs of Galway, Carrick on Shannon, Cork, Carlow, and Athlone. It was good to see new club Colaiste Chairáin from Croom in County Limerick show that, with ambition and hard work, you can get a rowing programme off the ground.

While the regatta entries were mainly Munster based, clubs from all four provinces were represented, reflecting an appetite, despite the traditional holiday season, for a serious August regatta in preparation for the small boat National Championships in September.

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One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with Marine Wildlife. It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. And as boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify, even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat. Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse, it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

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Perhaps it's the work of the Irish research vessels RV Celtic Explorer and RV Celtic Voyager out in the Atlantic Ocean that best highlights the essential nature of Marine Science for the future growth of Ireland's emerging 'blue economy'.

From marine research to development and sustainable management, Ireland is developing a strong and well-deserved reputation as an emerging centre of excellence. Whether it's Wavebob ocean energy technology to aquaculture to weather buoys and oil exploration, the Marine Science category documents the work of Irish marine scientists and researchers and how they have secured prominent roles in many European and international marine science bodies.

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The message from the experts is clear: offshore wind and wave energy is the future. And as Ireland looks towards the potential of the renewable energy sector, generating Power From The Sea will become a greater priority in the State's 'blue growth' strategy.

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Changing Ocean Climate

Our ocean and climate are inextricably linked - the ocean plays a crucial role in the global climate system in a number of ways. These include absorbing excess heat from the atmosphere and absorbing 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere by human activity. But our marine ecosystems are coming under increasing pressure due to climate change.

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Scientists collect data on temperature, salinity, water currents, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean. This high quality oceanographic data contributes to the Atlantic Ocean Observing System. Physical oceanographic data from the survey is submitted to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) and, in addition, the survey contributes to national research such as the VOCAB ocean acidification and biogeochemistry project, the ‘Clean Atlantic’ project on marine litter and the A4 marine climate change project.

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Other activities during the survey in 2019 included the deployment of oceanographic gliders, two Argo floats (Ireland’s contribution to EuroArgo) and four surface drifters (Interreg Atlantic Area Clean Atlantic project). The new Argo floats have the capacity to measure dissolved ocean and biogeochemical parameters from the ocean surface down to a depth of 2,000 metres continuously for up to four years, providing important information as to the health of our oceans.

During the 2019 survey, the RV Celtic Explorer retrieved a string of oceanographic sensors from the deep ocean at an adjacent subsurface moored station and deployed a replacement M6 weather buoy, as part of the Irish Marine Data Buoy Observation Network (IMDBON).

Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the IMDBON is managed by the Marine Institute in collaboration with Met Éireann and is designed to improve weather forecasts and safety at sea around Ireland. The data buoys have instruments which collect weather and ocean data including wind speed and direction, pressure, air and sea surface temperature and wave statistics. This data provides vital information for weather forecasts, shipping bulletins, gale and swell warnings as well as data for general public information and research.

“It is only in the last 20 years, meteorologists and climatologists have really began to understood the pivotal role the ocean plays in determining our climate and weather,” said Evelyn Cusack, Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann. “The real-time information provided by the Irish data buoy network is particularly important for our mariners and rescue services. The M6 data buoy in the Atlantic provides vital information on swell waves generated by Atlantic storms. Even though the weather and winds may be calm around our shores, there could be some very high swells coming in from Atlantic storms.”