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Displaying items by tag: Afloat Rower of the Month

1st December 2017

Afloat Honours Paul O'Donovan

#Rowing: Paul O’Donovan is the Afloat Rower of the Month for November. The Skibbereen man beat all comers to show himself the top  single sculler at the Ireland Trial. He teamed up with his Olympic crewmate and brother, Gary, in a fast double on the Sunday.

 Paul O’Donovan is the world champion in the lightweight single sculls. He was a UCD Alumni Award winner in November, the youngest ever. He is 23.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times, and David O'Brien, editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2017 champions list grow.

Published in Rowing

#Rowing: Monika Dukarska is the Afloat Rower of the Month for October. The Killorglin woman became the world champion in the solo (single) at the Fisa World Coastal Rowing Championships in Monaco. She won the final by 26 seconds, leaving the Olympic medallist from London 2012, Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece, in her wake. Tsiavou had won her own battle with Edwig Alfred, the champion of France.

 Dukarska, who is 26, won this title first in 2009 while still a teenager.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times, and David O'Brien, editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie and the overall national award will be presented to the person or crew who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to rowing during 2016. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2016 champions list grow.

Published in Rower of Month

# ROWING: The Afloat Rower of the Month for November is Paul O’Donovan. The 18-year-old lightweight sculler covered the five-kilometre time trial on Newry Canal faster than any other competitor in the National Assessment. The Skibbereen man finished fourth in the single sculls at the World Junior Championships in 2011. He is now on scholarship to University College, Dublin.

Rower of the Month awards: The judging panel is made up of Liam Gorman, rowing correspondent of The Irish Times and David O'Brien, Editor of Afloat magazine. Monthly awards for achievements during the year will appear on afloat.ie and the overall national award will be presented to the person or crew who, in the judges' opinion, achieved the most notable results in, or made the most significant contribution to rowing during 2012. Keep a monthly eye on progress and watch our 2012 champions list grow.

Published in Rower of Month

Dun Laoghaire Baths Renovation

Afloat has been reporting on the new plans for the publically owned Dun Laoghaire Baths site located at the back of the East Pier since 2011 when plans for its development first went on display by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. 

Foreshore consent was applied for in 2013.

Last used 30 years ago as the 'Rainbow Rapids' before falling into dereliction – the new site does not include a public pool.

The refurbished Dun Laoghaire Baths include the existing Baths Pavilion for use as artist workspaces, a gallery café and for the provision of public toilet facilities. 

Work finally got underway at Dún Laoghaire on the €9 million redevelopments of the old Dún Laoghaire Baths site in June 2018 under a contract with SIAC-Mantovani.

The works have removed dilapidated structures to the rear of the Pavilion to permit the creation of a new route and landscaping that will connect the walkway at Newtownsmith to both the East Pier and the Peoples Park. 

Original saltwater pools have been filled in and new enhanced facilities for swimming and greater access to the water’s edge by means of a short jetty have also been provided.

The works included the delivery of rock armour to protect the new buildings from storm damage especially during easterly gales. 

It hasn't all been plain sailing during the construction phase with plastic fibres used in construction washing into the sea in November 2018

Work continues on the project in Spring 2020 with the new pier structure clearly visible from the shoreline.

A plinth at the end of the pier will be used to mount a statue of Roger Casement, a former Sandycove resident and Irish nationalist.