Stella Maris’ regatta celebrates 80 years

Picture courtesy of Ray Murray

Stella Maris Rowing Club hosted their annual regatta on July 16th. This year, the event was sponsored by Dublin Port Company in recognition of the club’s 80th anniversary.

After a slight delay at the start, a great day’s racing was enjoyed by crews and supporters from the ten rowing clubs who compete for the East Coast Shield.
‘The Stella’ is one of the most successful rowing clubs on the East coast. They have been East Coast overall champions for the past 4 years and hope to make it a 5th for this, their anniversary year. The Stella crews and supporters were out in force on the day, wearing their distinctive blue kits and enthusiastically cheering the rowers as they took to the water.

The winning athletes received special commemorative medals engraved, Stella Maris 80th, something to treasure, especially for the five home crews who took first place: the Under 18 Girls, the Under 12 Boys, and Under 12 Girls, the Under 14 Boys and Under 14 Girls and the Junior Men, with plenty of second and third places too, keeping the club high in the rankings this season.

Picture courtesy of Ray Murray

This year, the recently established Fingal Rowing Club competed for the first time. Dalkey Rowing Club and their hosts,Stella Maris, loaned them skiffs to race in, and a cox, with Mick Curry doing the honours. They did well, taking first in the Novice Men’s and third in the Inter Ladies. Fingal’s Alice Boardman said: “Stella Maris have provided their skiff on loan weekly to our crews.  We would be truly lost without this support!  We have an amazing coxswain, Mick Curry who spurs on our crews and encourages us each and every week.”

Stella Maris Rowing Club was established in 1936 by a group of local people who were part of the Cambridge Sports Club. They named the club after the first skiff that the club owned. The old Stella Maris clubhouse was based at the current Cambridge Football Club headquarters.  When the East Link toll bridge was built, they moved to their current clubhouse, based at Pigeon House Road.

Deke McDonald, the new Mayor of Ringsend, who was on hand to present the trophies to the winning crews at the regatta told NewsFour:  “I was asked here today to do this presentation and hopefully it goes well for all the people involved. It is absolutely a great honour to be asked to officiate at the 80th anniversary of the Stella Maris Rowing Club, which has come on in leaps and bounds over the years. Credit has to go to the older members who kept the place going when times were very very hard. It’s a wonderful tradition.”

Mick Curry said: “It was a great regatta. It went on a bit late because we had a few problems at the start with the marker buoys but once we got going we had a great day. We had the weather and the place was packed for our 80th anniversary.  All the Stella crews and supporters were here and everyone enjoyed the celebrations.” 

When the racing was done, the Stella’s members and supporters retreated to the clubhouse to celebrate their special birthday and according to NewsFour sources a very good night was had by all.

by Jennifer Reddin