Members of the University of Limerick rowing team who celebrated great success at the national championships
Friday, 27 August 2021

In a summer that has seen 13 members of the University of Limerick community travel to the Olympic Games in Tokyo and several UL graduates claim another All-Ireland Hurling victory for Limerick, members of the University’s rowing team have continued the season of sporting success.

Competing at the National Rowing Championships last weekend, the UL rowers claimed 10 national titles and set three new Irish records in the process.

The UL women’s rowing team performed particularly well, securing six titles, with Niamh Coffey, Corina Coughlan and Clara O’Brien directly involved in three of them. A feat only matched by Ryan Spelman and Jon Cuddy on the men’s team, who participated in three of the men’s total of four title wins.

The team are supported by a dedicated coaching team at the UL, including Frank Nugent, a lecturer in the Physical Education and Sports Sciences (PESS) Department, coach James Mangan, Sports Science graduate Ed Hartery, and strength and conditioning coach Colm Horan – who is also in his third year of studying Sports Science at the University.

Founded in 1997, the University of Limerick Rowing Club has state-of-the-art facilities, including an indoor rowing tank, a fully equipped Olympic-standard gym and its own boat shed on the River Shannon.

UL President Professor Kerstin Mey said: “We have committed to providing the very best sporting facilities for our students, the people of Limerick and to supporting elite Irish athletes. The accomplishments of the UL community this summer are testament to this, and we are incredibly proud of all that they have achieved.”

The UL campus boasts some of the best sports facilities in Europe and is home to the largest multi-sport synthetic grass park in Europe, as well as a 50-meter national swimming pool, health and performance centre, and the National Altitude Training Centre.

The full roster of UL’s National Rowing Championship winners is:

Women’s Intermediate 4+ ULRC – Clara O’Brien, Corina Coughlan, Ava Kelly, Georgia O’Brien, Shauna O’Mahony (cox)

Women’s Intermediate 2- ULRC – Clara O’Brien, Corina Coughlan

Women’s Intermediate 2X ULRC – Clara O’Brien, Niamh Coffey

Women’s Intermediate 1X – Niamh Coffey – ULRC

Women’s Club 4+ ULRC – Niamh Coffey, Corina Coughlan, Georgia O’Brien, Ava Kelly, Shauna O’Mahony (cox)

Women’s Club 1X – Niamh Coffey

Men’s Senior 2- ULRC – Ryan Spelman, Jon Cuddy

Men’s Intermediate 4+ ULRC – Tom McKeon, Michael Fanning, Ryan Spelman, Jon Cuddy, Shauna O’Mahony (cox)

Men’s Intermediate 2 – Ryan Spelman, Jon Cuddy

Men’s Club 4+ ULRC – Luke Sutton, Finn O’Sullivan, Colm Horan, Rory O’Neil, Shauna O’Mahony (cox)