A SKIBBEREEN rower is one of the faces of a new TV ad campaign by Barry’s Tea which went live on Monday.
Kelly Oforji, a member of the renowned Skibbereen Rowing Club, features in the new advertising campaign, ‘You’re Home’ with both the club and the Ilen River seen prominently in the ad, which was filmed in Cork city and Skibbereen in the middle of August.
In the ad, West Cork native Kelly, who currently lives in Cork city from Monday to Friday, said she is happiest when she is on the water.
‘I’m Pisces so people say that I’m attracted to the water and this is where I’m comfortable – just green hills and blue skies,’ she says.
She also points to the wellies lined up outside the club, that city rowers might find amusing, and notes that great champions have come from the club’s ‘homemade’ weights room.
‘It’s like a family here. For me, it’s here in Skibbereen and the rowing club and that’s home.’
A spokesperson for Barry’s Tea said ‘You’re Home’ is a documentary-style campaign featuring human interest stories of people with strong ties to Ireland, who find, in Barry’s Tea, a sense of grounding and connection to home. The ad campaign, which was directed by Ken Wardrop and Antidote Films, will also feature Darren McFadden from Kildare and Emma Melay from Wexford, who are the caretakers of the Great Blasket Island.
Meanwhile, Skibbereen Rowing Club is holding an Olympic Ball on October 5th to cap off what has been an astounding summer for the club, with two Olympic Gold medals won by their members, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
Olympian Paul also won the World Championships last month. The club’s Monster Draw will also take place on the same night.
