JERRY O’Sullivan rates joining Kilmacsimon Rowing Club in 2007 as one of the best decisions he has ever made.
Rowing was a sport he was curious about, and it didn’t take him long to get hooked. Eighteen years on, and now the club chairman, the passion is still there, as Kilmacsimon RC makes waves on and off the water – it was recently named Club of the Year at Rowing Ireland’s annual awards.
‘The first year I was there, I became addicted to it,’ O’Sullivan says.
‘I remember being at an All-Irelands in Union Hall and watching our U12s win the gold medal, and the euphoria from that always stood with me.
‘I ended up doing a lot more than I expected. I went down to try out rowing and I have now been on several positions on the committee, and enjoying every minute of it.’
There have been several high points along the way, but it will take a lot to better Kilmacsimon Rowing Club’s exploits in 2024 that led to the West Cork club winning the prestigious Rowing Ireland award.
‘This is an incredible honour for the club,’ O’Sullivan says.
‘2024 was an exceptional year, we took on the hosting of the Irish Coastal Rowing Championships and we had never taken on anything of that scale before, and the great thing about last year is that we succeeded both on and off the water.
‘The organisation that went into the national championships (held at the National Rowing Centre in Inniscarra) had to be seen to be believed. We are lucky we have so many great people in the club that were willing to put in the time and effort – and the end result was a really well-run championship.
‘There was a great sense of pride and achievement in that alone, but our rowers also achieved so much success throughout the year – we won Club of the Day in each of the championship regattas in West Cork, we retained the Club of the Day in the county finals, and an ambition of mine when I took over as chairman two years ago was to win Club of the Day at the national championships, and we did that, which was incredible.
‘This award was unexpected, and it’s unprecedented for a coastal club to win this award, and it is the icing on the cake after a fantastic year for the club.’
To make 2024 even more special, it was also the 40th anniversary of Kilmacsimon Rowing Club, so they certainly marked it in style, on and off water. Key to the club’s success are the people involved. This was a team effort, as organising and hosting the Irish Coastal Rowing Championships last August was a huge undertaking.
‘At the beginning of last year, when we set out to organise the national championships I wanted everyone in the club to buy into it and be part of it, and now they can look back and say “I was part of that, I did my bit, I made that success happen”,’ O’Sullivan explains.
‘We have a lot of young people in the club – it’s 50-50 underage to overage and equally 50-50 male to female – and they love to compete and love to win and love doing things well. Even if they're taking the boat out of the water and cleaning it, they’ll do that right.
‘There is a culture in the club of everyone wanting to do a good job.’
The momentum of their ‘perfect year’ will carry into 2025, as this progressive club is keen to build on what it has achieved.
‘Winning the Club of the Year award gives us a boost to drive on again this year, there is a great sense of pride for everyone in the club, from the rowers to the coaches to the committee to everyone,’ O’Sullivan says.
‘It will be hard to surpass 2024, and when it came down to winning the club of the championship there was very little between us and the East Cork clubs, and no doubt they’ll want to win it this year. We have been training away over the winter, the drive and determination will be as strong as ever. I am hoping this tide of goodwill and success will drive us on again.’
It’s onwards and upwards as Kilmacsimon Rowing Club is keen to make a splash again in 2025.
