The East Coast Rowing Council is the regional organisation of Skiff rowing on Ireland's East coast, representing the sport of Coastal and ocean rowing. As per local tradition, coastal rowing is undertaken by crews of four with one sweep oar each, and a coxswain, in wooden clinker-built boats. Formed in 1936, the ECRC has the task of formalising the rules, organising regatta dates and judging any disputes between members. Rules were laid down as to sizes and weights of skiffs to make races fairer. The ECRC represents clubs in the counties of Dublin, Wicklow, and North Wexford.
East Coast tradition
Clinker skiff-type boats were once one of the most numerous type of working boats found along the eastern seaboard of Ireland. They were recorded in 1874 by historian E.W. Holdsworth, where he noted that 'the smaller boats employed for the line-fishery are of the same style as the Norway yawl, sharp at both ends'.
Skiff racing has its origins in the occupation of hobbling. Hobblers were freelance pilots, and competition was strong to be the first to board the approaching ships. Not only did the successful hobblers receive payment to pilot the ships into port but they were also awarded the contract for discharging/loading those ships whilst in port.
The skiffs worked mainly between Lambay Island just north of Dublin Bay and Wicklow Head, where they required considerable skill on behalf of the oarsmen. The long tradition of rowing is now carried on through the rowing clubs affiliated to East Coast Rowing Council. These clubs can be found around the old Dublin pilot stations of Ringsend and East Wall in Dublin Port, Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, Arklow, and Courtown.
Member clubs The current members of the ECRC are: Fingal Rowing Club, Balbriggan, Co Dublin Skerries Rowing Club St. Patrick's Rowing Club, Ringsend Stella Maris Rowing Club, Ringsend St. Michael’s Rowing Club, Dún Laoghaire Dalkey Rowing Club Bray Rowing Club Greystones Rowing Club Wicklow Rowing Club Arklow Rowing Club Courtown Rowing Club
Racing Each year the ECRC organises a summer schedule of regattas at clubs from Ringsend to Arklow where crews of all ages compete during the regatta. ECRC clubs also regularly compete in the biennial ‘Celtic Challenge’, a race of over 90 miles from Arklow to Aberystwyth in Wales as well as other long-distance races such as the annual Ocean to City race in Cork, or the Kish lighthouse row in Dublin. Clubs can be regularly seen training at sea along the East Coast between April and September each year. Present day racing skiffs reflect their traditional origins, and are , clinker built, double-enders.
2017 events and regattas The ECRC schedule for 2017 is as follows:-
Host Location Date Arklow Rowing Club Arklow Sun 21 May Skerries Rowing Club Skerries Sun 18 June Bray Rowing Club Bray Sun 25 June St. Michael's Rowing Club Dun Laoghaire Sun 9 July Stella Maris Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 16 July St. Patrick's Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 30 July Greystones Rowing Club Greystones Sat 5 August Wicklow Rowing Club Wicklow Mon 7 August Dalkey Rowing Club Sandycove Sun 13 August
2016 events and regattas The ECRC schedule for 2016 was as follows:-
Host Location Date Arklow Rowing Club Arklow Sun 29 May Skerries Rowing Club Skerries Sun 12 June Bray Rowing Club Bray Sun 19 June St. Michael's Rowing Club Dun Laoghaire Sun 3 July Dalkey Rowing Club Sandycove Sun 10 July Stella Maris Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 17 July St. Patrick's Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 24 July Greystones Rowing Club Greystones Sat 30 July Wicklow Rowing Club Wicklow Mon 1 August
2015 events and regattas The ECRC schedule for 2015 was as follows:-
Host Location Date Arklow Rowing Club Arklow Sun 7 June St. Patrick's Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 21 June Greystones Rowing Club Greystones Sun 28 June Bray Rowing Club Bray Sun 5 July Skerries Rowing Club Skerries Sun 12 July St. Michael's Rowing Club Dun Laoghaire Sun 19 July Stella Maris Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 26 July Dalkey Rowing Club Sandycove Sat 1 Aug Wicklow Rowing Club Wicklow Mon 3 August
2014 events and regattas The ECRC schedule for 2014 was as follows:-
Host Location Date Arklow Rowing Club Arklow Sun 8 June Dalkey Rowing Club Sandycove Sun 15 June Stella Maris Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 22 June St. Patrick's Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 29 June Skerries Rowing Club Skerries Sun 6 July Bray Rowing Club Bray Sun 13 July St. Michael's Rowing Club Dun Laoghaire Sun 27 July Greystones Rowing Club Greystones Sat 2 August Wicklow Rowing Club Wicklow Mon 4 August
2013 events and regattas The schedule for 2013 (ECRC regattas and significant other regattas) was as follows:-
Host Location Date Arklow Rowing Club Arklow Sun 2 June Ocean to City (non-ERC) Cork Hbr. Sat 8 June Dalkey Rowing Club Sandycove Sun 9 June Stella Maris Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 16 June Bray Rowing Club Bray Sun 30 June Greystones Rowing Club Greystones Sun 7 July St. Patrick's Rowing Club Ringsend Sun 14 July Skerries Rowing Club Skerries Sun 21 July St. Michael's Rowing Club Dun Laoghaire Sun 28 July Wicklow Rowing Club Wicklow Mon 5 August All Ireland Championships (non-ERC) Carnlough, Antrim Fri/Sat/Sun 23/24/25 August
2012 events and regattas The schedule for 2012 (ECRC and non-ECRC events) was as follows:-
Host Location Date Celtic Challenge Arklow – Aberystwyth 4–7 May Ocean to City Cork Hbr. Sun 3 June Arklow Arklow Sun 10 June Dalkey (cancelled) Sandycove Sun 17 June (cancelled) St. Michael's Dun Laoghaire Sun 24 June Bray Bray Sun 8 July Stella Maris Ringsend Sun 15 July St. Patrick's Ringsend Sun 22 July Greystones Greystones Sat 4 August Wicklow Wicklow Mon 6 August All Ireland Championships Courtmacsherry – Cork Sat/Sun 25/26 August Hobbler's Challenge (25 km race) Dun Laoghaire Sat 8 September
2011 events and regattas The schedule for 2011 was as follows:-
Host Location Date Stella Maris Ringsend Sun 29 May St. Michael's West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Hbr. Sun 19 June Arklow Arklow Sun 26 June Courtown Courtown Sun 10 July Bray Bray Sun 17 July St. Patrick's Ringsend Sat/Sun 23/24 July Greystones Wicklow Sat 30 July Wicklow Wicklow Mon 1 August All Ireland Championships Rosslare – Wexford Sat/Sun 20/21 August Hobbler's Challenge (25 km race) Dun Laoghaire Sat 3 September
2010 events and regattas 2010 was an exciting year in the ECRC calendar with the ‘Celtic Challenge’ kicking off the season for a few of the clubs. Below are the dates of most of the events ECRC crews made an appearance at:
Host Location Date Celtic Challenge 2010 Arklow – Aberystwyth 1–2 May Stella Maris Ringsend 30 May St. Michael's West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Hbr. 13 June Arklow Arklow 27 June St. Patrick's Ringsend 4 July Courtown Courtown (format TBC) 11 July Bray Bray 18 July Dalkey Sandycove Hbr 25 July Greystones Wicklow 31 July Wicklow Wicklow 2 August All Ireland Championships Whitegate (Cork) 14/15 August Hobbler's Challenge (25 km race) Dun Laoghaire 21 August
2009 regattas
Host Location Date ECRC Invitational & Stella Maris Ringsend 23/24 May Greystones Wicklow 7 June Dalkey Sandycove Hbr 14 June St. Patrick's Ringsend 28 June St. Michael's West Pier, Dun Laoghaire Hbr. 12 July Bray Bray 26 July Wicklow Wicklow 3 August Arklow Arklow T.B.A.
References