About

Old Collegians Boat Club (OCBC)  is the alumni Club of University College Dublin Boat Club (UCDBC). Founded in 1936 by former members of UCDBC, OCBC’s primary focus was the support and development of UCDBC and rowing in Ireland, as exemplified the club’s organisation of the Dublin Head of the River race since 1941.

In the early years the club was involved in regular rowing only on an occasional, social basis. Most of its water activity focussed on coaching and developing UCD crews. The most notable involvement was in 1963 and 1964 when OC won the Senior VIIIs National Championship.

Masters Rowing

However in 1988, with the rise in interest in Masters rowing, the club became active in this aspect of the sport. Since then, Old Collegians has been to the fore in the development of Masters rowing in this country. The club now has a core membership of about 20-30 active Masters rowers, who compete in both Head and Regatta events throughout the country and regularly at FISA Master’s World Championships and Henley Masters Regatta.

The club rows out of the UCD Boathouse, and owns several boats including a number of Eights, Fours and Pairs. The Active Rowers run their own affairs within Old Collegians through a sub-committee, which manages the financial, logistical and rowing aspects of the group.

Senior & International Rowing

In recent years OCBC has also been more active in non-Masters competitive rowing, typically where recent UCDBC rowing graduates have moved across to OC. Frequently these rowers will work in tandem with the UCD Senior squad or as part of the Rowing Ireland High Performance team.

Club members have been particularly successful at international level, most notably Sanita Puspure, double World Champion (2018, 2019) and Olympian (2012, 2020), Claire Lambe, Olympic finalist (2016), Aileen Crowley and Eimear Lambe, Olympic Bronze Medalists (2020).

For more information regarding active rowing, contact captain@oldcollegians.ie