Morgan McElligott sent us a nice piece describing the run up to the 1948 Olympic Games and the problems encountered by the Irish Eight to get accepted as an All-Ireland crew. Morgan rowed in the eight along with 4 other UCD oarsmen. The cox was also from UCD. After a lot of politicking, the crew was allowed to row, and rowing became the first sport to participate on an All-Ireland basis in the Olympic Games. Click below to get more …..
Leo Gibson oversees the weir operation with military precision
The late Dr. Frank McKenna was laid to rest yesterday (21-02-11) after Mass in the Church of Our Lady Queen of Victories Sallynoggin which was packed to standing room. In his first year in UCD he got his colours for swimming and then moved on to rowing. He quickly made the Senior VIII and was selected to row in the World Championships in Vienna in 1938 but Hitlers acute sense of timing took priority. He was a very active supporter of UCDBC in the 60’s. I have very fond memories of sessions in the old UCDBC Boat House (newly build when Frank McKenna was rowing) in the 60s. After various dinners (mainly in the Clarence or West County) or celebrations the stalwarts of OC including Ronan Bannin, Jim Meenan, Joe Hanly, John McDermott and Frank McKenna would bring dozens of bottles of Guinness to the Boat House where the plaque erected in the memory of Dr. Arthur Cleary who funded the building of the boat house in 1929 was covered with the first available towel, before a bottle could be opened. The party was generally opened by Frank McKenna who had a very good voice singing Ach von de musica and getting everybody join the Chorus. The party would continue into the small hours with various contributions from Jim Meenan including Sweet Angelina and other ditties from the 30s before descending into more robust and racous singing. Pat O’Sullivans classical tin whistle would be called upon several times to restore musicality which Tom Kirby would follow and sometimes accompany with an off beat jazz version. It was an opportunity to mix with the then remote gods of the 1960 VIII and the remoter gods of, as it then appeared to an 18 year old, ancient UCD history such as the 1948 Olympic crew. Frank McKenna’s bright wit and intelligence made him the life and soul of the sessions and he is the main reason they remained so vivid in my memory. His passing has marked the passing of a great era in the history of UCDBC. In his own words Oiche mhaith codladh samh.
Jim Heney
(F McK) Ach von de musica.
(all) Ach von de musica.
(F McK)) Ach von spieler.
(all) Ach von spieler.
(F McK)) Ich-en-bee-en-zumba-za.
Chorus:
Zumba, zumba, zumba-za (four times)
Other Verses:
Vio, vio, viola,
Picco, picco, piccola
trumpet-la
The death has occurred of James SOMERS of Dublin
Sligo and formerly of Goresbridge. Peacefully, in St. James’s Hospital surrounded by his family. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, pre-deceased by his much loved son-in-law Donal Gilligan, he will be sadly missed by his loving wife Marie, his children Mary Catherine, Charlotte, John and Paul, his adored grandchildren, his son-in-law Mark Foster, his nieces, nephews and his many friends.
Congratulations to Sanita Puspure left who won the Senior Sculls for Old Collegians at the 2010 National Championships at the NRC. Also to Siobhan Jacob who won the Women’s 2X along with Sanita. Sanita was also a winner in the WS4X composite boat.
36 years after winning for the first time at Henley Royal Regatta, UCD have done it again, with a victory in the Prince Albert Trophy for Student Mens coxed fours. In an event that staged the top University Crews of the World including Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Georgetown and Oxford Brookes, they rowed brilliantly, and in one race rowed down Cambridge from behind.
The boat had previously competed at London Met in the Senior IVs winning one day and was runner-up to Brookes the other. After London Met, Pat McDonagh who is coaching the crew felt that the boat was moving well and expected a good showing at Henley
The crew is Tom Doyle, Finbarr Manning, Colm Pearce, Dave Neale, Jennie Lynch (cox)
