Following the record success for Irish rowing in Paris, excitement is building once more for two talented rowers from Muckross Rowing Club who have been selected to don the green jersey.

Members of Muckross Rowing Club who travelled to Paris for the Olympic Games

Ian Coffey and Daniel Fleming are among a select group of just five male and nine female rowers who will race for Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta for European Under 19 rowers.

The Coupe Regatta is an annual rowing competition that features crews from 16 European countries. This year’s edition takes place in Racice, Czech Republic from August 9 to 11.
The high standard of competition at the event has again seen a rigorous selection process within the competing nations.

Ian and Daniel’s selection journey began in the autumn of 2023 when a long series of trial events commenced.

In parallel with their ongoing club training over the winter season and through to the summer, both Ian and Daniel contested several national trial events on land and water, which saw the field of trialists progressively narrowed.
The final Irish crew selection was announced at the end of June.

Ian is the son of Emir and Maurice Coffey, from Coolies in Muckross and Daniel is the son of Eileen and Joe Fleming from Faughcullia, Muckross.

Ian and Daniel have been rowing with their local club since the age of 12 and attend St. Brendan’s College, Killarney, where they are preparing to enter their Leaving Certificate year.

The progress of Ian and Daniel to the national stage has been supported and guided by a dedicated coaching group in Muckross, including Ian’s father Maurice, Elaine Daly, Noel Kelleher, Kieran Murphy and Micheal O’Suilleabhain.
The international selection for the Muckross duo is a testament to their dedication and commitment to training over recent years. This year, the rowers have challenged strongly in top national competition, including a gold medal win in the Lough Rynn Grand League Regatta in Leitrim in May.

At the Irish Rowing Championships in July, Daniel qualified for the A final of the Men’s Junior Single. In the final of the Men’s Junior Quad, Daniel and Ian finished fourth alongside clubmates Ronan Fahy and Cillian Leslie.

On the third and final day of the Irish Championship Regatta, the duo were impressive winners in their qualifying time trial race of the Junior Double event, but illness denied Ian a chance to challenge in the final.

Since the national championships, the Irish squad for the Coupe Regatta has come together for a training camp based at the National Rowing Centre in Farran, Cork.

Joining Ian and Daniel for Racice are Adam Kenny (Athlone Boat Club) and Eoin Balfe (St. Michael’s Rowing Club, Limerick), making up the Ireland Men’s Quad crew. Richard Heaslip of Athlone Boat Club completes the Irish male lineup and will contest the Men’s Single.

The Women’s Quad and Coxless Four events feature strong Munster representation with six of the eight female rowers from Cork and Limerick. At the training camp, Ian and Daniel are also in the company of fellow Kerry oarsman Sean Morris of Tralee Rowing Club, who has been selected to compete in the U19 World Championships.

“Everyone in Muckross Rowing Club is incredibly proud of the achievements of Daniel and Ian, along with their coaches. Since 1996, 11 Muckross rowers have been selected for the Coupe event. Ian and Daniel bridge a gap of 28 years since the club last sent a male rower to the Coupe when Sean Casey raced in the 1996 Coupe Regatta in Amsterdam. Sean later went on to represent Ireland at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 along with fellow Muckross rowers Paul Griffin and Cathal Moynihan,” said Muckross Rowing Club PRO Tim O’Shea.

Rowing for Ireland - Ian Coffey (left) and Daniel Fleming (right), members of Muckross Rowing Club, Killarney selected to represent Ireland at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta, Racice, Czech Republic, 9-11th August 2024.
Photo credit: Micheal O’Suilleabhain