All in a Row mammoth 8 hour challenge on River Liffey will raise funds for RNLI

The organisers are hoping to exceed last year’s target of rowing 1,000km during the event on the river, starting from St. Patrick’s Rowing Club at the Tom Clarke Bridge (formerly the East Link Bridge) and finishing at the Ha’penny Bridge.

The challenge is being undertaken with the aim of showcasing the River Liffey as one of Dublin’s best amenities, while raising funds for the water related charities, the RNLI and the Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.

The event will start at 8am next Saturday and at 12 noon all boats will gather in front of the Sean O’Casey footbridge. A wreath laying ceremony, attended by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Nial Ring, will also take place to commemorate all those who have lost their lives through drowning. We remember particularly the crew of Naomh Gobnait who rowed 2,500 Klms from the Liffey to Santiago de Compostela and who later lost a valued crew member. A film chronicling the trip is playing in Irish cinemas.

The RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, will have an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat on display for people to view during the day. Fast, manoeuvrable and reliable, the B class lifeboat operates in rough weather conditions, capable in daylight up to force seven and at night, to force six winds. The lifeboat is ideal for rescues close to shore, near cliffs and rocks and can also be beached in an emergency without causing damage to its engines or steering gear. The Atlantic 85 carries a full suite of communication and electronic navigation aids, as well as a searchlight, night-vision equipment and flares for night-time operations.

The lifeboat will be berthed alongside the Jeanie Johnston replica famine ship. The event is also being used as an opportunity to engage with inner city Dublin schools whose pupils have been invited to the Dublin Docklands Offices to learn about water safety through the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign and how they can volunteer in their communities to help save lives at sea. The city’s Sea Scouts will also be participating in the event.

Many Dublin rowing clubs have their home on the River Liffey and are a regular sight on the water. At the port end of the river is St. Patrick’s Rowing Club, Stella Maris Rowing Club, East Wall Water Sports Group and Poolbeg Yacht and Boat club. Ringsend Basin is home to the Plurabelle Paddlers (dragon boats) and the Dublin Viking Dragon boats. At the other end of the city beyond Heuston Station there are many river rowing clubs and kayaking clubs, including Phoenix Rowing Club.

On 1 December the many boating clubs of the Liffey will be joined by rowing clubs from other parts of Ireland, to raise funds for the RNLI and the Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.

Commenting on the event, the All In a Row Team said, ‘Everyone knows the River Liffey but most people don’t know how far it stretches and how many rowing groups use it regularly. There is a vibrant boating community on the River Liffey and these clubs regard it as the living artery of the city and one of Dublin’s great and undervalued amenities.’

‘After the beautiful summer we’ve had, we know that people are drawn to the water, whether on the coast or inland to enjoy different water sports. The Liffey is an undervalued and underused resource that is right under people’s noses and we want to encourage them to use it and to use it safely. From school children right up to seasoned rowers, this is a great opportunity to draw people down to the Liffey and learn about water safety and the fun activities they can do on the water all year round.’ 

Ends

Notes for Editor
Videos of the Event in 2016 & 2017 are available to view through the below links

· https://youtu.be/-KLDnGcVSG0

· rel="noopener noreferrer" https://youtu.be/Tavz7EkmMjg

Charity Number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland

The Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit

The Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit (“IUSRU”) is a charity registered in the Republic of Ireland under charity number, CHY20132.

When people go missing on rivers, canals, lakes or around our coasts they go beyond the reach of the public and require specialist equipment and personnel to bring them home, the IUSRU is made up of a dedicated team of volunteers who’s objective is to search for missing people underwater and recover them for their families and friends so they can be given a dignified resting place.

The IUSRU was formed in January 2012 to provide a professional, dedicated and highly trained service that could carry out the task of recovering missing persons with compassion and sensitivity.

In 2014 there were 114 recorded deaths through drowning in Ireland which is an improvement on 2013 with 123 deaths recorded*. The IUSRU will continue to supply this much needed service to the citizens of Ireland to ensure closure can be brought to the families of the missing.

The RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea and on inland waters. The RNLI’s volunteers operate a 24-hour search and rescue operation 100 nautical miles out from the coast of Ireland and the UK. There are 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland, four of which are inland at Carrybridge, Enniskillen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. There are three lifeboat stations in Dublin at Howth, Dun Laoghaire and Skerries.

Last year, Irish lifeboats launched 1,088 times bringing 1,471 people to safety.

The charity’s vision is to end preventable loss of life at sea.

95% of the RNLI’s people are volunteers. In Ireland there are approximately 1,000 volunteer lifeboat crew, and over 2,000 volunteer community fundraisers as well as many other dedicated volunteers who raise awareness, give safety advice and help out in shops and offices.

All In A Row Media Contacts
For further information please contact Dave Kelly on 087 961 2803 or Philip Murphy on 087 278 rel="noopener noreferrer" 9383.

Website: http://www.allinarow.ie rel="noopener noreferrer" Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allinarowforcharity/ Twitter: @allinarowIRL

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.