The 2026 Irish Rowing Championships get underway tomorrow 10 July at the National Rowing Centre in Farran Woods, Cork.
For these athletes, their entire rowing season has been in preparation for this event, the pinnacle of the domestic rowing calendar. Competition will be fierce, with crews pouring enough athleticism into their heats to claim one of six places in finals, so that they can bring everything they’ve trained for all year, laying it all on the line to find out who are the fastest crews in Ireland.
Taking to the six-lane course will be 1,017 crews from 60 Rowing Ireland clubs, with 1,350 athletes competing in 138 races over 59 events. Racing begins at 7:30 am on Friday, July 10, and will conclude Sunday, July 12, at 5:20pm. Racing classes include junior, novice, club, intermediate, and seniors.
Matt McKerrow, Interim CEO of Rowing Ireland, said: “The weekend promises not only great racing, but will see 60+ clubs enjoying camaraderie and community spirit against the backdrop of the scenic Inniscarra Basin. A huge thank you to all the volunteer officials, umpires, coaches and club personnel who’ve all banded together to deliver the event for the benefit of the rowing community.”
The weekend forecast promises sunshine and high temperatures, so athletes and spectators alike will want to make use of suncream, water, hats, and shade throughout the competition.
Medals and pots will be awarded everyday between 3:00pm and 5:00pm. The provisional racing schedule can he found here.
This year at the VIP Finish Line Luncheon, Rowing Ireland will be marking the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s 1976 Olympic Rowing Team, recognising the athletes and coaches whose achievements laid the foundations for Irish rowing’s success today.
Spectator Information
The public are welcome to join us in person at the National Rowing Centre in Farran Woods.
Parking is available at Farran Forest Park, which accepts card-only for the €5 fee. Limited space is available for disabled badge holders and drop-off for those who require assistance, please email championships@rowingireland.ie to make arrangements.
The Rowing Ireland Greenblades shop will have official merchandise for sale 9am to 5pm every day.
A variety of excellent food and drink vendors will be on hand throughout the weekend, and Event Partner Cork County Council is supplying drinking water refill stations, helping us reduce single-use plastic waste and promoting sustainability, so bring your reuseable flasks.
How To Watch From Home
The event will be livestreamed on the Rowing Ireland YouTube channel, which can be accessed here. New live stream link daily. If the livestream is interrupted, please check the channel for the latest livestream link (Part 1, Part 2, etc.). With drones, on-the-water cameras, and the Rowing Ireland Commentary Team bringing the racing to life, watching online from anywhere in the world will be nearly as exciting as being at the NRC on the day.
Our social media channels will be showcasing the best of the racing and the atmosphere at the NRC. Our Instagram is @RowingIreland and on Facebook.
Acknowledgements
A special thank you to the Championships Committee for their tireless work on this event. We also extend our thanks to all participants, supporters, and sponsors.
Rowing Ireland would like to sincerely thank the 2026 Irish Rowing Championships event partners, Failte Ireland and Cork County Council, for their valued support in delivering this year’s event.
We also gratefully acknowledge the continued backing of our Rowing Ireland sponsors: MG Motor, Powerhouse, Kinetica Sports, Coillte, F4 Energy, ROWfit, Swift Racing, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, and the Federation of Irish Sport. Their investments play a vital role in the growth and success of Irish rowing.
