Our Organisation
Rowing Ireland is primarily based at the National Rowing Centre in Cork but also maintains an office at Sport’s HQ, Abbottstown, Dublin.
For Media Enquiries contact; communications@rowingireland.ie
Administration
Chief Executive Officer
Michelle Carpenter
Biography
Michelle was appointed Chief Executive of Rowing Ireland in 2018. She previously reignited and managed the Get Going...Get Rowing programme. Michelle has a wealth of experience she worked for the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and on the launch of the Euro 2002 information campaign with the European Central Bank. Michelle won her first Irish Championships in 1988, with Shannon Rowing Club, and was a member of the Irish Rowing squad at junior and U23 level. Rowing with Commercial at senior level.
Guilty pleasure
Learning Italian rowing terminology "indietro lì colpo"
Most likely to say
Absolutely
Finance & Operations Lead
Alec Moffett
Biography
Alec graduated from UCC in 2012 with a master’s degree in Corporate Finance and Accounting. Following this he did his training and professional exams with FCOS Ltd in Cork for 4 and a half years.
Guilty pleasure
Guinness and Taytos
Most likely to say
That sounds expensive
Learning and Development Lead
Biography
Pat joined Rowing Ireland as Club Support Officer in 2020. Pat has been a member of the Irish Championship committee for the last number of years. Pat is the current Chairperson of the Rowing Ireland Safety Advisory Committee and is a member of Rowing Ireland’s COVID–19 Working Group. Pat coaches with Castleconnell Boat Club, where he has been President for the last two years. Pat was also an assistant coach with the Ladies Homes sculling crews for the Homes Internationals when they were held at the National Rowing Centre in Cork. Pat is an ex-international basketball referee and worked with the Limerick Fire Service for 23 years, reaching the rank of Station Officer.
Guilty pleasure
Cadbury's Bournville
Most likely to say
That's Brilliant!
Strategic Business Development Executive
Biography
Derek has over 30 years of rowing experience and was a member of St. Michaels Rowing Club, Limerick for all of his competitive career. Derek won four Irish Championships at Junior and Senior level with St Michaels and has represented Ireland proudly at Junior, U23 and Senior levels bringing home seven medals. Derek has been coaching with Castleconnell since 2014. He brings 18 years of Supervisory Management experience, from his previous role as a Manufacturing Supervisor, to the role together with strong project management skills.
Guilty pleasure
Most likely to say
Get Rowing
Women in Sport Lead
Claire Lambe
Biography
Claire joined Rowing Ireland in 2019 as Women in Sport Lead. The purpose of this role is to project manage and ensure the implementation of current and future programs, while developing strong relationships and providing expertise and support to the grassroots clubs in the area of women’s and girls’ rowing. Claire has over 15 years of rowing experience at nearly every level from junior, university and international. Claire is passionate about the role sport can play in facilitating positive change for an individual, a community and a society. Claire represented Ireland at Junior, U23 and Senior level, representing Ireland at the Rio Olympics and placing sixth with her partner Sinead Jennings in the Women's Lightweight Double.
Guilty pleasure
Scones
Most likely to say
I will go in the bow of the boat
Communications and Innovation Officer
Stephen King
Biography
Stephen joined Rowing Ireland in 2019 and is currently working across communication, commercial and innovation. In sport, Stephen has previously worked in participation, club development, operations, sponsorship & fundraising, and referee development with Football Association of Ireland (FAI), American Football Ireland (AFI), and St Patrick’s Athletic Football Club. Stephen has a Master's Degree in Sports Management from UCD, Bachelor's Degree (Hons) in Business Management, QQI Train the Trainer qualification, Diploma in GDPR for Business and in Football Finance and Sustainability for clubs.
Guilty pleasure
Pizza, Coffee and Cycling
Most likely to say
Will you do the podcast?
Club Support Nutritionist/Administrative Assistant
Leanne Varley
Biography
Leanne has always had a keen interest in sport and its benefits for health and development. Joining the team in 2019, Leanne provides nutrition support to members, clubs, and developmental athletes, providing information and guidance on fuelling for health, training and performance. As well as a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science and an MSc in Sport and Exercise Nutrition (SENr), she has extensive experience of working in the Sports and Leisure industry.
Guilty pleasure
Food; growing, cooking and eating. It's not really a guilty pleasure but I spend most of my day either talking about it, thinking about it or eating it.
Most likely to say
No problem, I'll take a look at that.
Coach Education Coordinator
Gerry Farrell
Biography
Gerry started rowing as a junior in Neptune in 1975 and has been involved in the sport on and off ever since. He held the position of captain in both Neptune and Shannon. Gerry served on the Board of Rowing Ireland for 10 years and was Treasurer for four of those. He has a keen interest in club support and coach development.
Guilty pleasure
Chocolate
Most likely to say
I remember that
Events Executive
Ceara O'Connor
Biography
Ceara began rowing in St Michael's Rowing Club in Limerick in 2004, representing Ireland at junior and senior level and has been professionally involved in sport in a number of capacities since. She has spent 11 years in Australia, Dubai and Prague coaching and working in a range of sports in a variety of settings, gaining valuable experience. Ceara has a degree in Sport and Exercise Science and a postgraduate degree in Education. Ceara will lead our events development and strategy, bringing experience hosting a variety of events across a range of sports at competitive and recreational level. She is keenly interested in inclusive sport and 'a life through sport', believing rowing can offer lifelong benefits.
Guilty pleasure
Gardening
Most likely to say
Coffee?
High performance team
High-Performance Director
Antonio Maurogiovanni
Biography
Antonio has been Rowing Ireland’s High-Performance Director since 2017 and, under his guidance, Ireland currently has four boats qualified for the 2020 Olympics. Antonio is a former Olympic rower, representing Italy at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. He has been involved in a total of seven Olympic Games, as an athlete and a coach. He previously coached in Italy, Australia and the Netherlands before coming on board with the Irish team.
Guilty pleasure
Seafood
Most likely to say
Be happy but not satisfied...yet
High-Performance Coach
Dominic Casey
Biography
Dominic coached the lightweight men’s double for the Rio Olympics on the afternoons after his day job. He was appointed Lightweight men’s and women’s coach by Rowing Ireland in December 2016. Dominic has overseen a golden era in Lightweight rowing since then, where multiple medals have been won at World Championships, World Cups and European Championships. Dominic was awarded FISA Coach of the year in 2018 to acknowledge his accomplishments and mark the success of Irish Rowing. In a previous life, Dominic rowed with Skibbereen Rowing Club where he won many Irish Championships in his favourite boats the single and double scull. Dominic also led Skibbereen Rowing Club for many years and built many good crews in that time to put Skibbereen with the highest number of Irish Rowing Championships in Ireland.
Guilty pleasure
A quiet walk
Most likely to say
Did you understand me ?
High-Performance Men's Head Coach
Fran Keane
Biography
Fran was appointed as High Performance Operations Manager and Pathway Coordinator in 2019 having previously worked with many successful junior international teams since 2009, holding the position of Lead Junior Coach since 2017. Fran is responsible for leading the U23 and Junior teams as Head Coach while also assisting with the coaching of the senior athletes based at the NRC. Fran also fills the role of HP Operations Manager, which involves logistical support and planning as well as team manager duties for the High Performance team for trials, camps and international events. Previous to this, Fran was teaching in Presentation Brothers College, where he also held the role of Head Rowing Coach, overseeing the development of the schools rowing programme.
Guilty pleasure
The RTE weather forecast after the 9 o'clock news!
Most likely to say
OK
High-Performance Women's Head Coach
Giuseppe De Vita
Biography
Giuseppe has been a rower since a young age; he rowed for Italy from 1998 to 2013, representing Italy in two Olympics - Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. He coached UCD ladies and mens boat club from 2014 to 2018, when the club won medals and "pots" at national as well as international regattas. Since 2018 Giuseppe has been helping the development of HP Irish athletes, with a focus on the Sweep Senior Women Olympic team.
Guilty pleasure
Saturday's Pizza with Friends ... Arancini as starter, finishing with a Limoncello! but I cannot really say that I feel too guilty about it.
Most likely to say
Is this vegan?
High-Performance Administrative assistant
Michael O'Rourke
Biography
Michael joined Rowing Ireland in 2019 on the Sport Ireland Aspire Programme. Michael studied Sports and Recreational Business Management in WIT and has a master's degree in Strength and Conditioning from LIT.
Guilty pleasure
Cycling
Most likely to say
Sound
