About Us
Patrick’s Rowing Club
St. Patrick’s Rowing Club has over 100 members made up of local Ringsend people and from all over Ireland. Recently members from Canada, America, France, Poland, Italy and Germany have joined the ranks at St. Patrick’s Rowing Club. We operate an open door policy and welcome everyone to try the skill of skiff rowing.
East Coast skiff rowing is undertaken by crews of four rowers with one sweep oar each, and a coxswain, in 25ft wooden clinker-built boats.
East Coast Skiff racing has its origins in the occupation of Hobbling. Hobblers were freelance Harbour Pilots and competition was strong to win the contracts to pilot approaching ships into port and these contracts were won by prospective Pilots rowing and racing out to meet approaching ships to be the first to board the and win the lucrative contracts. Not only did the successful hobblers receive payment to pilot the ships into port but they were also awarded the contract for discharging/loading those ships whilst in port so it was well worth their while.
Hobbling
The Hobblers primarily worked between Lambay Island to the north of Dublin Bay and Wicklow Head, where they required considerable skill on behalf of their oarsmen. The long tradition of rowing is now carried on through the rowing clubs affiliated to East Coast Rowing Council. These clubs can be found around the old Dublin pilot stations of Ringsend and East Wall in Dublin Port, Skerries, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey, Bray, Greystones, Wicklow, Arklow, and Courtown.