Nolan flies out to Boston to compete in prestigious regatta

“I can’t wait,” says, Clíodhna Nolan.

On Thursday the Carlow international rower will fly out to Boston to take part in the Head of the Charles Regatta one of the iconic events in world rowing. Clíodhna is competing in the lightweight single sculls event which takes place on Saturday at 2.35pm.

While the standard rowing race is 3kms long on a smooth and straight surface, this particular event is quite the opposite. The Boston test is 4.8 kilometres in length with twists, turns and seven bridges to navigate. Nolan is looking forward to the race but also the atmosphere which comes with the event.

“It would not be the longest (race) but it is such a unique event. It is one of the largest in the world. There will be 3-400,000 spectators. About 12,000 rowers. It is massive. Rowing never has that many spectators but it just shows that the size and the prestige of the event draws that crowd.” 

“It is not the standard course. It is different. It is challenging. It draws rowers at all levels. Student rowers to Olympic and elite rowers compete at it,” Clíodhna explains.

 “You have to be invited or apply to be accepted based on your rowing CV. It was definitely one that was on my bucket list and one that I really wanted to do. I approached Rob Williams, the captain of Carlow Rowing Club and asked could I represent Carlow at the event.” 

The UCC student was never going to be refused. Not with the career she is after having so far.

She took up rowing in her home town when she was twelve years of age. She rowed with the Carlow club until she was seventeen. In that time, she became one of a small number of the Carlow club rowers to win a national singles title. Her participation at overseas events was a given.

“My first taste of international rowing was in Carlow when I started rowing where we went to Ghent Regatta. We were rowing in the junior 13 category. We were very young but we had great coaches in Aaron Bolger and others in the Carlow club.

“That gave me a taste for rowing where I came up against crews from many countries. Then I had a desire to represent Ireland when I was in Carlow and competed in the Home Internationals. That was my first time to represent Ireland and that was in the lightweight double with Aoife Byrne from Carlow,” Clíodhna recalls.

Her Leaving Certificate results saw her accept a place in the National University of Ireland, Galway where she rowed with their club. She enjoyed further success out west competing in the European and World Rowing Championships. These were wonderful times and later on her studies took her to UCC in Cork. Here the Master of Science student is now studying for a PhD which entails cancer research based on working with lymphoma patients.

She has been in Cork for three years now. As she is less tied to UCC, she trains in Cork but wanted to row in Carlow and represent the club. Boston was the perfect race to nail her colours to the mast.

“This is such a big race. It is an honour to represent Carlow,” she says.

“I would hope it would give a boost to some of the younger athletes. Try to inspire them to keep going and have aspirations to go to a higher level.” 

The Carlow sports star, who is looking forward to representing her club, her community and her country in Boston will be accompanied by her parents, Marian and Donal, when she flies out on Thursday. From Leighlinbridge, Donal will miss the club’s county junior football A championship A final against The Fighting Cocks.

“That is a big one ok,” agrees Clíodhna but says the family have already been compensated as her two sisters, Bronagh and Liadh, played on the Old Leighlin team who won their senior football final two weeks ago.

“Once they didn’t miss that, I think they are happy enough,” suggests Clíodhna who emphasises she is delighted to be back representing her native club abroad. She recalls the work that her coaches Paddy Behan, Barry and Eamonn Doogue and Jim Keating put in. 

She appreciates the support she has received from current Carlow captain, Rob Williams. Katherine Wall was also a great help to her. Aunt, Angela Keogh, still rows in Carlow and is an inspiration.

“It is a full circle for me and I am delighted to come back and represent Carlow. I have had so many brilliant coaches who followed me when I was on my journey and not representing Carlow,” says the Boston bound international oars woman.