YOUNG rowers in Kilmacsimon Rowing Club don’t need to look far for inspiration – they’re surrounded by local success stories like Luke Nixon that show what’s possible.

With the club basking in the glow of retaining the Teddy Burns Cup for Underage Club of the Year at the South West Rowing Awards, it’s the rise of rowers like Luke that highlights the great work being done.

The Kilmacsimon rower will travel to Turkey next month with the Rowing Ireland team for the 2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals – another club member competing on the international stage.

‘Luke has come from starting U12 with us all the way to this level. It’s brilliant to see,’ beamed proud chairperson Aoife Collins.

‘It’s great to see our members compete internationally, and it’s great for the younger rowers in our club to see this.’

‘We have members who have represented the club at European level, Niamh and Siobhan Lordan, along with Miriam Sheehan and Sinead Murphy from Castletownbere, who won a silver medal at the European Coastal Rowing Championships.

‘We also had Aidan Crowley and John Barry who competed there in singles and did really well.’

Kilmacsimon's U18 boys' crew of Jack McCarthy, Diarmuid Kearney, Cillan Cuffe and Luke Nixon, and cox Aidan Crowley at the awards.

While the adult members are putting Kilmacsimon on the map, it’s the success of the underage section that shows the conveyor belt is working. Retaining the Teddy Burns Cup for Underage Club of the Year proves the club’s future is bright.

‘This award goes to the club with the most points accumulated across all five championship regattas in the underage categories, and Kilmacsimon have once again shown what an incredible youth setup they have,’ South West Rowing explained at the awards ceremony in the Celtic Ross Hotel.

Aoife Collins is, rightly, proud of the club’s collective effort.

‘We're delighted to retain the cup. We had a great year with our underage kids – our U14 boys, U16 girls and U18 boys all won their championship events,’ she said.

‘Go down as far as our U12s who came fourth, this was their first year properly rowing. It’s great to see from the smallies at U12 up to the U18s all doing well.

‘The underage is the future and we put a lot of emphasis on it. It’s very satisfying to see all the hard work reap rewards.’

Aoife Kelly and Sadhbh Kenny at the awards.

Kilmacsimon Rowing Club has a knack for winning awards – they were also crowned Club of the Year at Rowing Ireland’s 2024 annual awards, beating off a powerhouse like Skibbereen Rowing Club.

All signs point to a thriving club and a strong future. And for the next generation of Kilmacsimon rowers, there’s no shortage of inspiration to follow.