OLYMPIANS Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey will make their first appearance for Ireland in over 12 months when they row together at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Shanghai next month.
The Skibbereen rowers will form the Irish women’s pair that will compete on the world stage in China (September 21st – 28th).
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Hegarty and two-time Olympian Casey last rowed for Ireland, in different boats, at the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, and both since moved to London for studies. Together, they won the senior pair title at the Irish Rowing Championships in July, that victory coming ten years after their national success together in the junior double in 2015.
The return of Hegarty and Casey, the latter stepping up into open weight having previously competed at lightweight, strengthens the Rowing Ireland squad heading to the World championships.
Double Olympic champion Fintan McCarthy has been named in a new-look men’s double sculls alongside Olympic bronze medallist Philip Doyle, with this crew brimming with international pedigree. Skibb rower McCarthy has enjoyed an encouraging start to life at heavyweight, winning bronze medals alongside Konan Pazzaia at the European Championships and the World Cup event in Lucerne. Pazzaia will race in the men’s single scull. Paul O'Donovan is a notable absentee, but he is currently working in the Mater Hospital and focussing on his career.
Fintan’s twin brother Jake will compete in the lightweight men's single scull, while Aisling Hayes is the FIFTH Skibbereen Rowing Club athlete bound for the Worlds – she is part of the Irish women’s four alongside Olympians Natalie Long and Imogen Magner, and debutant Emma Waters.
Also, Bantry Rowing Club’s Sadhbh Ní Laoghaire, who won a bronze medal at World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, will partner Paralympian Tiarnan O’Donnell in the PR2 Mixed Double Scull.
Rowing Ireland’s Lead Coach Dominic Casey, another Skibbereen connection, said: ‘This year presents a valuable opportunity to look ahead to Los Angeles 2028, to develop talent, and to solidify the high-performance culture within our team. We’re investing in both our people and our infrastructure, with ongoing enhancements at the National Rowing Centre to ensure our athletes have the best possible environment for growth.’
