Latest news with #StMichael's
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kirby and Rafferty secure historic gold medal at U19 World Rowing Championships
Jonah Kirby (Kenmare) and Jack Rafferty (St Michael's) have made history by securing Ireland's first men's U19 world gold medal at the 2025 World Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania. The junior men's double took gold in today's A final in challenging conditions with a strong headwind. At the 500-metre mark, the Irish duo began to push away from the field and had clear water by 900 metres. Their lead continued to grow throughout the race, and they crossed the line with two lengths of clear water in a time of 6 minutes, 39.57 seconds. Junior women's double Sophia Young and Aoife Hendy finished fifth in their A final. Sitting in sixth for much of the race, they surged past Poland and battled with Hungary for fourth but narrowly missed out, crossing the line in 7:55.30. Junior men's quadruple scull Evan O'Byrne, Mattias Cogan, Bill Murphy and Harry McCarthy won the B final. Sitting in second after the first 500 metres, the crew moved into the lead in the second quarter and held their position despite late sprint finishes from Belgium and France, crossing the line in 6:20.48. Junior women's four Anna O'Grady, Cloda Phillips, Isabella Wright and Sarah Rockett placed second in this morning's B Final. The crew led through the halfway mark, but a strong push from Croatia saw them cross the line in second place in 7:24.55. Ireland's junior men's four Daniel Crozier, Tommy Little, Richard Heaslip and Paul Schofield finished fourth in the B Final. At the 1000-metre mark, the crew sat in fifth, but they overtook Serbia to cross the line in fourth place, clocking 6:41.04. It was a landmark regatta for Rowing Ireland, with every crew finishing inside the world's top ten.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Thrilling gold for Ireland's Jack Rafferty and Jonah Kirby at the World Under-19 Rowing Championships
The St Michael's/Kenmare combination dominated each race in the run-up to the double sculls final, and they reproduced it in the big one as they relegated Greece and Germany silver and bronze and won by 7.26 seconds. It was Ireland's first gold medal at World Under-19 level, and the first medal for a men's crew. In May, Rafferty and Kirby had taken bronze at the European Championships, coming back from a slow start to grab a medal. But there was no faltering come the test against the best in the world. In the heat and the semi-final they led right through. In the final, they pushed into a small lead at 500 metres, and then built from there, leaving the field behind. 'You try to win. That gives you confidence in the heats and semi-finals, to know you can do it. Then in the final, you're all out trying to win [gold]," Kirby told the Irish Independent. 'Anything can happen in the doubles. I only started to think about [winning] in the last 200 metres.' For both of them, it is their last year at this level, though Kirby is still 17 and Rafferty turned 18 on Thursday. The two young men looked emotional on the podium as Amhrán na bhFiann rang out. 'I've been waiting for this for years; it's an unreal feeling,' Rafferty told World Rowing. 'It's amazing to be able to represent the green jersey – to win a gold medal is a different kind of feeling. I can't process it yet.' We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content The key to the big step up was their dedication, Kirby told the Irish Independent. 'A lot of training – like every day. We did have the odd day off.' They get to prepare amongst world and Olympic champions at the National Rowing Centre in Farran Wood. 'Seeing all the [Ireland] seniors training is kind of inspirational,' Kirby said. 'You get an idea of what it is like to be at the very top. It's great. 'All the seniors are really lovely people. They make you feel like you want to be there.' Clara O'Brien, Ireland's pathway coordinator, has overseen an expansion of underage crews competing at international events. The Limerick woman sees it as 'a bridge' to senior level. She was coach leader in Trakai and said she was very happy with the performance of the whole team. The women's double of Sophia Young [Methodist College, Belfast] and Aoife Hendy [Skibbereen] finished fifth in their A Final, while the men's quadruple won their B Final to take seventh overall. The women's and men's fours took 8th and 10th.
Irish Independent
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Methody and Queen's to the fore at Irish Rowing Championships
The women's junior double scull was a tremendous contest which ended in a photo finish and a win by a tenth of a second for Romilly Danes and Sophia Young of Methodist College, Belfast. Skibbereen's Abigail Fowler and Aoife Hendy pushed into the lead; Methody tracked them down the course. The final 500 metres was fascinating: Methody pushed and gained overlap. Skibbereen met the challenge. Twice more Methody pushed, gaining each time. They took the lead for the first time with the surge over the line. The margin was one tenth of a second. Young, who will partner Hendy in the Ireland double at the Under-19 World Championships early next month, broke into a huge grin at the finish. In the very next race, Queen's A were quite dominant in the men's novice coxed quadruple – they won by a distance and their B crew took second place. The Belfast university also added the women's novice coxed quadruple – and again they won by a big margin. The west and the south came roaring back through young talent. Jack Rafferty has some engine. The man from St Michael's of Limerick went through a time trial, a heat and a final to win the junior 18 single on Friday – and then did it again on Saturday as stroke of the men's quadruple. While he was in control for much of the race in the single, this time St Michael's moved through Cappoquin in the middle of the race and then powered on to win. UCC, stroked by Olympian Margaret Cremen, saw off all comers in the women's senior quadruple, while Zach Meegan gave University of Galway their second Championship title of the weekend with a fine win in the intermediate single. Cork Boat Club retained the men's senior pair. Fionnán Tolan and Barry O'Flynn, rowing as Cork B, were up against Olympic medallist Daire Lynch and his partner Michael Campion, but it was the strong Cork crew who took the honours. They held a slender lead in the middle stages, and UCD then drew level. But it was Tolan and O'Flynn who took control and drove on to take it by over 11 seconds. Trinity took the women's intermediate pair in remarkable style. Adelaide Telzrow and Maria Mezquita Garcia-Poggio never looked threatened and even as the crews tightened up at the finish they had an eight-second winning margin.
Powys County Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Penybont twins James and Dan run Rob Burrow Marathon
TWIN brothers from Powys completed the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in searing heat last weekend – with the duo raising close to £5,000 for the hospice which cared for their father in his final days. James and Dan Powell, 23, completed the marathon on Sunday, May 11, with the funds raised going to St Michael's Hospice, in Hereford. The Penybont twins previously praised the hospice and its staff for their 'faultless' care provided to Gary in his final weeks. Gary died on February 21, 2023, after bravely battling against motor neurone disease (MND), the same illness which Leeds Rhinos rugby league icon Rob died of. This year's marathon was the first one held since Rob's death, aged 41, in June last year. 'We got it done,' said James, in a post on Facebook. 'Today, as many of you are aware, me and Dan went to run the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in memory of our dad, to raise money for St Michael's Hospice, a charity very close to our family's hearts. 'We managed to cross the line in the soaring heat in Leeds and I for one couldn't be prouder of myself and Dan for getting this done. 'We cannot thank you all enough for all the encouragement over the last few months, whether through donations, messages, or simple toots of the horn when you saw us running the roads in training. 'Thank you so much!' Bull rescued after getting stuck in remote bog in Powys Powys motorbike event's plea, as organisers say 'we need more help than ever' 'And, of course, a huge thank you to our amazing team of supporters who came up with us. It was so tough, but the feeling at the end was so worth it. 'The community we have is amazing, the family and friends we have are amazing, and Dan you're amazing and I'm so proud of you.' Dan crossed the line in 4 hours 43 minutes, with James coming home in 4 hours 46 minutes. Mum Monica said: 'Well, what can I say.... we are all extremely proud of James and Dan and what they achieved today; it was tough, but they got there. 'They have done us (as a) family and, more importantly, their dad proud. Can I just say the support and generosity from everyone has been amazing. Thank you so much.' The brothers previously described their dad as their hero, and said they were similarly inspired by the fight he showed during his battle with MND, while James said raising money for St Michael's was a 'no brainer'. 'Not only were they amazing with dad but grandparents of ours in the past too,' he said. 'They made things that bit more bearable during a time that, as a family, was as difficult as they get. 'Up until the very last day they treated him like a king and did all they could to keep him comfortable and smiling.' Dan added: 'It's inspiring what they deal with on a daily basis, and the fact that they can face the toughest of situations and still deliver faultless care with a smile on their faces is nothing short of remarkable in my eyes.'
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Oldest' papergirl Maureen Burton marks 80th birthday on zip wire
A woman who thinks she could be the oldest papergirl in the region marked her 80th birthday by crossing a lake on a zip already completed one zip-wire challenge in her forties, Maureen Burton celebrated the occasion by repeating the feat on 12 April at North Yorkshire Water also raised £3,700 for her local church, St Michael's in Bempton, Bridlington, which was four times her original target."It was absolutely amazing," she said. Despite not having the most elegant landing, she said she would be up for doing it again."I didn't end very lady like," she said. "I went in a somersault but I'd do it again, definitely."Maureen volunteered to deliver newspapers in her village three years ago after there was a danger the service could be daily round ranges from six to 12 deliveries and is spread across the village."It's the distance," she explained. "It's not the amount because you go from one end of the village to the other. I keep fit, I keep walking and I keep mobile."She does not get paid for her rounds, but said she donated all her Christmas tips to the church after it supported her following her husband Neil's death five years wore a T-shirt with his picture on during the challenge after he cheered her on at her first money raised will pay for alterations to the church and graveyard to make it accessible for wheelchairs and walking aids. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
