Hope Row 2026
On Saturday, 26th September, two of our crews took part in Stella Maris annual charity race, the Hope Row. They raced up the Liffey to the Guinness Storehouse and back to Ringsend in aid of the Alzhimers Society of Ireland. Crews from all up and down the East Coast took to Skiffs and FISA boats as part of the Hope Row 2026. Read the full story below.
An indian summer, on the Liffey
It was an absolute belter of a day in Ringsend as our crews took to the Liffey for Stella Maris Rowing Club’s annual Hope Row 2026. A brilliant event that brought clubs together for a day of rowing, community and fundraising. This year, Stella Maris chose the Alzheimer Society of Ireland as their charity partner, helping raise vital awareness and support for people living with dementia and their families.
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To learn more about the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the incredible work they do, visit:
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Two Crews. 10K. One Incredible Challenge.
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For the event, our Novice Ladies Crew and Mixed Crew were lucky enough to borrow a skiff from our friends at Stella Maris Rowing Club. Our crews brought their own oars, and we’re incredibly grateful to our club members who helped make all the arrangements possible.
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Both crews took on the arduous 10km course, starting at Stella Maris and heading upriver against a heavy current. The crews had to navigate the narrow arches of some of Dublin’s most iconic bridges, including O’Connell Bridge and the Ha’penny Bridge, before continuing towards St James’s Gate and the Guinness Storehouse.
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For some of our rowers, this was their very first race and what a way to make your racing debut!
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Our novice rower Aideen summed it up perfectly:
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“It’s something else to row up the Liffey through the heart of Dublin City. I feel so proud of my crew for achieving something so monumental in our first year of rowing. We should all be very proud of what we have just done.”
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And she’s absolutely right. There was plenty to be proud of. Once the crews reached St James’s Gate, our coxswains turned the skiffs around, and the crews began the race back towards Ringsend, giving everything they had left in the tank. Leaving Nothing in the Boat
The conditions certainly tested everyone. The temperatures made for an incredibly challenging day, with the heat pushing some rowers to their limits and, in some cases, causing crews to overheat.
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But nobody gave up.
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Every stroke counted. Every rower dug deep. And everyone left absolutely nothing in the boat.
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For our novice rowers especially, completing 10km on the Liffey, against the current and under the heat of the day, was a phenomenal achievement. It was a day of hard work, determination, teamwork and, above all, pride in what we achieved together.
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A huge thank you to Stella Maris Rowing Club for hosting such a fantastic event and for looking after all our rowers and coxswains throughout the day. We’re incredibly grateful for the warm welcome, the support and the opportunity to be part of such a brilliant event.
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To our Novice Ladies Crew and Mixed Crew, congratulations! You showed grit, determination, and true team spirit.
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10km completed. Nothing left in the boat. Something to be incredibly proud of.