The Department of Education and Skills and Healthy Ireland will be running Active Schools
week next week to encourage ALL schools and Sporting bodies to help and inspire youngsters
to get moving.
The ASW initiative is about providing FUN and INCLUSIVE physical activity opportunities for
ALL members of the school community. It allows schools to reinforce the message that not
only is physical activity good for you but it also very enjoyable.
The Get Going Get Rowing project has been working hand in hand with Active Schools since
February 2014. In line with this, the programme together with schools, local clubs and the
community have been working very hard and have established a full week of rowing activities
(on and off the water).
In Galway the Connaught programme under the management of Jen Cunningham, will be
running at full steam for the duration of the initiative. There will be ergometer intro
programmes and NUIG campus tours on Monday and Tuesday and on Wednesday three
schools and 50 students will take to the water. Thursday brings another activity filled day
where students will experience an open day at Colaiste Iognaid Rowing Club, where the
local schools will take to the water. The week of rowing in the west will finish with 1st years
from Presentation College par-taking in an ergometer introductory programme followed by
an NUIG campus tour.
Over in Leinster, Carlow Rowing Clubs’ Kathryn Wall and Angela Keogh together with Carlow
Youth services will be visiting five schools in Carlow and Graignamanagh with ergometers.
This will give sixth class students an opportunity to experience rowing. Throughout these
taster sessions CYS will be assisted by the TrY rowing students who qualified in December of
last year as TrY rowing coaches. These coaches have been continuing to coach in their schools
where rowing has become a recognised and regular sport.
In Tullamore Offaly Rowing Clubs, Frank Durkin will be facilitating a rowing blitz. The blitz will
be organised by the TrY rowing students that took the coaching course in early March. The
TrY coaches have been working with the first years in their school for the last month under
the leadership and guidance of Frank with the assistance of Michelle Carpenter and Pat
McInerney.
In Dublin an action packed week of rowing will start on Monday when 20 students from
Dominican College, Griffith Avenue, Dublin will take to the water at Islandbridge. On
Wednesday Commercial Rowing Club, Dublin will open their doors to four schools and over
70 students all who have taken part in the Get Going Get Rowing initiative. On Friday, its
Neptune Rowing Club turn to open their doors to 70 students and three schools (four groups).
On both days two formers Internationals who are both Olympians and World medallists will
support the initiative by visiting the clubs on these days to talk to the students about their
experience of rowing.
Now after months of the ergometer and metres of indoor fun all the students will experience
the merits of getting to the water.
The week will be kindly supported by Glenilen yogurts and students in all Dublin schools taking
part in the challenge, will be encouraged to complete a Kcal challenge on the ergometers for
one of Glenilen’s delicious yogurts.
The activities in Dublin will continue in the week of 5th May, when the students at Gael
Colaiste, Cois Life in Lucan will row the length of the Liffey on Ergometers. This school is
getting fully on board and not only will all the students be encouraged to take part but the
Head Master and all the teachers (some of whom row!) are looking forward to rowing those
meters to attain the challenge.
All in all, lots of rowing across the counties and provinces for the next few weeks. Getting
students moving and rowing before summer breaks and camps begin.
If you would like any more information on the initiative or how to get involved, you can find
us on www.getgoinggetrowing.com or follow us on:
Twitter https://twitter.com/get_rowing
And
Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/GetGoingGetRowing
For regular updates throughout the week.