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fRowing clubPhotos by Wendi Winters For The CapitalABOVE: Annapolis Irish Rowing Club member Gene Brennan, who has a law practice in Severn, pulls on his unusually long oars as a group of revelers aboard a Chesapeake Bay Foundation sailboat watch the progress of his currach. Behind him, unseen, club president Egan Nerich is also rowing.mixes racing,good Irish alenBy WENDI WINTERS For The CapitalTwilight and small clouds of mosquitoes arrive at the Charles Carroll House grounds overlooking Spa Creek at the same time as members of the two-decade-old Annapolis Irish Rowing Club.Slapping at their ankles, members Don Kerr and Dan Black, accompanied by his daughter Kerry, 14, a South River High School freshman, show up first. They set to work getting two of the three boats ready for a run.Kerry, named for the Irish county, has been active with the club for some time. Her hands reach expertly into both boats as she swiftly prepares various ropes and mooring lines for the evening's activities.A few minutes later, attorney Gene Brennan and club president Egan Nerich, a self-employed contractor now living in Prince Frederick, ap pear and help to get the two large, but surprisingly lightweight, currachs into the water.Mr. Brennan is carrying a small blue cooler loaded with the night's treat — enough iced bottles of Irish ale for everyone, except Kerry.Drinking Irish nectar and racing competitively traditionally go hand in-oar for currach rowers. This evening’s practice run is no different,* *ANNAPOLISespecially since club members are in heavy training for the St. Brendan’s Cup Regatta, hosted by the club. They meet from mid-spring through early October on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings to practice for meets in towns throughout the Northeast and the Midwest.The St. Brendan’s Cup Regatta is scheduled for Oct. 2 at Sandy Point State Park. Currach teams from Albany, Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are expected to compete in several different heats against the Annapolis teammates. There will be different combinations of male, female, combined and individual races.The public is invited to watch the fun. Admission is free, though thepark charges a small fee for parking.Mr. Nerich says the racers will launch from the east beach and sprint around the lighthouse a mile offshore. Spectators will be able to see most of the competitions, unaided by binoculars.Races begin at noon and end about 4:30 p.m., followed by an outdoor barbecue for the rowers. Later in the evening, an awards ceremony will be held at Sean Donlon’s Irish Pub on West Street. The networking” will continue at Irish bars in the down town area and into the wee hours.For more information, check out the Web site at www.geocities.com/annapolisirishrowing/index.htmlFun is the key to currach rowing, and so is a wry sense of humor.Mr. Nerich boasts that he’s theLEFT: On the grounds of the Charles Carroll House, preparing for their practice session, club members prepare to put a currach, a type of Irish rowboat, into Spa Creek: from left, Dan Black, Don Kerr and Mr. Brennan. (Mr. Nerich is hidden again, this time behind Mr. Black.)rower, Mr. Brennan, a new guy this season, has quickly become accustomed to hearing.In less than a half hour, the two boats make it out of the creek and up the Severn River Occasionally the crews row in wind sprints to build up the rowers’ lung (and arm and back) power.Bellies to the sky,” Mr. Nerich yells as the two sets of rowers pullback in their seats.Now, let's head for our goal,” he finally barksCity Dock? Mr. Brennan asks.Receiving a nod, he leans into his oar and says, “Let’s go!”Shortly afterward, to the amuse ment of curious passersby, the two strange-looking shells tie up at City Dock, a few feet from the Alex Haleystatue.The teammates sit in the velvet darkness and discuss plans and responsibilities for the regatta.A few minutes later, the boats slide past a family of wild ducks and head for their home base._____whales.Mr. Black points out that the currachs feature canvas covered wood frame hulls painted liberally with oil-based paint.They’re really work boats, not meant to be raced. For their size, they’re light and maneuverable. Rowers can carry supplies, livestock and sheep across the water. Or you can fish from these boats.Mr Nerich adds: The Irish knew how to build things: simple, easy to row, easy to repair and long lasting The oars, for example, are not flanged like a typical oar.Look at the length of these oars, Mr Nerich commands. That’s three inches times three feet. That's a lot of surface area in the water, yet it’s easy to handle The two four seat boats, each bearing three rowers, pull away from the Carroll House bulkhead and stroke quickly under the Spa Creek Bridge Partiers aboard several big powerboats pause while holding their Cosmopolitans to watch the long glossy boats glide by as darkness falls.Seated in Pug Mathoin, Mr Nerich barks clipped orders that his fellowclub’s sole surviving founding mem ber. He’s always trying to recruit new male and female members to the sport he loves. The club currently has 12 regular adult members and several more who drop by on an occasional basis.Annual dues are $60 Currently there are only three female members; the club has lost a few recently to pregnancy and the obligations ofmotherhood.You don't have to be Irish to be a member, even though a majority of competitors from other clubs are Irish,” Mr. Nerich says with a twinkle in his eye. Under his mustache he mutters, “If you sympathize with the Irish causes, you’ll have a better time at theparties.”Counting life preservers, Mr, Nerich growls, Are we losing lifejackets?”Mr Kerr replies nonchalantly, ”1 think we lost 'em in Albany. Theyhave the same initials we do AIRC.But we picked some up in Columbus, so we evened out.”Seen while resting hull side-up on the banks of the Carroll House, the currachs look like glossy black babyMThe cooler is nearly empty.Wendi Winters is a freelance writer in the Broadneck area.*
Newspaper Details
Annapolis Sunday Capital
Annapolis, Maryland, US
Sun, Sep 26, 2004
Page 37
Full Page
Clipped by
Leota M.
USA 17 Sep 2018
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