Seán Harte from Waterford Boat Club had a memorable 2025. He feels fortunate to have been part of a quad that won gold at the Home International Regatta, grateful for the opportunity to represent Ireland at the European Beach Sprint Championships, and appreciative of being invited to join the Rowing Ireland Youth Commission for 2025.
At the Irish Rowing Championships, after a busy regatta season, Seán finished 5th in the MJ18 1x men’s junior scull final. Seán’s hard work paid off, and he was selected to represent Ireland at the Home International Regatta. Racing at Dorney Lake in Windsor, England, Seán and his teammates—Michael Dukes, Art Thornbury, and Rory Keeley—won gold for Ireland in the Junior Men’s Quad Scull (JM4x-). In the single scull, Seán did well against strong competition from England, Scotland, and Wales, finishing third for Ireland.
Seán continued his rowing journey and moved into coastal rowing. He was chosen to represent Ireland at the European Rowing Coastal and Beach Sprint Championships in Manavgat-Antalya, Türkiye. He competed in the Coastal U19 Men’s Single Scull (CJM1x) and the Under 19 Mixed Double Sculls (CJMix2x) with Isabella Monahan.Seán felt privileged again to wear the green jersey with pride as he raced against some of Europe’s best junior rowers.
Alongside his rowing, Seán is thankful for the opportunity to give back to rowing. He was appointed to the Rowing Ireland Youth Commission, where he had the opportunity to speak up for young athletes and help guide the future of rowing programs across the country.
The Shannon Rowing Club Connection – Before committing her time as a volunteer coach in WBC, Ciara developed her passion for the sport at the historic Shannon Rowing Club on the River Shannon. Her transition to coaching at WBC saw Ciara invest in Seán’s development, overseeing the intense, high-mileage training blocks required to compete at the international standard. Ciara made the trip to Dorney Lake in Windsor to see Seán compete.
Waterford Boat Club and the entire local community have been proud of Seán’s journey, and he hopes that any progress he has made, both on the water and in leadership roles, can encourage the next generation of rowers.
