Young rowers bring new life and energy to the Cappoquin Rowing Club in Waterford.
The Waterford town of Cappoquin is bucking the trend that sees a decline in rowing clubs in the south east of Ireland. Captain of Cappoquin Rowing Club Jim Brady believes a cadet school at the club plays a part in keeping the interest in rowing alive.
President of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union, Bill Duggan, appealed to clubs to start crews for young boys between the ages of 12 and 14. Jim Brady took up the idea and established a crew for boys in 1965. Already, Cappoquin Rowing Club is seeing some success with cadet grade rowing.
We feel very proud of them, they're actually the first crew in Ireland to win at this particular grade.
The cadet crew training over the winter months included a weights programme which had them ready for rowing in March. Jim Brady praises the cadet crew's work ethic and says their enthusiasm for rowing is infectious.
The unity here in the club at the moment between everybody is marvellous.
While the cadets are giving the club a new lease of life, Jim Brady feels the club's success is down to rowing being in the blood of the people in the town. The cadets are only following their heritage.
This episode of 'Newsbeat' was broadcast on 16 August 1965. The reporter is Bill O'Herlihy.
