Leitrim to develop International Rowing Facility

Co Leitrim has received a welcome boost after it was announced that an International Standard Rowing Facility is to be built in the south of the county, on Lough Rinn, near Mohill.

The funding, which was provided by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport as part of an overall €6m investment across four projects, will enable Leitrim County Council – in conjunction with Carrick-on-Shannon Rowing Club – to develop a 2,000 meter, six lane facility.

It will be capable of hosting national and international events, as well as acting as a training base for international teams in advance of major competitions.

The development of the facility on Lough Rinn is already underway through Leitrim County Council and the facility will become available by April 2012.

Once completed, the Rowing Facility will be run under the supervision of the Carrick-on-Shannon Rowing club.

Commenting on the potential of the new rowing facility, Sinead McDermott, Leitrim Tourism said: “The development of this facility will not only raise the profile of Leitrim in a sporting sense but will also have a considerable impact on the local economy and tourism industry.

“By its very location, this new facility will be extremely accessible for rowing clubs and teams from Northern Ireland, Dublin and the UK.”

Anthony Dooley, President of Rowing Ireland echoed this view, adding: ”Rowing Ireland believe that the development of Lough Rinn will be a major boost to the development of rowing in the region and will attract rowing people across all age groups and classes both within Ireland and from abroad, having a multi-lane course in such a beautiful and picturesque location will be major draw.”

Lough Rinn, a 162 hectares lake which is 3,000 meters in length is ideally suited as a rowing facility.

The development project will see the creation of a six lane facility through the placement of pontoons alongside retractable rowing equipment.

There will also be a number of spectator points developed with a walkway planned around the entire lake over the next number of years.