News

Saturday 20 April was a special day for the Plurabelle Paddlers. Not only did the sun shine, but a large group of Plurabelles gathered in the clubhouse after training to see Myra Hanrahan and Máire O’Connor jointly named as worthy co-recipients of this year’s Spirit of the Plurabelles award (as nominated by club members).

The beautiful trophy was presented to Myra and Máire in memory of Fiona Tiernan, who founded the club fourteen years ago (along with Marian O’Dea and Julie Doyle). The award was presented to Myra and Máire by Fiona’s son Oscar, who, as a child, regularly drummed for the Plurabelles.

Both ladies won the award for all the work they do in ensuring the ongoing maintenance and security of our beautiful clubhouse, situated on the banks of the Grand Canal Dock. Together Myra and Máire seamlessly organise everything quietly and without fuss. Both are hugely welcoming to new paddlers and are much loved by all club members.

Our Christmas brunch rounded off the Plurabelle year and was a perfect opportunity for paddlers to catch up with each other over yummy festive treats. As soon as the boats were away the clubhouse filled with paddlers in Christmas jumpers, novelty glasses and Santa hats. Among those in attendance were many Plurabelles who had not paddled in a while, but who weren’t going to miss an opportunity to catch up with old friends. To add to the party feeling, every Plurabelle who attended the brunch was asked to bring along a small gift for another member. The gifts, many of which were handcrafted or home baked, were placed in a Christmas sack and randomly selected by individual Plurabelles.

Huge thanks go to the organisers, the caterers, the photographers, the singers (of course there was singing – it wouldn’t be a Plurabelle gathering without singing!) and to all those who attended and made this such a wonderful success.

To all our friends, we’d just like to say Nollaig Shona Daoibh! Happy Christmas!

The importance of the Liffey to the Plurabelles is captured in our name. Anna Livia Plurabelle is the female protagonist in James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake and is, herself, an allegory for the river Liffey. Given the special place that the Liffey has for the Plurabelle Paddlers, we were delighted to participate in the All in a Row event. The fundraiser raises valuable money for the RNLI and the Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit.

Dressed in Santa hats and festive glitter, two boatloads of Plurabelles, including paddlers from Dublin Vikings and Nore Dragon Paddlers, joined countless rowing boats, kayaks and canoes in a large flotilla that travelled up the river Liffey to the very heart of Dublin city, passing under numerous iconic Dublin bridges.
The All in a Row event is a firm favourite for the Plurabelle Paddlers. In addition to the paddlers who had previously participated in the event, today was a new experience for some of our paddlers, who got to see Dublin city from a very different viewpoint. If that wasn’t enough excitement, they also got to experience the 225-year-old lock!

Beautiful pink flowers added some sunshine to an overcast morning at the Grand Canal Dock as Plurabelle Paddlers gathered beside the Plurabelle memorial bench. The Plurabelles were happy to be joined by family members of recently deceased (and much-loved) Plurabelles for the club Flower Ceremony.

Tara led the ceremony, which featured poignant words and the song ‘Vitruvian Man’ by the Dublin musician Patrick O’Laoghaire, who performs under the stage name ‘I Have A Tribe’. Thanks to Tara for the lovely words and for choosing such appropriate music as we remember together our teammates and friends who are deceased, but who remain in our memories and in our hearts.

Belfast’s finest, Van Morrison, sang of ‘Days Like This’ and that perfectly captures the Plurabelle Paddlers’ trip to Lagan Dragons in Belfast on 30 September. Paddlers were mixed up on the three boats, so that the Plurabelles and Lagan Dragons were seat buddies. Together they headed for Belfast city centre . . . what a wonderful opportunity it was to see the cityscape from the water (including the iconic yellow H&W ship-building cranes). Afterwards the hungry paddlers enjoyed a buffet lunch before catching the train back to Dublin.

Thank you so much, Lagan Dragons, for your warm and generous hospitality. We had a truly wonderful day!