History of Ocean to City – An Rás Mór

Ocean to City is organised by Meitheal Mara, the Cork City based traditional boat-builders. 2005 saw the first Ocean to City take place. It is a rowing race open to competitors both from this country and overseas in any type of fixed seat traditional and non traditional craft; gigs, skiffs, whalers, working currachs, racing currachs, racing naomhógs, Irish Coastal Rowing Federation boats, Bantry Bay longboats, Thames Watermen cutters and dragonboats amongst them. If there are more than 5 craft of a similar type then they form a class and each class of boat is assigned a handicap.

The course covers 15 nautical miles, starting at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, travelling through Cork Harbour and finishing at Lapps Quay in Cork City centre. The race has finished in previous years at the Shandon Boat Club on Corks Marina.

The idea of organising the race had developed since Padraig Ó Duinnín, Founder of Meitheal Mara, inherited a working naomhóg and, with Jim and Frank Conroy as crew, won the Great River Race in London in 1992, ahead of over 150 other traditional rowing boats.

When Cork was awarded the title European Capital of Culture in 2005, it was decided to seize the opportunity and organise the race. The host club for the race is Naomhóga Chorcaí, which was founded by Meitheal Mara so that people they had trained in rowing could continue to enjoy that pursuit.

The race is also focused on social inclusion with youth groups from the city and county actively encouraged to participate in the event.