Nestled between Europe’s fastest-flowing river and the tranquil residential houses of Woodquay, Galway, lies a small club covered in history. Its name, St Joseph’s Patrician College Rowing Club, or rather now better known as The Bish.
Founded with four sweep oars belonging to one club and an old boat belonging to another, The Bish Rowing Club was created from nothing. The club first won the Schoolboy Fours category in 1932, beating St Patrick’s, and it is fair to say their success was the first of many, paving the way for the generations to come. With only Brother Otteran Mohan as their mentor, the four rowers approached Fr Eddie Diffley, who at the time was head of rowing across the river in rival school, The Jes. Fr Diffley didn’t just accommodate the Bish rowers, he taught them rowing technique on and off the water and began training them along with his own Jes crews. This bond between the local clubs in the area has only but grown, becoming increasingly strengthened in recent years also, with many Bish and Jes rowers moving on to row for the University of Galway BC.
In recent years, the trajectory of the club appears to only be upwards, as the Bish has been dominating the Irish junior rowing scene alongside close competitors Enniskillen Boat Club. It’s this close rivalry that has driven and focused the crew members of the Bish to attain the title of fastest junior 18 eight in 2024, 2022, 2021 and extending back to 2011, 2012 and 2013 too. In the junior fours, recent triumphs include 2021 and 2022. In the junior pairs, a recent success has quenched the drought that has lingered for a near 20 years. Ross Bradley and Martin Siltanen came along in 2024 to succeed in the category to claim a triumphant victory and ascend the Champs podium to attain the consecrated ‘pot’.
The Bish have an exquisite coaching circle which includes Conor Breen (Rowing Ireland 2022 Coach of the Year) and Aidan Fleming, who has coached the men’s sweep team for Homes International Irish team. Along with them, a precise and powerful collective including Sean Byrne, Conor Burke, Ciarán Lynch, Ross Bradley, Ben Bradley, Adam MacDonagh, Jack Finn, Diarmuid Murphy, Cian Hogan and Sean Og Heffernan, who assist by bringing Irish representation along with multi-championship winning experience to the table. With this culmination of expert opinion, experience and expertise, the club coaching collective is undoubtedly the driving force behind the club’s success and certainly majorly beneficial towards the phenomenal atmosphere and tremendous will and grit of the rowers in the club.
However, it is not only the coaching panel that willingly devotes their time and effort towards the club and the oarsmen, the parents and club committee members are the hidden driving force behind all planning and preparation along with making sure the club is as safe as possible. From being former crew members for the Bish (or other clubs) to being longtime members, the committee that includes President Orla Quigley, Caitriona Mannion, Niamh Hogan, Declan Costello, Declan Devane, Nicky Cavalleri, Tony O’Connor, and many more are as valuable as the boats. The operational planning behind all major event participation, fundraising and trips is all thanks to them.
From success abroad to local losses, the Bish has achieved so much for such a small club. Last season, sadly the outcome at the Irish Championships did not favor the club. The closest boat that came near to encountering a win was the junior 16 8+ which came in a second-place position by a mere 4.7 second loss in one of the most vicious and grueling races of the championship weekend. Yet, smaller successes in the junior 15 and 14 age groups throughout the past two years show promising results if they can continue to strive for success and reinforce the momentum that the Bish will have to build in order to reclimb the podium in Inniscarra. In terms of international success, former Bish rower Shane McLoughlin represented Ireland internationally in July for the U23 World Championship & will reprise his representation on the 6th and 7th of September for the U23 European Championships. Other representation include Cathal Monaghan, James Murphy, Diarmuid Murphy Joseph Hedges at Dorney Lake for the Home International Rowing Regatta.
With the Summer now over and a new school year after beginning, a new chapter begins for new oarsmen and new crews across the country. With a new page about to be written for the 25/26 season, it will be fascinating to see whether the Bish will endure and reclaim their title of Irish champions.
