UCD pass Temple Island racing Clare College Cambridge
Crew:
| Bow | Barry O'Connor (C) |
| 2 | Tom McDonough |
| 3 | Denis O'Shaughnessy |
| 4 | Jim Skelly |
| 5 | Jaye Renehan |
| 6 | Des Harrold |
| 7 | Pat Brady |
| Str | Martin Feeley |
| Cox | Sandy Symmons |
From Tom Sullivan‘s ‘The Last Forty Years‘:
In 1974, it appeared that the club’s hopes would rest with a Senior Four – all that remained of the ’73 championship crew. A Senior Eight was formed from the Maidens and the Juniors of the previous year. From this boat emerged a very strong second Senior Four, which was unbeaten. The first Four again competed on the continent and it won the Elite Fours at Ostend Regatta by a canvas from S.N.Bass Seine of France in the final.
Before leaving for England an Eight was formed by amalgamating the two Senior Fours. This crew competed at Nottingham International Regatta on the week-end prior to Henley and won the Elite II event by five seconds from Harvard and four others in the final. Since Harvard were favoured to win the Thames at Henley – in the event they were overhauled and beaten by three-quarters of a length by the Belgians from Antwerp – this result indicated that College were serious contenders for the Ladies’ Plate.
And so it proved. They progressed comfortably to the final where they beat the University of London by one and a half lengths. This was the first Irish crew victory at Henley since 1903, when Trinity had won the Thames Cup, and the first victory in the Ladies’ Plate since Trinity’s in 1875.
It was a great Irish Henley; that night in Theo McCammon’s “Horse and Groom” on New Street, there were two Irish trophies – UCD’s Ladies’ Plate and Sean Drea’s Diamond Sculls, his second of three. These victories were a turning point in Irish rowing, a psychological barrier was removed and in the following 13 years Garda B.C were to win three Henley trophies, Neptune R.C, two, UCG one and Trinity the Ladies’ Plate in 1977.
Ladies Challenge Plate
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- UCD’s path to the 1974 Ladies Challenge Plate Final
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- First race – against Emannuel College Cambridge.
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- UCD raced in ‘The Elizabeth’, named after Tom Sullivan’s wife. First UCD Boat Club 8+ with lifting heels (shoes in boat)
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- Semifinal – the verdict was 3 lengths
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- Semifinal – against Fitzwilliam College Cambridge.
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- 1974 Ladies Challenge Plate Final Lineups
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- Geoffrey Page talks to the crew
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- UCD launching on finals day
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- Final – against University of London, who had defeated Imperial College in the other semifinal.
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- On slip after final. Left to right, Barry O’Connor, Jaye Renehan, Tom McDonough, Denis O’Shaughnessy (bending), Des Harrold, Jim Skelly, Geoff Page (back to camera), Pat Brady, Martin Feeley and Tim Walshe on end of slip.
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- Presentation of medals by former British Prime Minister, Edward Heath.
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- L to R: Barry O’Connor, Liz Cooke, Jaye Renehan, Pat Brady, Martin Feeley, Des Harrold, Sandy Symmons, Geoff Page, Gerry Coman (cox of UCDBC lV which were defeated in the Britannia Cup, held immediately after the Vlll race), Tom McDonough and Denis O’Shaughnessy. (Missing: Jim Skelly and Tom O’Sullivan)
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- 1974 Henley programme signed by UCD Ladies Plate crew
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- Attending the Collegians Boat Club dinner in Newman House to celebrate winning the 1974 Ladies Challenge Plate. From left: Jim Skelly, Martin Feeley, Jaye Renehan, Barry O’Connor, Gerry Homan (with trophy), Pat Brady, Denis O’Shaughnessy, Des Harrold, Geoffrey Page and Tom Sullivan
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- Newspaper cutting
Britannia CHallenge Cup
Martin Feeley, Pat Brady, Tom McDonough, Denis O'Shaughnessy and cox Gerry Homan also raced a 4+ in the Britannia Challenge Cup. They reached the final, which had been rescheduled to take place after the Ladies Plate final, but were beaten by Wallingford.-
- UCD’s 1974 Britannia Challenge Cup training L-R Tom McDonough, Denis O’Shaughnessy, Pat Brady, Martin Feeley
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- UCD’s path to the 1974 Britannia Challenge Cup Final
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- UCD racing the 1974 Britannia Challenge Cup
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- 1974 Britannia Challenge Cup Final Lineups
40th Anniversary
The crew reunited for a row-by at the 2014 edition of Henley Royal Regatta.
Elite II 8+, Nottingham International Regatta
Final of Elite ll 8+ at Nottingham Regatta
(Elite l won by Russian National squad)
| Lane 1 | Kirkland House Harvard, USA |
| Lane 2 | University College Dublin Boat Club |
| Lane 3 | Quintin Boat Club (British National 8+ Champions 1974) |
| Lane 4 | Durham University / Strathclyde University |
| Lane 5 | Hereford Rowing Club |
| Lane 6 | Harvard University, USA (USA East Coast Sprint Champions 1974) |
Verdict: 1. UCDBC 6.39.35, 2. Harvard 6.44.35, 3. Quintin 6.46.84
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- Final of Elite ll 8+ at Nottingham Regatta
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- Left to right: UCDBC, Quintin BC and Harvard in final Elite II 8+
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- UCDBC move into lead just after start of final
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- Left to Right: Tom Sullivan, Martin Feeley, Pat Brady, Des Harrold, Sandy Symmons, Gerry Homan, Jaye Renehan, Jim Skelly, Tom McDonough and Barry O’Connor
