To celebrate and preserve the heritage and legacy of rowing the unique ‘Killarney Sixes’ traditional racing boat on the lakes of Killarney, honouring the 237th regatta, the oldest traditional regatta in the world.
Killarney Regatta will host the 237th Killarney Regatta Festival on Sunday, 14th September 2025, at O’Mahony’s Point, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, on the shores of Lough Lein. This year marks the 70th anniversary of O’Mahony’s Point as the venue for the traditional regatta.
The first race of the day is the Juvenile Sixes at 9.30 am from the shoreline, races will also include specific club races and mixed club fun races throughout the day.
12.30 noon a special blessing of the boats and a time to honour Flesk Valley Rowing Club presenting their two ‘Killarney Sixes’ racing boats; ‘The Patricia’ - 102 years old, still raced today and ‘The Deirdre’ -103 years old. Chairman of Killarney Rowing Paddy Cronin, Colm Ó Súilleabháin, Flesk Valley Rowing Club will be joined by Padruig O’Sullivan, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Sean Coffey, Killarney Regatta Festival.
1.00 pm Heritage Race: Last year's winning crew 'Dinis Cottage' will be hoping to defend their title in the Mixed Heritage Race; the coveted Trustees of Muckross House Trophy. Last year's winning crew included Mike ‘Kenmare’ O’Sullivan, Cox, John Cronin, John Beazley, Kevin Tangney, Derry Doyle, Bill Lyne and Paschal Dower.
To celebrate and preserve the heritage and legacy of rowing the unique ‘Killarney Sixes’ traditional racing boat on the lakes of Killarney, honouring the 237th regatta, the oldest traditional regatta in the world.Killarney Regatta will host the 237th Killarney Regatta Festival on Sunday, 14th September 2025, at O’Mahony’s Point, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, on the shores of Lough Lein. This year marks the 70th anniversary of O’Mahony’s Point as the venue for the traditional regatta.
Colm Ó Súilleabháin, Flesk Valley Rowing Club, left, with members of Flesk Valley Rowing Club, present one of the two ‘Killarney Sixes’ racing boats; ‘The Patricia’ - 102 years old, still raced today, which will be honoured and blessed together with ‘The Deirdre’ -103 years old, at the Killarney Regatta Festival. Photo: Valerie o’Sullivan/FREE PIC
Racing continues throughout the day with plenty of fun and entertainment on the sidelines, including; Tug O’ War competition, sack race, potato race, Irish music entertainment.
The launch of Killarney Regatta Festival will take place on Tuesday 2nd, September 2025, at Killarney Avenue at 8.30pm.
Today, there are five active clubs in the hinterland of Killarney, training from various boat houses along the shoreline. The older rowing clubs date back to the 1800’s, and were aligned to the estates and business people. The type of boat raced is unique to the Lakes of Killarney and known as ‘The Killarney Sixes’ - wooden in structure, wooden oar, fixed seat, the boats were originally designed and built by Salters in Oxford.
• Muckross Rowing Club, (Muckross House)
• St Brendan’s RC, (Kenmare Estate)
• Fossa RC (formerly Aghadoe -The McGillycuddy),
• Commercials RC (Drapers & Business)
• In 1920 Flesk Valley RC, (Flesk Castle) and Workmen’s RC, (carpenters plasterers), were formed.
• St Finan’s RC was formed in 1952 (St Finan’s hospital, no longer in existence).
