Written by the UCC Canoe History Committee
University College Cork Canoe Club (UCCCC) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the club on April 4th and 5th 2025. To mark this momentous occasion, we have organised a kayak on the Lee, a book launch and a BBQ.
In the autumn of 1975, UCC made a few fibreglass kayaks which were stored in a shed on the Mardyke and available to students and staff. Mick Gallagher, a larger-than-life, enthusiastic man from Mallow, working in the Maltings Sports Centre, put up a small notice of a gathering by the river and the rest is history. The word spread and the numbers grew. At the end of 1975, a few decided to form a club and apply to UCC for funding. Tom Collier, from Durrow in County Laois, a charismatic character who never flinched from a challenge then or since, and Ger Murphy, from Graignamanagh on the River Barrow, the most experienced canoeist with an ‘aura’ of maturity, approached Kieran O’Dowd, a very supportive UCC Sports officer, with a plan and so the UCC Canoe Club was formed.
‘Practice’ consisted of trying to stay upright on the fast-flowing water below the weir.
The club grew and the paddling, weekends away and social gatherings became legendary. Over the years, the club has become more than just a team—it’s a family. Generations of families, friends, and new faces have passed through the club, each leaving their mark and becoming part of the legacy of what UCCCC is today. Through shared experiences and lasting connections, we’ve created a tight-knit community that continues to thrive and has gone from success to success.
The celebrations will start in Cork on Friday night in Cissie Youngs Pub at 8pm 4th April 2025. The following day (Saturday 5th April) we will go kayaking on the Lee. If you are interested in attending, or wish to purchase a specially collated book full of pictures and stories of 50 years of UCCCC, please follow the link or check us out on Facebook @ UCC Canoe Club 50th Reunion 2025.
