Jack Rafferty, pictured with Jonah Kirby representing Ireland at the 2025 U19 World Rowing Championships, brought his good form into the Ireland trials. Image World Rowing.

Jack Rafferty, pictured with Jonah Kirby representing Ireland at the 2025 U19 World Rowing Championships, brought his good form into the Ireland trials. Image World Rowing.

Jack Rafferty produced the surprise result of the Ireland trial at the National Rowing Centre. The 18-year-old was the fastest single sculler. He finished 0.8 of a second ahead of two-time Olympic champion Fintan McCarthy, who was second. The trial had a huge entry and was run in perfect conditions on Saturday.

The new head of high performance at Rowing Ireland, Niall O’Carroll, said that this was the largest ever Ireland trial. “The big thing is to see some of the junior athletes coming along and putting real pressure on the seniors and challenging the standards and the culture. It is something I am very passionate about, that we have [good] standards and behaviours across the organisation. That we ensure we don’t have issues like we have had in the past.”

Ireland lead coach Dominic Casey was very pleased with the quality of competition. “There is a lot of good talent coming through,” he told the Irish Independent, praising the work of pathway director Clara O’Brien.

Rafferty, from the St Michael’s club in Limerick, has had a splendid year: he teamed up with Jonah Kirby, who is also 18, to win gold in the double scull at the World Under-19 Championships in August. Kirby, who was the fifth fastest in the single, also partnered Rafferty to a bronze medal in the European Championships.

These two look set to boost the Ireland under-23 ranks, as does Sophia Young of Methodist College, Belfast, who won the women’s under-23 single. Isabella Monahan and Harry McCartney were the fastest junior scullers.

Fiona Murtagh, the world champion in the single scull, was by far the fastest female sculler. Mags Cremen, who won a gold medal with Fintan McCarthy in the mixed double at the World Championships, was second.

Mac Collins, an Australian with Irish heritage, and Ryan Spelman were the fastest men’s pair. Claire Feerick and Natalie Long won the women’s pair.

Paul O’Donovan and Olympic medallists Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch were absent. Along with a number of top athletes, they were allowed to take ergometer tests instead.

There will be another erg test in January, while the second Ireland trial is set for March, and will be invitation-only.