Madam, - I recently returned from Beijing, where I represented Ireland in the sport of rowing for my third Olympic Games, a sport I started at the age of 10 years on the beautiful River Blackwater in Fermoy, Co Cork.
My rowing career would never have existed if I didn't have the support of a fantastic local club. Fermoy Rowing Club has been nurturing children from the area for 125 years, producing two Olympians and giving the opportunity to thousands more who competed all over the country in national competitions. Being part of such a community opened my eyes to a whole world of possibility, gave me a chance to dream of the big stage and gave me the facilities to exploit my potential to the fullest.
The club and this glorious stretch of river will soon be a thing of the past if a Government decision to demolish the weir and to lower the river goes ahead.
I would ask all those who care about the sport of rowing and all those who care about the town of Fermoy to take a look at www.savefermoyweir.com and to let their TDs know how they feel about this.
In a time when child obesity is becoming a huge problem in our country, this Government is going to eliminate another option to get our children involved in sport and healthy practices.
The rowing club is one of the main sports in the town of Fermoy and its demise will keep even more inside playing virtual Olympics rather than having the chance to try it for real.
Returning from Beijing, the Olympic team was criticised for under-par performances. One has to wonder how any of us got to the starting line at all when we come from a country that is seeking to wipe out our main sporting facilities, not develop them. - Yours, etc,
GEARÓID TOWEY,
Kilworth,
Co Cork