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Members of the Dublin Airport Police/Fire Service take part in the Celtic Challenge.It is the World’s Longest true rowing race where teams race from Arklow in County Wicklow, Ireland to Aberystwyth on the Welsh coast, a distance of about 90 nautical miles. Celtic and Pembrokeshire longboats take part (and occasionally other similar boats also join in) – each boat is about 24 feet (8m) long and has 4 fixed seats and one cox.
James Renforth was an English Tyneside professional oarsman. He was born in Rabbit Banks, Gateshead on 7th April 1842 and spent much of his childhood in Pipewell Gate, Gateshead. He became the World Sculling Champion in 1868 he received a £90 prize for winning a sculling race at the Thames Regatta also in 1868, and later that same year beat Harry Kelley to become the World Sculling Champion.
He was one of three great Tyneside oarsmen, the other two being Harry Clasper and Robert Chambers.
The following is a report of his death on 23rd August 1871:-
"At a quarter to nine o'clock, within two hours of the time when he had left the same house full of health and spirits, our dear comrade and England's greatest oarsman passed quietly to rest, without a struggle, and apparently without pain, in the arms of the most skilful competitor he ever had and one of his truest friends-Harry Kelley." An inquest was held over the body in Canada, when a verdict of "Died from natural causes" was returned.-The career of Renforth, though short, was an eventful one in the annals of boat rowing."