1847 Regatta

Report from Tralee chronicle
Monday 11th September, 1947

The morning of the wished for day looked rather inauspicious at first. A dark mass of threatening cloud lowered over the ivy-clad battlements Ross Castle and spread an ominous fold over the mountains. The 'Isle of Beauty' to which every person and every eye were turned in the dim distance, Wrapped in the wreath of mist, wore a tearful aspect - such an aspect we may fancy as met the "poet's eye in a fine frenzy rolling' when he bade farewell to Innisfallen in her sorrowing hours.

As we prepared to embark about 12 o'clock, a heavy shower came down and formed an appropriate prelude to the 'aquatic sports of the day. But the clouds and our apprehensions were fortunately dissipated together and a brilliant sunshine dispelling every vapour held forth a promise of fine weather, afterwards fully realised

And now we are at Innisfallen and you can imagine the scene - gay groups of well dressed people wandering through its delightful passes or reclining on the verdurous knolls -craft of every description - of every hue in the rainbow, swarming round the creeks and jutting angles of the island: while ever and anon a soft strain of music would gush forth and no one could tell whence it issued, as if Ariel in a cloud were again hovering over his enchanted island leading the wanderers onward.

Let us assume the preliminaries for the race complete.

The starting place appointed by stewards was a boat with a striped ensign flying from a pole stationed between O'Donoghue's Prison and the island, nearer to the latter, to which the boats were to return after rounding Darby's Gardens - a distance of nearly four miles.

A weather beaten veteran stationed on the quay gave the signal for the start by firing a queer looking rusty piece of ordnance that from its apparent antiquity might have been the identical flute' with which Oliver Cromwell *'did pound and pummel and make a breach in the battlement'.

First Race - Four oar boats
Brown Bass owner Kelliher, Kerry Bass owner Finn and Galhooley owner Tangney. Tangney's boat led all the way but was soon compelled to yield to Kerry Bass and finally to Brown Bass who led the way home triumphantly.

Second Race - Six oar boats 1st Class
The three following boats came up; The Countess - Finn's, Red Flag - Leahy's and White Emily - Doherty's.

This race was beautifully contested between and the two former boats who led all the way together for some time after starting. Then the Emily appeared to lead for some time when again distinguishable after turning the meta of Darby's Garden's, the red flag fluttering in the breeze.

The fortunes of the Red Flag however prevailed and the booming of the signal gun across the water accompanied the victory to The Countess only some six or seven seconds before the arrival of Mr. Leahy's boat.

Two men engaged in the first race, and much exhausted, formed the crew of Doherty's boat and this fact must in part account for his defeat.

Third Race - Two oar boats 2nd Class
Seven boats were entered for the race - two drawn before starting. The course was from Innisfallen to Ross Quay and back - the contest lay principally between Leahy's, Roberts and Mahoney's boats; the two former had a severe tug coming home Leahy's first, Roberts a very good second.

Fourth Race - Four oar boats 1st Class
The following came up: Jenny Lind - Roche's, Naboclist - Finn's and Marianne - Moriarty's. This was an extremely interesting race. Naboclist led all the way followed close by Jenny and Marianne. The former soon closed with the Nabochlist and, until lost to to the anxious gaze of the spectators, seemed arm to arm and blade to blade while poor Marianne was left far behind. It was but justice to the afflicted to state that she met with many due disasters - an oarlock having been broken early in the race and one of her oars snapped in two while doubling Darby's Garden. She was therefore left to wait behind. But Jenny Lind -the irrestible Jenny bounding over the water like a thing of life - like her celebrated namesake soon showed herself Prima Donna and came in victorious. 

Meantime, the sun had sunk beneath the lofty range bathing the islets, each promontory peak crowned with he many tinted foliage of Autumn, a flood of golden splendour streaking the face of the water with the hectic tinge that heralds in the declining day to which the soft notes of the bugle sung their solemn requiem. 

The sports of the day were now terminated and some betook themselves home while others lingered behind to enjoy not only the beauties of nature but still more the substantial fare which the foresight of the enterprising sports had amply provided The stewards exerted themselves very creditably to ensure order and regularity and everything went peacefully.