2025 Colours Boat Races – Women’s Senior Eight Preview

The Corcoran Cup. Inaugurated in 1980 as a race between the Women’s Senior IV+’s of Dublin University Ladies Boat Club (DULBC) and University College Dublin Ladies’ Boat Club (UCDLBC), the Corcoran today is a barnstorming, eight-oared affair, held below the weir on the iconic Colours course from O’Connell Bridge to James’ Gate. The Coin Toss was held on March 5th, and UCDLBC took the North Station while DULBC race from the South for the 2025 edition.

Receiving Senior Colours for your club is a unique experience – a privilege most certainly, but simultaneously, the pressure is immense. The two eights that race upstream on the 22nd of March will carry the hopes and aspirations of their Clubs with them as DULBC seeks to turn the tide and break UCD’s stranglehold on the event. With dominant victories in 2022, 2023, and 2024, UCD leads the series with 26 wins to Trinity’s 17 – will this year bring about a shifting of momentum? The nuances of such a call are convoluted. UCD showed early-season form, with a dominant showing at the Erne 4s Head of the River, which included wins in the senior coxless four and coxed four categories, alongside the fastest women’s crew. Their senior coxed four victory included a 31.7-second defeat of DULBC’s entry.

However, momentum has begun to swing in DULBC’s favour recently. At Erne 8s Head of the River in early March, DULBC took the win in the senior eight and the title of fastest women’s crew, laying down a big marker with a 14.4-second triumph over UCD. Only a week later, UCD travelled to the Women’s Head of the River Race, but were disappointed with an exceptionally narrow loss in the Overseas category to domestic rivals University College Cork. 

However, the nature of the Colours Races as a gladiatorial side-by-side duel makes it impossible to call. Anything can happen between the walls of the lower Liffey; crews have won glorious victories and taken soul-crushing defeats on both stations, and all will be to play for on the day. 

COXES

UCDLBC – Neasa Farrell, DULBC – Ashla Copeland

The battle of the coxes for this year’s Corcoran will be notable. It will be the first Senior Colours for both Farrell and Copeland, with both of their coxing careers commencing last season. Farrell has a notable advantage, however, having coxed UCDLBC’s winning Novice Colours eight in 2024 – the value of a coxes’ ease of mind can’t be understated. However, Copeland was in the small seat during DULBC’s impressive win at Erne 8s HOR, an infamously difficult course and a true coxes’ race. 

STROKES

UCDLBC – Lauryn Roche, DULBC – Addy Telzrow

Roche is a three-time winner over the weir, taking victory in Novice Colours 2022 and Senior Colours 2023 and 2024. A consummate winner, her time in UCDLBC so far has been highlighted by wins in the eight at the likes of the University Championships and London Metropolitan Regatta. Telzrow, having joined DULBC in 2023 as an accomplished junior athlete from Holy Names Academy, Seattle, slotted straight into the DULBC senior eight, and will receive her third Senior Colours this year. A highlight of her time in DULBC has been a repeat win in the academic coxed four at the Metropolitan Regatta 2023. Both relentless racers, their crews will have immense faith in their abilities to lead them down the course. 

7 SEATS

UCDLBC – Niamh Campbell, DULBC – María Mezquita García-Poggio

Campbell joined UCDLBC in 2023 after a stellar junior career with Enniskillen Royal BC, including a win at the 2022 National Championships in the Junior 18 eight. Sitting in their Colours eights in 2023 and 2024, she also triumphed at the 2024 Championships as a member of their victorious Club 2 eight. Mezquita García-Poggio’s time in DULBC began as a Novice in 2021/22, and this will be her fourth race over the weir, having competed in Novice Colours 2022 and Senior Colours 2023 and 2024. The 2024 season was notable for Mezquita, which featured selection for the Home International Regatta as a member of the eight and coxless four, and a dominant win in the Club 2 coxed four at the National Championships. 

6 SEATS

UCDLBC – Aoife Feeley, DULBC – Imogen Cooney

Feeley, daughter of UCD icon Martin Feeley, returns to the blue & saffron fold this season to bring abundant experience. Her rowing career began in 2009 as a Novice, and it’s been a glowing era ever since, a highlight being a senior eight victory at the Irish National Championships in 2016. Meanwhile, for DULBC, similarly to Mezquita in front of her, Cooney’s DULBC career began as a Novice in 2021/22. This is her second Corcoran, having raced in 2024. Alongside Mezquita, she was selected and raced at the 2024 Home International Regatta in the eight and coxed four, as well as stroking the aforementioned Club 2 coxed four. 

5 SEATS

UCDLBC – Tara Phelan, DULBC – Grace Healy

In five for UCD sits Tara Phelan, compatriot of Roche since Novice Colours 2022 and receiving her third Senior Colours. Noted for her wide-ranging athletic prowess, Phelan has consistently been in UCDLBC’s top crews since her second season, including two second-place finishes in the intermediate eight at the Irish National Championships in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, for DULBC, Healy scarce needs an introduction. Recent winner of Rowing Ireland’s ‘Up and Coming Rower of the Year Award’, Healy raced at the 2024 U23 World Rowing Championships in the double alongside Holly Davis. Another member of DULBC’s powerful Club 2 coxed four of 2024 National Championships victory, Healy won the intermediate single at Champs 2023 and raced at the Home International Regatta in 2022 and 2023. This will be her third Colours.

4 SEATS

UCDLBC – Dervila O’Brien (Captain), DULBC – Caoimhe Keller

Club Captain O’Brien leads bow four for UCD. Alongside Roche and Phelan, she’s another Novice of the 2021/22 season, and has equivalently been a member of their winning 2023 and 2024 Corcoran VIIIs. Further to such has been several wins in the big boats at the University Championships and the Metropolitan Regatta, as well as her ability to spur on a group, demonstrated by her Captaincy. For DULBC, receiving her first Senior Colours, Keller was a Novice during the 2023/24 season and has made immediate waves in the DULBC senior squad. Selected for the top DULBC crew in each race so far this season, a bright future awaits this young athlete. 

3 SEATS

UCDLBC – Sarah Butler, DULBC – Jen Forde

Butler’s career began with Athlone BC, and she steps into the UCDLBC VIII this year to receive her first Colours. She stood out last year with UCD, racing in their Island Challenge Cup crew at Henley Royal Regatta alongside Daly, Roche, Phelan, and Campbell, as well as taking a tough second-place finish in the intermediate eight at the 2024 National Championships. For DULBC, Forde is another Corcoran veteran, competing alongside Telzrow, Healy and Mezquita in the 2023 and 2024 races. Having joined DULBC from Shandon BC as a junior, she’s made an impact ever since – winning the coxed four at the Metropolitan Regatta with Telzrow and Mezquita in 2023, and in 2024, as a member of a dynamic intermediate coxed four that took wins all season and was brutally caught at the Championships by a steamroller University of Galway crew. 

2 SEATS 

UCDLBC – Eimear Muldoon, DULBC – Sarah Tavey

Muldoon’s UCDLBC career began in 2022/23 when she lost Novice Colours against DULBC. The 2023/24 season was a huge step up for Muldoon, culminating in a win at the National Championships in the Club 2 eight alongside Campbell, and now she receives her first Senior Colours. Tavey, meanwhile, was an accomplished junior athlete, a star of Commercial RC’s programme which included appearances at Henley Royal Regatta, alongside Healy, in The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy and the Home International Regatta. 2023/24 was her first season with DULBC, and she made her presence known, receiving Senior Colours and as a member of the Intermediate and Club 2 coxed fours, which saw massive success throughout the season. 

BOWS

UCDLBC – Alison Daly, DULBC – Izzy Howley

Winner of the Corcoran Cup in 2022, 2023, and 2024, Daly is synonymous with UCDLBC, although typically alongside her twin sister Sarah (who graduated). Clocking up numerous wins since joining UCDLBC from Commercial RC in 2021/22, including the Intermediate eight at the 2022 National Championships, Daly is a fearsome opponent. For DULBC, Howley is tasked with the bow seat, who, alongside Keller, was a Novice during the 2023/24 season and is receiving her first Senior Colours. A powerful and dynamic athlete, Howley is one to watch. 

Prediction

On a head-to-head basis, you’d be forgiven for calling the race for UCD – experience pays dividends on the big stages. However, the beauty of the eight is being able to create something bigger than the sum of your parts, and DULBC has demonstrated such already this year with their exhibition performance at Erne 8s. It’s a waiting game as to what will happen on the 22nd, but regardless, the 2025 edition of the Corcoran Cup will be a fantastic season-opening sprint and an early indication of Club hopes as regatta season commences.

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