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West Clare and black like the hookers, many are now painted in bright
the Shannon Estuary colours. Truly a work-boat, they remain beloved of
the fishing folk of Connemara and its islands who
On the Clare coast and in the Shannon Estuary an still prefer them to the increasingly popular fibreglass
attractive currach design, known as the ‘West Clare (‘tupperware’) boat. Though still working boats, they
currach’ (or ‘canoe’), which was on the point of also race in the summer regattas.
disappearing, has been revived with great success.
Colour has now enlivened the once drab brown and The Kerry Naomhóg
black working currach of this area, and local clubs have
sprung up under the banner of the West Clare Currach The high-point of curach design is the Kerry ‘naomhóg’,
Club. They are reviving the skills handed on by fine or simply ‘canoe’. This craft reached the high-point of its
local builders and ensuring currachs will not disappear long evolution from the 19th century among the people
from the Shannon. of West Kerry, including the Blasket Islands, featuring in
On the Shannon river next to Bunratty castle a unique the many biographical about island life by the islanders
river craft known as a ‘gandelow’ can be seen. Once in the 20th century. No other currach has attained
used for all manner of fishing on the river, some are such a peak of design perfection: narrow and sleek,
still in use here but many replicas are again being built with a great up-turned bow and stern, it evolved over
and raced by a new generation in Limerick where the generations, perfectly suited to the needs of fishermen in
AK Ilen Boat Building School has begun to train a new the real ‘wild’ Atlantic. Replicas of the original working
generation of boatbuilders naomhóg are still built, worked and raced here today.
The Racing Currach The Boats today.
Of late, the traditional ‘working’ currach has evolved Few of the old builders and fishermen who worked these
into a sleek racing model which is raced enthusiastically unique Irish boats remain. A few of their words are
each summer in traditional regattas along the coast. recorded in books and archives, where their ferociously
Crews train all winter and races are keenly contested, dangerous yet exhilarating history still comes through to
with the skills of their fathers still in evidence among us.
the crews. Once exclusively a male preserve, women Much has been lost, unfortunately, as our maritime
have taken their place here to compete as strongly as the history and traditions has never held the same
men. So popular has the racing currach become that it importance in the national psyche as our music or
can now be seen racing on America’s Great Lakes and literature. Small local communities work alone to
anywhere Irish emigrants have settled. preserve or revive maritime traditions, which will
Galway Hookers and the Wooden Currach otherwise be lost. Perhaps it is too strong a reminder
The west coast’s other traditional types are the glorious
Galway ‘hooker’ which is probably Ireland’s most Currach © loopline films
iconic craft. The hooker’s origins and curious name
are lost in history but they were once the work horses
of Connemara, traditionally carrying turf for fuel out
to the Aran Islands off Galway or supplying its once
isolated coastal shops before proper roads appeared.
Once almost extinct they have been spectacularly
revived and can be seen racing with their great black
sails and bulbous hull throughout Connemara each
summer. Hookers have crossed the Atlantic and raced
with Arab dhows in Dubai. The principal hooker festival
is ‘Cruinniú na mBád’ or ‘Gathering of the Boats’ each
August in Kinvara, near Galway city, but they race
elsewhere throughout the region.
Along the coast of Galway can also be seen the
beautiful little curach adhmaid or ‘wooden currach’.
Built in carvel style, like the hookers but in the shape
of a currach, the story goes that it was made first by a
fisherman who got tired of his skin-covered currach
being punctured by sharp stones! Originally tarred
190
the Shannon Estuary colours. Truly a work-boat, they remain beloved of
the fishing folk of Connemara and its islands who
On the Clare coast and in the Shannon Estuary an still prefer them to the increasingly popular fibreglass
attractive currach design, known as the ‘West Clare (‘tupperware’) boat. Though still working boats, they
currach’ (or ‘canoe’), which was on the point of also race in the summer regattas.
disappearing, has been revived with great success.
Colour has now enlivened the once drab brown and The Kerry Naomhóg
black working currach of this area, and local clubs have
sprung up under the banner of the West Clare Currach The high-point of curach design is the Kerry ‘naomhóg’,
Club. They are reviving the skills handed on by fine or simply ‘canoe’. This craft reached the high-point of its
local builders and ensuring currachs will not disappear long evolution from the 19th century among the people
from the Shannon. of West Kerry, including the Blasket Islands, featuring in
On the Shannon river next to Bunratty castle a unique the many biographical about island life by the islanders
river craft known as a ‘gandelow’ can be seen. Once in the 20th century. No other currach has attained
used for all manner of fishing on the river, some are such a peak of design perfection: narrow and sleek,
still in use here but many replicas are again being built with a great up-turned bow and stern, it evolved over
and raced by a new generation in Limerick where the generations, perfectly suited to the needs of fishermen in
AK Ilen Boat Building School has begun to train a new the real ‘wild’ Atlantic. Replicas of the original working
generation of boatbuilders naomhóg are still built, worked and raced here today.
The Racing Currach The Boats today.
Of late, the traditional ‘working’ currach has evolved Few of the old builders and fishermen who worked these
into a sleek racing model which is raced enthusiastically unique Irish boats remain. A few of their words are
each summer in traditional regattas along the coast. recorded in books and archives, where their ferociously
Crews train all winter and races are keenly contested, dangerous yet exhilarating history still comes through to
with the skills of their fathers still in evidence among us.
the crews. Once exclusively a male preserve, women Much has been lost, unfortunately, as our maritime
have taken their place here to compete as strongly as the history and traditions has never held the same
men. So popular has the racing currach become that it importance in the national psyche as our music or
can now be seen racing on America’s Great Lakes and literature. Small local communities work alone to
anywhere Irish emigrants have settled. preserve or revive maritime traditions, which will
Galway Hookers and the Wooden Currach otherwise be lost. Perhaps it is too strong a reminder
The west coast’s other traditional types are the glorious
Galway ‘hooker’ which is probably Ireland’s most Currach © loopline films
iconic craft. The hooker’s origins and curious name
are lost in history but they were once the work horses
of Connemara, traditionally carrying turf for fuel out
to the Aran Islands off Galway or supplying its once
isolated coastal shops before proper roads appeared.
Once almost extinct they have been spectacularly
revived and can be seen racing with their great black
sails and bulbous hull throughout Connemara each
summer. Hookers have crossed the Atlantic and raced
with Arab dhows in Dubai. The principal hooker festival
is ‘Cruinniú na mBád’ or ‘Gathering of the Boats’ each
August in Kinvara, near Galway city, but they race
elsewhere throughout the region.
Along the coast of Galway can also be seen the
beautiful little curach adhmaid or ‘wooden currach’.
Built in carvel style, like the hookers but in the shape
of a currach, the story goes that it was made first by a
fisherman who got tired of his skin-covered currach
being punctured by sharp stones! Originally tarred
190
