Tributes have been paid to Badóirí an Cladaigh for illuminating their fleet of Galway Hookers this Christmas time in Galway.

The traditional boat fleet takes pride in lighting their rigs in the city's basin for special occasions.  

As regular Afloat readers know, the fleet was lit in March for St Patrick's Weekend 2023, with one of the craft draped in blue and yellow lights as a sign of support for the people of Ukraine.

Galway Hooker Sailing Club is running a Christmas Pop Up Shop at Claddagh Snooker Hall, where there's a range of nautical items on sale, ideal for last-minute Christmas gifts.

The heart of Galway's maritime heritage will come to life at the end of the month in the three-day Galway Docklands Festival, which will be held from September 29 to October 1.

It will be “an unforgettable experience celebrating Galway's rich marine industry,” say the organisers, Galway Hooker Sailing Club, in association with Galway Bay Boat Tours and Galway Bay Seafoods.

It starts with a “dive into the world of seafood”, which will take place around Galway Bay Seafoods, including seafood tasting and talks about Ireland's fishing industry. Galway Lifeboat will host visits, and there will be an opportunity to meet boat builders working on restoring Galway’s maritime heritage. This is at the Galway Hooker Sailing Club's restoration project, which will run guided walking tours, how-to-learn learn knots courses, and stands from Galway Aquarium, Corrib Beo, Water Safety Ireland and much more.

Explore the magic of family boat tours and step onboard an authentic Galway Hooker to experience a piece of maritime history up close at the Galway Docklands Festival 

“It's a chance to connect with the maritime heritage of Galway like never before,” says Collette Furey of the Galway Hooker Sailing Club Organising Committee.

Amongst the attractions:

• Saturday, September 30: Claddagh Hall Adventures - centred around Claddagh Hall. The morning begins with a burst of activity within the hall, followed by an enjoyable afternoon of sailing and boat tours. The evening will be topped off with a public quiz.
• Sunday, October 1: Family Fun Day in Claddagh Hall - A family-oriented day. Bring the kids along for entertainment, face painting, and delightful treats from the ice cream van. Explore the magic of family boat tours and step onboard an authentic Galway Hooker to experience a piece of maritime history up close.

“As we celebrate Galway's marine industry, we're also giving back to the community,” says Colette Furey. “All funds raised during the festival will be dedicated to the Galway branch of the RNLI and Ability West. By participating in the Galway Docklands Festival, attendees will not only enjoy a fantastic maritime experience but also contribute to these essential organisations that make a real difference in the lives of others.”

When the late Tony Moylan and his friends got together 44 years ago to inaugurate the Cruinnui na mBad at Kinvara in order to celebrate and help the preservation of the traditional sailing boats of Connemara and Galway Bay, most of us were living in a world of very different attitudes. 

Central to the early Kinvara gatherings was the way the traditional boats had brought welcome cargoes of turf from the bog-rich northwest shores of the bay to the region’s fuel-starved coastal areas. In those days, the stripping of turf for domestic heating from the diverse multiple habitats which constituted the carbon absorbing-bogland was regarded as natural and sensible.

But the little-known fact that the sweetly-burning turf was notably carbon-intensive was far outweighed for the few who were aware of it by the nostalgia-inducing effects of its distinctive curling blue smoke emerging from cottage chimneys, the quintessential aroma of classic western life.

An Tonai, winner of 2023’s “turf race” from Connemara to Kinvara, is maintained in a style which is a long way from the make-do-and-mend working days of the Galway Hookers. Photo: Pierce Purcell

As for the boats themselves, when the last truly commercial cargo of turf to be carried under sail from Connemara out to the Aran Islands was taken aboard the bad mor An Mhaighdean Mhara in 1973, that was to set the tone. For at this time Johnny Healion and a few others were beginning to save the few still seaworthy hookers, and the basic finish of the boats in this gradually growing movement was taken from the unfussy no-nonsense functional style of An Mhaighdean Mhara, as seen in 1973.

COVID HIATUS EMPHASISES CHANGE IN ATTITUDES

But now, a sense of the change in attitudes has been more clearly defined by the hiatus of the two-year pandemic shutdowns experienced by Cruinnui na mBad. With the highly-regarded Dr Michael Brogan as Chairman, the decisions of the Kinvara organising committee carry considerable moral weight. And thus, when they announced the first Covid-caused cancellation, it did more than a dozen government proclamations to bring home to sailing folk generally the true seriousness of the deteriorating situation.

Sea, sails and shore intertwine – Kinvara provides a unique inter-mix.  Photo: Pierce Purcell

Equally, within the configuration of the Cruinnui, the change in environmental attitudes is gradually manifesting itself. Of course,

for many, Kinvara is still really all about the sessions ashore, when seafaring folk interact with the prodigious County Clare cultural wealth in traditional music and song. But afloat and on the waterfront, a new mood is gaining ground, and there’s a new hierarchy of priorities.

TURF AS A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE?

Turf has, in effect, become a controlled substance. Thus it may be intensely symbolic of the cherished yet meagre comforts of a former way of life, but now – much and all as many of us may find this very difficult to accept – we have to see it in an entirely different way, as something utterly fascinating which is nevertheless globally lethal when widely used for national power or domestic heating.

“Next year, we might be wearing white coats for working with  a controlled susbstance” – Pierce Purcell Jnr presents a piece of nostalgia-laden turf to Paddy Donovan (Acting Harbour Master, Kinvara), wih Event Chairman Dr Mick Brogan (keeping up to speed with results), Donal Curtis and Ann Korf.  Photo: Pierce Purcell    

Thus any turf sailed to Kinvara in 2023 was something to be valued in manageable quantities. But another feature of Cruinnui na mBad has moved up the pecking order to replace the former dominant impact of turf in abundance.

RISING STANDARDS OF BOAT MAINTENANCE AND EQUIPMENT

This is the rise to prominence of the sheer quality of preparation and maintenance of the boats taking part. Long gone is slapped-on tar and rough tan-barked cotton sails. In their place are gleaming black enamel topsides, race-prepared bottom finishes, the intrusion of judiciously-placed and immaculate varnish work, and the setting of sails of many types of racing cloth, ranging from what looks suspiciously like black kevlar to expensive-looking special-finish cream, for it seems that the traditional tan bark finish is “only a recent idea of barely a hundred years ago”.

Dublin Bay sailors got something of a shock introduction to the new Western way this summer when Aongus O Cualain and his team trucked their restored gleoiteog mor Blat na hOige from Connemara to Poolbeg in Dublin Port for the visit of the Old Gaffers Association 60^th Anniversary Cruise-in-Company, and duly won the race for the Asgard Trophy, setting some impressively competition-conscious sails.

The Best of the West comes East – the gleiteog mor Blat na hOige from Connemara on her way to winning the Asgard Trophy 2023 in Dublin Bay.  Photo: Afloat.ie/David O’Brien

Slicing the waters of Galway Bay – the optimized McHugh was one of the winners at Kinvara Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

And it isn’t only in the TradBoat heartlands to the far west that the serious boat and equipment up-grades are becoming the norm. In Galway City itself, people like Peter Connolly, Joe Joyce, Colie Hermon and Ciaran Oliver are also very much in the business of optimizing the finish potential of the classic Galway Hooker.

Then too, the traditions of Kinvara are finding an outlet in another character-boat direction, through the interest of the Irish Drascombe Association. Although longtime pace-setter and former International Drascombe Association President Jack O’Keeffe of Cork had to call off his own involvement as late Covid has finally caught up with him, those braving the downpour days which preceded this past weekend’s Cruinnui by cruising towards Kinvara in the very confined comforts of a Drascombe included former Arctic voyaging legend Paddy Barry of Clifden, Mick Corbett of Wexford, Miriam Sheerin, Kim Roberts of Kilrush, Peter McMillan, Ivor O'Shea, and Pearl O'Shea with David Williams of Cong on Lough Corrib co-ordinating flotilla movements.

New take on old style – the flotilla of Drascmbes rafted up off Kinvara Castle

Thus to mention Kinvara now and in the future will imply something very meaningful, yet very different from a basic celebration of ancient boats and their carrying of a life-saving yet ultimately controversial cargo.

It’s quite a leap to expect of our comfortably-established mindsets. For who hasn’t spent much of their life assuming that the use of Bord na Mona Peat Briquettes, conveniently bought in the local shop and with the occasional spicing of traditional un-processed turf brought back from Connemara in a sack in the boot of the car, is the most beautifully nostalgic way to heat your urban sitting room on a winter’s night?    

Arctic veteran Paddy Barry and Clifden and Mick Corbett of Wexford aboard their Drascombes at Kinvara. Photo: Kim Roberts 

Read also: Tight Contest for Galway Hookers and Gleoiteogs at 44th Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvara

Tight competition marked the 44th annual Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara, Co Galway at the weekend.

In spite of a dark and overcast day, the festival was a success on and off water, with An Norah taking the top price in the leath bháid class.

In the gleoiteoga móra class, the Ina “kept her winning streak”, according to Máire Ní Einniú who took photos at the event.

An Norah Bheag, an Feichin and Báid Choil beag making their way to a start at the 44th annual Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara, Co Galway Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

The Ina is owned by Clann Uí Ghríofa and was built in 2019 in Sruthán, An Cheathrú Rua by Michael MacDonnacha. It is crewed by three generations of the Griffin family and friends.

An Katherine, took second place in the Gleoiteoga beaga at the 44th annual Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara, Co Galway Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

The Katherine was built in 2008 in Leitir Mealláin by Martin Mullins and is owned by Pádraig Barrett.

An Stiofan closely behind the McHugh in breeze at the 44th annual Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara, Co Galway Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

Three boats had to restart in the gleoiteoga beaga class. However, two of the three, Norah Bheag and Feichín, managed to make their way back up to take second and third place respectively.

An Norah Bheag is owned by Coilín Ó hIarnáin and helmed by Coilín Óg. It was built in 1916 by Seán Ó Dómhnaill.

An Ina heading to the finish line at the 44th annual Cruinniú na mBád festival in Kinvara, Co Galway Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú 

Feichín was built in 2002 by Donal Greene and is owned and helmed by Michael Kelly.

The McHugh is now leading the season’s hooker racing series, with five points, meaning the next two races are vital, Ní Éinniú notes.

The McHugh is another century-old craft, having been built by Pádraig O’Casey in Mweenish in 1917. It is helmed by Donál Mac Dhonnacha and crew Seán Éinniú and Keith Ridge.

Kinvara’s annual Cruinniú na mBád takes to the water this weekend, with racing confined to Sunday due to weather conditions.

A small craft warning for Saturday means the festival’s activity will be shore-based for the first day of the 44th annual event.

A barbecue will take place at Parkmore Pier on Saturday from 2 pm, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Cuan Beo, the south Galway environmental awareness group, will be among the exhibitors on Kinvara Pier.

Tight competition can be seen in the gleoiteoga beaga class, where the overall winner of the year is still up for grabs , and the points are tight between the McHugh, Naomh Stiofán and the Naomh Feichin Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

The regular sean-nós singing event will be one of the musical highlights of the programme, taking place on Saturday night in Kinvara’s community centre.

A mass and blessing of boats is scheduled for 12 noon on Sunday, and the gleoiteog race starts at 2 pm.

The fleet of Galway hookers carrying turf across the bay is due in from 4 pm on Sunday, and visitors can bring a bag and “take home some unique Connemara sods”, organiser Dr Michael Brogan says.

McHugh. Built by Paraic O Cathasaigh in 1917 helmed by Dónal Mac Donncha and his crew of Keith Ridge and Seán Éinniú. One of the oldest boats still competing Photo: Máire Ní Éinniú

Racing for the leath bhád and bád mór classes is scheduled from 5 pm on Sunday.

During Sunday afternoon, the Green Island swim is due to start at 3.30 pm, and the climín (seaweed raft) race is scheduled for around 3 pm.

“This has to be the longest-running maritime event in the country, as we even managed to take a few sods of turf over the bay during Covid-19, “Dr Brogan, its chief organiser, says.

Four years ago, a plaque dedicated to the late festival founder Tony Moylan, designed by sculptor John Coll, was unveiled at Kinvara pier to mark the 40th anniversary of the Galway hooker gathering.

Last weekend, Galway hooker skippers competed in a regatta hosted by Bádóirí an Cladaigh, as part of the Cumann Huicéirí na Gaillimhe series of sailing racing competitions.

Those of us who have found it challenging enough to get a sailing dinghy with a purpose-designed road trailer into a road-ready and race-ready condition was in awe this week of the achievements of Aongus Ó Cualáin of Connemara and his team with their Galway Hooker at the Old Gaffers’ Dublin Bay Diamond Jubilee Regatta last Saturday.

Their gleoiteog mor Blat na hOige is a lot of boat to be transporting right across Ireland on a slightly-modified lorry. But as the boat in some form or other has been around since 1895 or so - and with the family for much of that time - the honour of Connemara was at stake.

To talk of “Mission Achieved” is scarcely adequate. They dismissed queries about their superb suit of white sails by pointing out that tan-barking or the larding of pitch onto hooker sails is a relatively new idea in terms of the boats’ very long history. And then, despite a rather light breeze on Dublin Bay, they went out and won the Asgard Trophy, a prize of unrivalled historical significance as it was presented to the DBOGA by John Kearon, the conservator of Erskine & Molly Childers’ Asgard.

Game, set and match to Connemara.

Blat na hOige with a suit of sails “to die for”. Photo: Afloat.ie

It was well worth the significant logistical effort of skipper Aongus Ó Cualáin to transport his Galway Hooker Blát na hÓige from Connemara to Dublin's River Liffey by road last week as the 1896-built traditional vessel won first prize in Saturday's Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association Diamond Jubilee celebration, bringing home to County Galway the prestigious DBOGA Asgard Trophy.

White-sailed Hooker: With white sails as opposed to the more popular tan, plus battens in the main and staysail, winner Blát na hÓige cuts a unique pose at a turning mark in Saturday's Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association Asgard Trophy race Photo: Afloat 

Blát na hÓige was transported overland to compete in the annual race and was launched into the capital's waters close to the Thomas Clarke Bridge on the River Liffey, where her mast was re-stepped and the trad boat re-rigged all in time for the weekend's racing. 

Connemara bound - the winning Blát na hÓige are pictured on the River Liffey campshire all packed and ready for the long road home after a successful trip to the capital's waters

Fourteen gaff-rigged boats competed for the big prize from a total fleet of 40 yachts and dinghies that gathered at Dublin Port for two days to celebrate the 60th anniversary overseen by DBOGA President Adrian Spence, as Afloat reports here.

Conceived initially as a Gleoiteog in 1896, a Galway Hooker size that ranges in length from 7 to 9 metres (24 to 28 feet), when Blát na hÓige's keel timbers arrived, they were deemed of such top quality that it would be a shame to cut them so she was built at 28-foot and four inches in length thus becoming a 'Gleoiteog-Mor' and unique addition to the Hooker fleet of Lettermullan island

The primary race of the event for the Asgard Trophy was run by Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club's Principal Race Officer John Alvey and was held out in Dublin Bay in light airs of seven to 10 knots.

Other runners included the Isle of Man Master Frank, a Manx half-deck fishing boat, and the 52-foot Letty, a vintage Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter.

The Asgard half-model trophy is a much sought-after prize in Old Gaffer circles as Asgard conservator John Keraon designed the award, and it contains a part of Asgard's original timber as part of the trophy. 

Galway Hooker Blát na hÓige skipper Aongus Ó Cualáin with some of his trophy haul that also included first Working boat Prize from the Dublin Bay Old Gaffers Association Diamond Jubilee celebration at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club 

The winning crew comprised Ó Cualáin, his brother Fergus, Michael Mulkerrin, John Geoghegan, Jimmy McCormack and Donal Green. 

As soon as the weekend was over, the Gleoiteog-Mor went west to rejoin Connemara's busy summer Galway Hooker racing circuit.

Sean Walsh's Tir N’Og won Class Two. 

The Small Gaffers was won by Wren, with Onward of Ito second.

The winner of the 100 euro purse for the first RBC 60 boat to cross the finish line was the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter Letty.

Currachs and Galway hookers will take to the water off An Spidéil, Co Galway, on Sunday, June 11th for Féile an Spidéil.

Kerry, Clare and Donegal teams have travelled to the event in past years to join crews from across Connemara and Galway city.

Racing will take place across six categories from 12 noon, weather permitting.

The first race is the senior men’s, and this will be followed by the senior women’s contest, with three oarspeople in each craft from a number of clubs.

Under-18s will have their opportunity to compete, and mixed crew will then compete against each other.

The final racing involves naomhógs in the Craobh na hÉireann event.

The contest between Galway hookers, involving the “ báid mhóra” and “leath bháid” classes, will take place from 3 pm.

The event is weather dependent – last year, two separate dates for Féile an Spidéil had to be postponed and then cancelled, due to adverse forecasts.

A restored Galway Hooker has been named after two south Connemara brothers who built the vessel originally.

The Meaircín Joe returned to the water last week, marking what has been described as “a significant milestone in preserving Ireland's rich maritime heritage”.

It was named in honour of the two O'Clochartaigh brothers - Meaircín and Joe - who built the vessel at Mainís (Mweenish), Connemara, in 1987.

In late 2010, the late Judge John Lindsay and family in Dublin, gave permission to the Bádóirí an Chladaigh group, to bring the hooker to Galway to restore it.

“The rebuilt vessel, meticulously handcrafted by boat builder Joe Joyce, stands as a testament to the timeless beauty and resilience of Galway's maritime culture,” Bádóirí an Chladaigh says.

The restoration was supported by The King’s Head Bar in Galway and the Grealish family.

“The Meaircín Joe joins the growing fleet of Galway hookers, which are a fantastic asset to the city,” Paul Grealish of The Kings Head said.

Bádóirí an Chladaigh is supported Galway City Council, Cold Chon, Selos, Galway City Partnership and public fundraising initiatives.

The organisers of Tóstal na Gaillimhe in Galway’s Salthill say the revived event earlier this month was so successful that they intend to invite more traditional Irish rowing clubs and teams from home and abroad next year.

A “tight” senior men’s final currach race saw a crew from An Cheathrú Rua (Carraroe) captained by edge ahead of Rosmuc/Carna to take the overall title.

Traditional currach rowing teams came from Connemara (Inis Oírr, Carna, Rosmuc, An Cheathrú Rua, Na Forbacha, Indreabhán, An Spidéil), Co Clare (Doonbeg), Co Kerry (Maheeres), Co Mayo (Tullaghan) and C. Dublin (Skerries).

Competitors on their way to the start of a race during An Tostál Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

As Martina Thornton of Galway Hooker Sailing Club recounts, the family atmosphere on shore was matched at sea with diverse activity, as well as racing, for the 70th anniversary of the original Tostal of 1953.

A gleoiteog sails by during An Tostál Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

.“A small fleet of traditional Galway Hookers arrived with their red sails peaked, showing their elegance out on the bay supported by powerboats, arriving soon after their very early morning sail in support of Darkness into Light,” Thornton writes.

A currach and a Galway Hooker during An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

“Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club [Galway]came to support this revival and managed to get 28 people out on the bay over the two days to try coastal rowing in their club boat - and all involved loved every minute of it under the stewardship of Jen Cunningham,” she writes.

“Currachaí na Scéirí came to town from Skerries on Saturday morning with their distinguished traditional five-hander club boat called a Béal Deirg, originally used in north Mayo as a traditional salmon fishing currach,” she writes.

“It featured in Game of Thrones and King Arthur films prior to the club acquiring her. This traditional Béal Deirg was not out of place on the Bay with her 16 ft oars rowing alongside her smaller traditional counterparts or as she rested on Ladies Beach, taking in the hustle and bustle of the weekend,” she says.

“A combined 21 currach rowing teams competed over the weekend, consisting of eight senior men’s, three senior ladies, four junior teams and six mixed doubles,” she reports.

Preparing to launch a currach for a race during An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

For the men’s senior final, a heated contest was anticipated between Rosmuc/Carna’s Joe Rua Seoighe, who won the senior men’s title in 2013, and 2012 champion Micheal Ó Cualáin (Báinín) of An Cheathrú Rua.

Both men arrived with two new teams for this year’s Tóstal.

With Joe Rua Seoighe in the seas tosaigh (bow) were Máirtín Pheit Ó Maolchiaráin (seas láir- middle) and his brother Micheal Pheit Ó Maolchiaráin (seas deireadh-stern), representing Rosmuc/Carna.

With Micheal Ó Cualáin in the seas tosaigh (bow) were Christopher Day, originally from Inisbofin (seas láir-middle), and Shane Pháid Mac Donnacha (seas deireadh-stern) representing An Cheathrú Rua.

“Watching both men read the dips and rise of the waves to catch the right rising wave to edge out ahead of one another was a masterpiece and true testament in their combined years of experience in the sport and in the sea,” Thornton writes.

“Two other teams made the same final, a team representing InisOírr (Seán and Tomás Sharry, Máirtín Seoighe) and a team representing Clare/Galway (Máirtín Éinniú, Micheal Sullivan and Eoin Honan),” she says.

The races were closely refereed by Connemara native, Mike Curran, his rib skippered by Collette Furey of Galway Hooker Sailing Club, while race commentary was provided by Eoin Ó Loideáin of An Cheathrú Rua.

Close racing in currachs at the revived An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy

Rowing into Ladies Beach, the winning An Cheathrú team “saluted and acknowledged the cheering crowd and supporters in the old honourable traditional way of raising their three oars aloft in unison,” Thornton writes.

It was a “fitting, emotional salute, and gesture to close out Tóstal na Gaillimhe of 2023 until next year”.

The awards ceremony took place at the newly restored Blackrock Cottage restaurant with the Mayor of Galway, Clodagh Higgins, presenting medals and trophies to the junior boys’ winners, senior women’s and mixed doubles and the senior men’s winners and runners-up.

Support with prize money and t-shirts was provided by Salthill Village business group, Anthony O’Reilly provided competitors with packed lunches, and sound was provided by Sean O’Toole.