Displaying items by tag: Keith Payne

22nd February 2024

Keith Payne On How To Build A Dunfanaghy Currach And Write A Poem About It In 16 Weeks

Currachs and naomhógs are among the only sea craft built upside down, and the expertise dates back generations.

Poet Keith Payne learned all this and much more when he found himself working on a Dunfanaghy currach over 16 weeks. He was Cork City Library eco-poet in residence from 2022 to 2023 when he was drawn to the work of Meitheal Mara.

A Dunfanaghy currach under construction Photo: Meitheal Mara

During that time, he learned about carpenters’ marks and pigtails and how to row with Naomhóga Chorcaí – “among the most inclusive groups of people” he has ever met, he said.

As he began to master the oars on the river Lee, he realised how hard those communities dependent on the currach had it out at sea – “ what they did to bring fish home and put it on the table”.

Payne is not only a poet, but also a translator and editor, and has published seven collections of poetry in translation as well as his debut collection, Broken Hill. A new publication, Whales and Whales, from the Galician of Luisa Castro is forthcoming from Skein Press. He is curator of the Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill Poetry Exchange.

Meitheal Mara brings together inclusive groups of people for its boat-building projects Photo: Meitheal Mara

His latest work, Building the Boat, records his experiences with Meitheal Mara in verse, and it has just been published by Badly Made Books.

It is available in Meitheal Mara, in Books Upstairs in Dublin or directly by emailing [email protected]

He spoke to Wavelengths about the project below

Afloat.ie · Keith Payne On Building A Dunfanaghy Currach

Published in Wavelength Podcast

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About the Loughs Agency

The Loughs Agency is a governmental body established under the 1998 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. The Agency's goal is to provide sustainable social, economic, and environmental benefits by effectively conserving, managing, promoting, and developing the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

The Agency's governing legislation confers several specific functions, including the promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery, and aquaculture matters. Moreover, the Agency is responsible for managing, conserving, protecting, improving, and developing the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Additionally, the Agency has the task of developing and licensing aquaculture, as well as the development of marine tourism.

The Loughs Agency reports to the North South Ministerial Council and its government Sponsor Departments, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) in Ireland. The Departments fund the Agency on an equal basis.

The Loughs Agency's focus on sustainable development is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, environment, and local communities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. The Agency's efforts to conserve and enhance the region's marine resources, including fisheries and aquaculture, are expected to benefit local communities, promote tourism, and contribute to economic growth.

In conclusion, the Loughs Agency plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable social, economic, and environmental development of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Its work on marine conservation and development is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the region's natural resources and in promoting sustainable economic growth.