The project to restore a 40-year-old West Clare currach was completed with the launch of the finished boat 'Spleodar' (Spleodar means Joy, excitement in Irish) on the River Liffey in Dublin this weekend.
Working with the Mens Shed in Mountjoy Prison's Training unit, the below picture in the Clare colours is the final result.
This was set up by Assistant Governor Patricia Kelliher and Ist Officer Brian Cahill to get Sculptor/ Boatbuilder Shane Holland in for a three-hour slot once a week to source a boat and carry out the rebuild involving reskining with canvas, redo the gunwales, thole pins, seats and stern along with seven new oars.
This boat was originally owned, rowed and raced off the Clare and Wexford coasts by Martin Keating and the Wickham bros. in the 1980s.
This boat was originally built by Derry Hedderman of Carraigaholt Co Clare in 1984.
There was an emotional dry prison launch two weeks ago where the original owner and families of the crew and boatbuilder came to see the finished boat.
The wet launch occurred near Islandbridge on Saturday, where the boat was blessed and sent onto the river with cheers.
The currach will be donated by the Irish Prison Service to Crosscare who offer youth services and this boat will train young rowers in their watersports programmes.