Everything you've ever heard about County Clare is true, yet no matter how much info you've taken on board about the Banner County, it will only ever be the half of it. Boatbuilder Steve Morris of Kilrush may hail from New Zealand, but for quite a few years now he has been making a major input into Clare life and Shannon Estuary boatbuilding.
Despite that, he is still sufficiently detached to see that much of what Clare folk take for granted looks quite remarkable, to the point of astonishment, for everyone else. So though he was supposed to be sending us the news about the second Shannon Estuary St Ayles Skiff nearing completion in a community effort at Carrigaholt, he couldn't resist popping in the Kilkee currach image from Tony Nolan.
The Kilrush St Ayles Skiff Ealu in the Shannon, proudly displaying the colours shared by County Clare and Ukraine
SUCCESS IN BRITTANY
The first St Ayles skiff in the area, Kilrush's Ealu, was down in Brittany this year at the Maritime festivals at Brest and Douarnenez, and it did no harm at all in the goodwill sakes that she happens to be handsomely bedecked in the Clare colours, as they are also the gold and blue of Ukraine.
The Carrigaholt boat is currently in the painting programme for launching on 12th October. But rather than ask after her finish colours, we'll wait and see. Meanwhile, the mention of currachs racing on the Clare coast is a reminder that slightly north of Kilkee, we find the fascinating little estuary at Doonbeg, noted for its highly competitive racing currachs, and also for the excellent Morrissey's food pub beside the river.
In a secret location in Carrigaholt, revealed only by a glimpse of the Loop Head Rowing Club sign, a new St Ayles Skiff takes shape
"The Vikings never left" – the timeless longboat shape as revealed again in the St Ayles Skiff at Carrigaholt
THE CONFECTION OF A CASTLE
Being Doonbeg, nearby is of course The Place. It's such a perfect confection of a Scottish castle contrived in the Victorian era that it's rewarding to appreciate it, regardless of its current connections.
An overnight there in winter in stormy weather is extraordinary. Some of the exhibitionist Victorian plutocrats built their castles in exposed settings to prove that they could overcome the worst weather through warm weather within. Thus in the last of the winter daylight, set amidst its dunes with big winds sweeping in from the ocean, Doonbeg would remind you of images of a World War I battleship, thrusting her heavy way through an Atlantic gale.
Doonbeg. Perched on the edge of the dunes above the sea, when seen in the last of the light on a stormy winter's day it would remind you of a World War I battleship thrusting through an Atlantic gale.
CLARE IS BIZARRE CENTRAL
If that seems a mite bizarre to you, you should be aware that Clare is Bizarre Central. And though aficionados may talk of the sheer quality of its traditional music-making, it has to be faced that for the world at large, the essence of Clare is musically and lyrically captured in Percy French's Are You Right There Michael, Are You Right?
The serious-minded directors of the West Clare Railway were so offended by this alleged satire on their pioneering transport operation that they sued Percy French for libel, and it was duly set down for a hearing at Ennis Court Sessions. But the case was thrown out when the defendant arrived from Limerick more than an hour late, but was able to show that his tardiness was entirely due to the chronic lateness of the West Clare Railway's services.
"When God made time, he made a lot of it". The West Clare railway as it was when Percy French immortalized it. Photo: Clare Heritage
