Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Galway Hooker Sailing Club will be running its final pop-up shop in Galway city this weekend, 16 and 17 December — just in time for the run-up to Christmas. Once again the shop is being hosted on the premises of…

One of Ireland's most eagerly awaited films releases in cinemas this Friday, the 21st of October 2022. On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic is devastated when his buddy Colm suddenly puts an end to their lifelong…

A collaboration between Galway Bay Boat Tours, Galway Hooker Sailing Club and Galway Bay Seafoods, this will celebrate Galway’s maritime culture on October 21/22/23, a 3-day event in Galway’s Docklands, the harbour, the commercial Docks, Claddagh and along the seashore.…

Music and marine life in Galway Atlantaquaria and jazz hosted by Claddagh hooker sailors are among events with maritime themes at this year’s Culture Night in the west on Friday, September 23rd. After a summer of sailing, Bádóirí an Chladaigh…

A fleet of up to 25 Galway hookers will leave Galway docks on a rising tide today (Sunday, Aug 21) to compete in the Bádóirí an Chladaigh regatta. Light westerly winds are forecast for Galway Bay, with racing among the…

The risks to fishermen in Galway Bay during the first world war is theme of a Heritage Week talk by Donncha Ó hÉallaithe this Sunday evening. Ó hÉallaithe will be followed by Dr Micheál Ó Fathartaigh of the Dublin Business…

Ger O’Neill’s Proud Mary was named “best-dressed boat” at the annual blessing of vessels in Galway Bay last weekend. Kevin O’Brien’s Blue Shark took second place in the same event, which was marked by showers of rain. Gleoitegs, púcáns and…

Thunderstorms forced postponement of racing at the Cruinniú na mBád in Kinvara, Co Galway on Sunday for safety reasons, and the fleet will reconvene on Thursday. However, An Mhaighdean Mhara was first boat home in the turf race from Parkmore…

After a forced pandemic suspension, the Cruinniú na mBád festival of traditional craft returns this weekend to Kinvara, Co Galway. The opening ceremony tonight, Friday, August 12th, will include speakers Dr Karen Weekes, the first Irish woman to row solo…

When the highly-respected Organising Chairman Dr Mick Brogan declared - in May 2020 - that the annual Cruinniu na mBad - the Gathering of the Boats - could not be held in August at Kinvara in face of the spread…

The first appearance of a Galway Hooker on the Dutch canals is likely to create a lot of attention and there may even be links found between the traditional West of Ireland boat and historic vessels in Holland  The ‘Galway…

Weather has once again forced the postponement of Féile an Spidéil, the regatta for traditional craft in Co Galway. The regatta, which was originally set for June 12th off An Spidéil on the northern shores of Galway Bay, had been…

Féile an Spidéil, the regatta for traditional craft in Co Galway, has been postponed by a week due to weather. A large fleet of traditional craft is anticipated for the 2022 event, which has been rescheduled for Sunday, June 19th.…

A large fleet of traditional craft is anticipated for Féile an Spidéil which takes to the water off An Spidéil, Co Galway, on June 12th. The regatta programme will include races for báid mhóra and leath bháid in the Galway…

Slipping out into Galway Bay before sunrise, several traditional craft from Galway Hooker Sailing Club participated in the Darkness into Light national fundraiser on  Saturday. “When a community comes together, it’s amazing what can be done,” the club said after…

The saga of the building and sailing of the traditional Galway Hooker Naomh Cronan by Clondalkin Community in west Dublin goes back nearly thirty years. And though the story has regularly featured in Afloat.ie,the various lockdowns had made it difficult…