Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival from 22nd to 24th May in West Cork was blessed with glorious weather, much welcomed after successive blowouts in recent years writes Rob O’Leary. The last of the rain fell on the Friday night, but that was fine, because the sailing club hosted a standing-room-only talk by Cormac Levis on the St, Anthony, currently being restored on Sherkin Island.
The traditional towel-sail yawls Hanora, Mary-Colette and Rose making for the mark. Historian Cormac Levis is actively involved in sailing them, and has compiled their story in book form. Photo: Robbie Murphy
The workboat type becomes “yachts” – both Brian Marten’s cutter Guillemot and Jeremy Irons’ ketch Willing Lass are based on traditional hulls, and built at Oldcourt by Liam Hegarty. Photo: Robbie Murphy
It was fascinating to hear how much of the local economy was formerly based on the sandboat activity by craft like the St Anthony of that time, before commercial fertilisers became available.
FOG MELTS AWAY
Saturday morning, the fog blown off, and the currachers from Naomhogá Chorcai rowed their way up to the Lag Bridge (to Ringarogy Island) to begin a race back down past the lifeboat station and out under the iconic Baltimore Beacon.
Muscle power is gender blind……the faster the women’s currach crew row, the more relaxed this cox’n seems to be. Photo: Robbie Murphy
Last minute advice from the coach….currachs link up with the Hanora
TRADITIONAL PUNTS
Meanwhile, Ted O’Driscoll lead a fleet of traditional punts and and a Curragh Adhmaid from Carraroe from Hegarty’s Boatyard in Oldcourt, down the beautiful Ilen River through the Sherkin Sound and in to the Harbour. On the way, one crew was dropped off to board the Mary Collette, one of the local Heir Island Lobsterboats.
The way that some of the teams in the Seafood Festival’s Boat-Building Challenge approached their final test suggests that they were prepared for qualified success. Photo: Rob O’Leary
BOAT BUILDING CHALLENGE
The Seafood festival’s Boat Building Challenge was getting under way while the sailors and rowers caught their breath, before heading out for the Harbour Race. Light winds made for skilful sailing, with some beautiful visiting craft including the Betty Alan, a 50 foot gaff Ketch.
Ed Maggs’ Glengarriff-based “modern gaff” ketch Betty Alan under the Lot’s Wife Beacon at the entrance to Baltimore Harbour. Designed by Jeremy Lines, senior draftsman to Camper & Nicholson, Betty Alan’s above-water hull has a remarkable resemblance to the hull of Harry Donegan of Cork’s Fastnet Race pioneering cutter Gull, designed by Charles E Nicholson in 1897. Photo: Robbie Murphy
However, below the waterline and throughout her accommodation, Betty Alan is very much a one-off.
TOPSAIL WITH A WINDOW
Good natured ribbing surrounded a controversial slightly non-traditional GP14 topsail flown by Fionn, while properly attired Jane Paul achieved line honours. Sailors whiled away the gorgeous evening in the square in Baltimore to the sound of “Open The Taps” by the Seafood Festival.
’Twas far from Dacron topsails that towelsail mackerel yawls were raised, but a bit of lateral thinking by the Fionn team with an inverted GP14 genoa (complete with window) showed potential……Photo: Robbie Murphy
…..and did the business in racing against Hanora. Photo: Robbie Murphy
Despite the use of some unorthodox sails, the post-race raft up suggests they were still friends at the end of the day. Photo: Robbie Murphy
It’s party time. Baltimore by night when Woodenboat and Seafood festivals take priority. Photo: Paula Marten
CURRACH ACTION AGAIN
Sunday morning early, and the currachs were in action again, thundering out to the local Lobsterboats in the festival’s Pilot race. The Baltimore lifeboat was on full display showing its capabilities, overseeing the Boat Building Challenge kids launch row and sail their makeshift craft, a highlight of Sunday’s Seafood Festival.
Jane Paul’s perfectly-set topsail was rewarded with racing success. Photo: Robbie Murphy
Prize-winners at Baltimore included (left to right) Tom Hegarty, Lucy Ann Anderson, Richard Collins, Micheál Ó Crualaí, Cormac Levis, Meadhbh Ni Crualaoi, Nigel Towse and Kevin McCormack. Photo: Robbie Murphy
BALTIMORE IS LIKE THIS EVERY DAY
Children swam from the Cow Slip, currachs finished the pilot race, and the Lobsterboats rafted-up, a lovely confluence of events. Over the tannoy, it was heard that ‘Baltimore is like this every day’ Pure Heaven!
More racing, a fantastic food and craft fair, and a wonderful parade of sail polished off an excellent day, with Hank Wedel singing out the evening to a spectacular sunset. Seize the days….
An image which says everything about Baltimore today. The restored towelsail yawl Mary Ann sails past the re-born Saoirse II, while in the background is the restored fortified main house of the O’Driscoll clan, which dates from 1215 and is the “tigh mor” of Baltimore. Photo: Robbie Murphy
