This article is from page 103 of the 2008-10-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 103 JPG
IT WON’T be launched by cracking a bottle of champagne on the stern and the people who built it won’t need to spend their life savings to get afloat, but the currach which was un- der construction in Scariff last week is a model which has served coastal fishermen for thousands of years.
Nine enthusiastic amatuers have come together to learn how to make a sailboat that can take to the waters without having to spend a rock star’s ransom.
Instructor, James Madigan from
Lissycasey learned currach building at his grandfather’s knee and now he is passing on the skill to the mixed bunch, which includes people with physical and mental challenges and CE scheme participants.
Brother’s of Charity worker, Rich- ard Collins explained that the boat is ‘a currach on the style of the Don- egal Dunfanahy boats. It’s a project that gets people together, talking and working towards a common aim. At the end of it there will be a boat built for about ©250 that you can take in and out of the water easily and drive away with it on the roof-rack of the
car rather than having to spend thou- sands to have a bit of sailing time on the lake.”
The money for the project came from the Adult Community Educa- tion Grants scheme and when fin- ished, the vessel will be 16 feet long and covered with canvas and tar in the traditional way.
“We got the timber and picked wil- low for the ribs. We’re going to put a sail on it as well. Although currachs are traditionally sea-going boats, there were certainly some types used on lakes, usually covered with cow or horse hide,’ explained Richard,
whose passion is building boats in the ancient tradition and who has started a club in west Clare which 1s now entering and wining races inter- nationally.
When the boat is finished, a grand launch is planned and “possibly a bit of a pilgrimage to Holy Island”.
So far, the group hasn’t decided what will happen with the finished boat. “We’ll probably sell it back to the people who built it for a nominal fee and then they will all have use of it but I’ve a feeling there may be more of these boats built in Scariff,”’ said Richard.