In developing a new currach, then, it is important to understand the ingenious technology, developed over generations, inherent in the design. Firstly, they are essentially beach boats, very like Yorkshire cobbes and other types, all around the Atlantic coasts. Some communities who did not have a pier, where boats could be kept afloat, had to work from a sandy beach, launching into the surf and later lifting the boat out of the water and carrying it safety above the high water mark.
This required special design features. The boat had to be as light as possible. To facilitate beaching in surf the boat had to be deeper towards the front and flat towards the back. As the deep forefoot took the ground, the long flat back was swung around and was driven up onto the sand, so that passengers could alight almost dry footed. The bow of the boat now faced into the on-coming waves and therefore had to be unusually high, so that the boat would not be swamped. A boat is said to be ‘crochta go maith’, ’crochta’ in Irish meaning to be hung up – the opposite to what it means in English.
Yawls were preferred by Blasket islanders, but when boats were taxed, they changed to currachs which were not taxed. The resultant cross between the yawl and the currachs makes the ‘Neamhog” the finest and most beautiful type currach ever built. This is also a classic example of how a community adapted a boat to both natural and social environments.
The working life of the canvas currach is over, and it is time for it to once again adapt – this time, to maritime leisure and maritime tourist activities. The deep forefoot and flat of the currach and the extreme lightness of its structure, are ideally suited high-speed sailing. With this in mind, Galway boat building school has completed the prototype of the first such currach – ‘An Run’.
Like its ancestors, An Run is 19’ long, 4’8” wide with 3 rowing thwarts. To give the extra strength necessary to carry a large sail, she is fully planked. To maintain lightness, cedar strip planking is used. Bent oak ribs are used as in the canvas type. With about 150sq ft. of sail, this will give An Rún a potential speed of over 15 knots.
This speed can only be reached in ideal conditions, i.e. strong winds and calm water, but these are regular conditions in Galway. There is now an area of perfect sailing water from Claddagh to Muttin Island, the new ‘causeway’ providing the sheltered water.
Kinvara Bay, where the 16’ sailing currachs are sailing, is amazingly good, while the waters from Greatman’s Bay to Cill Ciaran to Letter Mullen might well prove to be some of the best sailing grounds in Europe.
All in all, the old canvas currach seems to be entering an exciting chapter in its history. As in all areas of tradition, if the tradition is alive, it is changing and evolving. So it is with the currach – once an ingenious adaptation to a harsh political and natural environment, now a new metamorphosis filling the sporting needs of 21st century.
“An Rún’ can be seen at ‘Clan na Mara,’ An Spiddeal, from 2–6pm on Saturdays. A similar 16’ adaptation of the currach adhmaid is already in use, six in Killala, two in an Spiddeal and three in Kinvara. Two 19’ versions with cabins, for lake or sea, have also been built.
