The organisers of Tóstal na Gaillimhe in Galway’s Salthill say the revived event earlier this month was so successful that they intend to invite more traditional Irish rowing clubs and teams from home and abroad next year.
A “tight” senior men’s final currach race saw a crew from An Cheathrú Rua (Carraroe) captained by edge ahead of Rosmuc/Carna to take the overall title.
Traditional currach rowing teams came from Connemara (Inis Oírr, Carna, Rosmuc, An Cheathrú Rua, Na Forbacha, Indreabhán, An Spidéil), Co Clare (Doonbeg), Co Kerry (Maheeres), Co Mayo (Tullaghan) and C. Dublin (Skerries).
Competitors on their way to the start of a race during An Tostál Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
As Martina Thornton of Galway Hooker Sailing Club recounts, the family atmosphere on shore was matched at sea with diverse activity, as well as racing, for the 70th anniversary of the original Tostal of 1953.
A gleoiteog sails by during An Tostál Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
.“A small fleet of traditional Galway Hookers arrived with their red sails peaked, showing their elegance out on the bay supported by powerboats, arriving soon after their very early morning sail in support of Darkness into Light,” Thornton writes.
A currach and a Galway Hooker during An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
“Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club [Galway]came to support this revival and managed to get 28 people out on the bay over the two days to try coastal rowing in their club boat - and all involved loved every minute of it under the stewardship of Jen Cunningham,” she writes.
“Currachaí na Scéirí came to town from Skerries on Saturday morning with their distinguished traditional five-hander club boat called a Béal Deirg, originally used in north Mayo as a traditional salmon fishing currach,” she writes.
“It featured in Game of Thrones and King Arthur films prior to the club acquiring her. This traditional Béal Deirg was not out of place on the Bay with her 16 ft oars rowing alongside her smaller traditional counterparts or as she rested on Ladies Beach, taking in the hustle and bustle of the weekend,” she says.
“A combined 21 currach rowing teams competed over the weekend, consisting of eight senior men’s, three senior ladies, four junior teams and six mixed doubles,” she reports.
Preparing to launch a currach for a race during An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill, Galway. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
For the men’s senior final, a heated contest was anticipated between Rosmuc/Carna’s Joe Rua Seoighe, who won the senior men’s title in 2013, and 2012 champion Micheal Ó Cualáin (Báinín) of An Cheathrú Rua.
Both men arrived with two new teams for this year’s Tóstal.
With Joe Rua Seoighe in the seas tosaigh (bow) were Máirtín Pheit Ó Maolchiaráin (seas láir- middle) and his brother Micheal Pheit Ó Maolchiaráin (seas deireadh-stern), representing Rosmuc/Carna.
With Micheal Ó Cualáin in the seas tosaigh (bow) were Christopher Day, originally from Inisbofin (seas láir-middle), and Shane Pháid Mac Donnacha (seas deireadh-stern) representing An Cheathrú Rua.
“Watching both men read the dips and rise of the waves to catch the right rising wave to edge out ahead of one another was a masterpiece and true testament in their combined years of experience in the sport and in the sea,” Thornton writes.
“Two other teams made the same final, a team representing InisOírr (Seán and Tomás Sharry, Máirtín Seoighe) and a team representing Clare/Galway (Máirtín Éinniú, Micheal Sullivan and Eoin Honan),” she says.
The races were closely refereed by Connemara native, Mike Curran, his rib skippered by Collette Furey of Galway Hooker Sailing Club, while race commentary was provided by Eoin Ó Loideáin of An Cheathrú Rua.
Close racing in currachs at the revived An Tóstal Currach Racing Festival in Salthill Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Rowing into Ladies Beach, the winning An Cheathrú team “saluted and acknowledged the cheering crowd and supporters in the old honourable traditional way of raising their three oars aloft in unison,” Thornton writes.
It was a “fitting, emotional salute, and gesture to close out Tóstal na Gaillimhe of 2023 until next year”.
The awards ceremony took place at the newly restored Blackrock Cottage restaurant with the Mayor of Galway, Clodagh Higgins, presenting medals and trophies to the junior boys’ winners, senior women’s and mixed doubles and the senior men’s winners and runners-up.
Support with prize money and t-shirts was provided by Salthill Village business group, Anthony O’Reilly provided competitors with packed lunches, and sound was provided by Sean O’Toole.
