Roundstone regatta
About the Regatta
Each July the quiet Connemara village of Roundstone erupts in spectacular celebration of a maritime festival that dates back to the 1890s. Sail and oar propel traditional boats in two days of racing that showcase athletic skill as well as keeping alive the important role these craft have played in the islands and coastal communities over the centuries.
Sailing
The distinctive profile and sail colour of Galway Hookers racing across Roundstone Bay recreates a sight not so different from how it might have appeared (apart from the clothes of those sailing) a century or two ago.
With its shallow draught, the boat is well-suited to the waters of Galway and South Connemara, and has been used for hundreds of years primarily for fishing and transporting cargo.
Rowing
Men and women, as well as boys and girls, take their turn at the oars of a timber or canvas currach or naomhoga, racing in a variety of categories. Competitors come from across Ireland, from across the Atlantic, and occasionaly from the crowds of onlookers, intending only to watch, but suddenly caught up in the regatta’s spirit.
The flat-bottom currach, well-suited to the sea and rivers of West Ireland, first appeared in written history around the time of Julius Caesar. They have been used for transporting fish, fishermen, sheep, cattle, and allegedly even a boatload of monks under Saint Brendan to America in the 6th century.
As well as excitement on the water, the Roundstone Regatta offers traditional music and dancing ashore, and includes a noontime mass on the pier with the customary blessing of the boats.
Roundstone Regatta is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, traditional sea festivals in the West of Ireland, dating back to the 1890s. It incorporates both traditional sailing vessels of the West Coast (Galway hookers, leath bháid and gleoiteógs), and currach racing (rowing) from the traditional timber Currachs to the canvas racing Currachs and Naomhoga. The Regatta caters for all ages and classes of boys and girls in the rowing classes, as well as men and women. The Roundstone Regatta always takes place during the month of July; it attracts competitors from Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Kerry and Connemara, and any visiting onlooker who wishes to participate. Along with all the sea-based competitions, there is plenty of action on land to also keep people entertained - traditional music and dancing attract a big audience over the course of the two-day festival. The success and continuation of the Regatta is largely due to the support of local people and businesses, along with our well-respected yearly visitors, to whom we owe our deepest gratitude. We would like to take this opportunity to extend a hearty welcome to all visitors, and encourage you to embrace this chance to take part in a century's-old tradition amongst the people of Connemara.
Galway Hooker
A traditional sailing vessel of Galway Bay, the hooker (húicéir in Irish) has a single mast with a mainsail and two foresails. It is customarily an all black vessel (from its covering of pitch) with distinctive rust-red sails.
This sturdy work boat was developed to survive the often rough Atlantic seas and to ply the shallow bays of South Connemara. The hookers would haul turf fuel across Galway Bay to the Aran Islands or Kivarra in Co. Clare, and return with limestone to counter the acidic soil of Connemara and Mayo.
The hooker’s origins are unclear, but at least pre-date the1800s. It has inspired the design of the American boat known as the Boston Hooker, Irish Cutter, or Paddy Boat.
Galway Hookers fall into 4 classes:
• Bád Mór (Big Boat) – Length: 10.5-13.5m (35-44ft). Decked forward of mast.
• Leath Bhád (Half Boat) – Length: 10m (28ft). Decked forward of mast.
• Gleoiteog – Length: 7-9m (24-28ft). No Decking. Same sails as larger boats.
• Púcán – Length: 7-9m (24 to 28ft). No decking. Lug mainsail and foresail.
Currach
The currach (also curach or curragh) is a flat-bottomed, keel-less Irish boat used mainly for fishing and transporting livestock in the West of Ireland and Scotland. The shallow-draught boat is traditionally constructed of a covered wooden frame; the covering was once made from animal hides, but is now mostly made from canvas treated with tar and grease. The Currach Adhmaid (or wooden currach) of West Connaught bears a similar shape, but with frame and covering made entirely from timber.
The highly manoeuvrable currach is usually rowed with bladeless oars held in place by wooden tholepins, but some can be fitted with a mast and small lug sail.
Currachs have been noted in the North Atlantic as early as the 1st century B.C. In 1976 Tim Severin sailed a leather currach from Dingle to Newfoundland to demonstrate that the legendary 6th century voyage of St Brendan the Navigator was technically possible.
Currachs range in size from the tiny 6ft-long Boyne River Currach, once used for salmon fishing on the Boyne and Bann rivers, to the 27ft-long Naomhóg of Cos. Kerry and Cork.
Achill Island Currach (Co. Mayo)
Aran & Galway Currach (Co. Galway)
Inishturk Currach
Belderrig Currach (Co. Mayo)
Dunfanaghy & Sheephaven Currach Length: 16ft, beam: 4ft.
Innishkea Currach
Clare Canoe
Kerry & Cork Naomhóg Length:16-27ft, beam: 52in.
The Rosses, Owey & Bunbeg Currach (Co. Donegal) Length: 8-11ft.
Tory Island & Magheraroarty Currach (Co. Donegal) Length: 12ft.
Boyne & Bann River Currach (Co. Meath) Length: 6ft, beam: 4ft beam, depth: 20-22in.
