Boat to hit the water by August

THE sailing boat being built in Querrin is destined for the waters by August of this year.

This was revealed by Seol Sionna, the West Clare group behind the project, at a traditional Blessing of the Keel ceremony in the workshop provided by local man, Ned Griffin. The 25ft wooden vessel evokes the small to medium-class Shannon hooker that once sailed the estuary.
A background to the tradition of blessing the keel was related by shipwright Steve Morris, who is directing the construction phase. It was a “nod to the man above,” he said because going to sea in small boats always meant taking on a risk.
He noted that local people no longer go to sea in small boats to trade. He said that fishing is a shadow of what it had been 100 years ago but they could look to boats like the one being built for education, developing the chronicling and respect for a great maritime history and tradition.
Work on the project has been going ahead steadily in a location overlooking the Shannon, where the promoters hope to see it set sail on its initial voyage in about seven months.
The traditional blessing was attended by Seol Sionna members, friends and their families.
Mr Morris and construction trainees work two days a week on the undertaking, which has been funded by Clare Local Development Company under a LEADER training initiative.
Saturdays are designated drop-in days for anyone wishing to see the work in progress, give advice, just observe or lend a hand.
The stage has been reached where the shape and form of the vessel is perceivable. Frames have been completed and the stem and stern post erected with the laying of the keel. Over the process, extensive boat-building, boat-handling skills and local knowledge inherent in Seol Sionna membership come into play.
A three-part blessing of the keel was performed by Fr Johnny Collins, a Columban priest based in Birmingham and brother of Seol Sionna’s Richard Collins. Fr Patrick Culligan, parish priest of Carrigaholt and Fr Michael Collins, who has just transferred from Kilrush to Maynooth, also participated in the ceremony.
The ceremony opened with Ned Griffin reading the gospel account of Jesus calming the storm and this was followed by six intercessory prayers, during which six lighted candles were placed on the keel.
Trea Heapes of Seol Sionna, Crístóir Mac Chárthaigh, archivist-collector at the UCD Delargy Centre for Irish Folklore and Linguistics; Stiopháin Mac an Mhisnigh (Courage), Bealaha, one of the trainee boat builders; Richard Collins and Kevin Heapes of Seol Sionna and Fr Culligan read the intercessions.
Ellen Byrne then sang the hymn Ag Críost an Síol, reputed to have been written and set to music in West Clare, to bring the formalities to a close.
The attendance included Mayor of Clare, Christy Curtin and representatives of the project’s patrons. There on behalf of Clare Vocational Education Committee was Anne Knox, co-ordinator of West Clare Learning Network, which has facilitated local history group studies and the making of a documentary and promotional video of the project. Vinnie Normoyle, a tutor with the committee’s Adult and Community Education Service and Sr Mary O’Connell, deputy principal of St Joseph’s Community College in Kilkee, also attended.
As part of the project, members have been taking to the shore using a traditional method of fishing for herring, which was a lifeline for the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. They have also been researching methods on how to smoke the fish and completed more than one successful trial so far.
“The Local History Group, who are taking a course under the County Vocational Education Committee in Kilrush, has gathered some really interesting information and we can share what we have found to date,” Ms Heapes said.
“One of the really important things that will come out of this project is an archive – written, visual and oral – that can be used for research for generations to come,” she added.
Seol Sionna is also making a documentary and promotional video of their work.