Galway Hooker Boats 16x12 inches - Oil on Block Canvas - Donna McGee Art

Galway Hookers at Roundstone

Galway Hookers and Currachs in Roundstone, Co. Galway – Yay!

Clifden

Having spent a fabulous week in Co. Mayo, I headed on up to Clifden in Galway ( the capital of Connemara!)

Aw! the west coast of Ireland, such raw beauty – I feel so happy and energised every time I head for the west and the Wild Atlantic Way.

 

  • You can drive the scenic route around the Sky Loop Road which offers spectacular views of the coastline (unfortunately, this time round, the mist came down like a thick blanket ghosting over the landscape and denied me that beauty I’d witnessed just weeks before).
  • This is  where John Alcock and Arthur Brown landed following their historic cross-Atlantic flight back in 1919.

Roundstone

And so, naturally, I felt the lure of a quick trip to Roundstone – just down the road, so to speak! (about 20 Klms)

I would have the joy of visiting along the way:

  Dogs Bay

Gurteen

Manin Bay

Delightful unspoilt beaches of golden sand!

And then, finally, I reach Roundstone.

Roundstone is a charming little harbour village.  I see signs along the way announcing the  regatta    from Saturday 21st – Sunday 22nd July – Yay!

This festival is over 200 years old.

I have always, always, wanted to see a regatta with those beautiful red sails of the Galway Hookers up close.

The Galway hooker is a traditional fishing boat used in Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland.  The hooker was developed for the strong seas that exist along the coast.  It is identified by its sharp, clean entry, bluff bow, marked tumblehome and raked transom. Wikipedia

I just couldn’t believe my luck to happen upon such a wondrous event!

I have painted the Hookers so many times.   My children  had attended Irish college in the Gaeltacht areas (Irish tradition), they too  sent me photos, knowing  my love of the boats and that my paint brushes would always be at the ready.

 

Galway Hooker Boats 16x12 inches - Oil on Block Canvas - Donna McGee Art
Galway Hooker Boats 16×12 inches – Oil on Block Canvas  – Available

 

Galway Hookers 2 Oil on canvas 14x10"
Galway Hookers 2 Oil on canvas 14×10″ – Sold
Galway Hookers 4 Oil on canvas 14x10"
Galway Hookers 3 Oil on canvas 14×10″ Sold

 

The Currachs also featured in this regatta.

A currach (Irish: curach, Irish pronunciation: [ˈkʊɾˠax]) is a type of Irish boat with a wooden frame.  They are smaller rowing boats and do not need to be anchored.  They have a peculiar shape with a deep hull.

Let the Regatta begin:

I found me a “little spot” where I could watch the whole event with a full view of the bay.

I was the child in the candy shop.

Perched on a grassy bank and  nibbling some snacks, I noticed through the corner of my eye, a little four legged creature passing by.  It began with R and ended in T).    Normally, I would get over-excited by such events,  I might even scream.  But this time, I picked myself up and headed for a large rock where I could see all around me and my little four legged creature went off about his business – perfect!

The day went on and more and more people assembled with cameras and binoculars.  There was  great excitement and delight.  We could just about hear the muffled announcements over the loudspeakers coming from the harbour.

The currachs took off in races one after the other around the buoys.  The Hookers cruised around in the background and then it was their turn to sail.  I watched them dissapear off into the horizon!

Conclusion

So …………… all I want to do now, is to get painting.  I want to remember this day through paint and try to recreate and capture that magic.

Lots of boats coming up so watch this space!

Oh what a day – I loved it!

<3 <3 <3

 

Keep Me Posted
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Sign up now to discover my latest art creation or news about an upcoming event. I might even delight you with some inspiring or fun musings.
We respect your privacy! We will not share your information with any third-party organizations and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Leave a Comment