Mayo man in Kilkenny helps built Achill currach for charities

A Mayo man living in Co Kilkenny brought some west of Ireland culture to the banks of the Nore by building a traditional Achill curragh in aid of two charities.

Proud Achill man Pat Sweeney alone with Pat Comerford from Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny and other friends formed the charity Pulling Together to Save Lives and built a traditional Achill curragh in aid of Teac Tom Mental Health Services helping to prevent suicide and Achill RNLI saving lives at sea.

Teac Tom provide mental health services in Laois and surrounding areas, while Achill RNLI ensure safety off the shores of the west coast of Mayo.

Neither of the two Pats or their friends had ever built a currach before but nine months ago they decided to build one based on the design of an Achill currach.

It was difficult to find plans to build a currach as generally the craft is handed down from father to son so the two men went to Achill to study and measure a currach and set to work. What is unique about the midlands Currach is that it is built with nine or ten kinds of timber but a traditional Achill currach is made of yew wood while the midlands currach is mostly made of oak, teak, Irish walnut amongst others.

Over the last couple of months the men have been busy putting the currach together and it will be soon ready to launch and put into the water. The seats of the boat are carved with the names of the builders in Irish by Aaron Purser, Burren Woodcraft, Co Carlow with an extra seat planned for ‘Cairde’ friends.

The public launch of the Currach will be held in The CastleArms Hotel, Durrow, Co Laois on June 7 at 8pm with an opportunity for the public to have a look at this unique piece of carpentry and workmanship and meet the lads for a chat.

The plan is then to take to the water. First with a row in the River Barrow from July 5 to 7 and then the currach will head west and see how it survives the waters of the Atlantic around Achill Island on July 19.

A big group from Kilkenny and Laois plan to travel to Achill to take the currach on the water and they also look to attend the Inishturk Regatta.

The currach supports three rowers but with the aim to raise funds for charity, people are invited to take turns to row with them to raise some funds for these essential services.

More information is available on their Facebook page ‘Pulling Together To Save Lives’ and donations can be made on www.idonate.ie.