Impressive currach turns heads on the Foyle

People all along the River Foyle were treated to a special sight at the weekend when an old-style Irish currach rowed into town.

The impressive Mamach Mór ('Big Momma') stopped off at Culmore Point on Saturday evening before making its way into the heart of the city on Sunday, delighting spectators as it made its way up the quay before docking at Prehen.

Derry was the final destination of a seven-day, 150km journey that started at Lough Neagh for the eye-catching rowboat, a replica of the historic curracha that originated in the West coast of Ireland and that were used for fishing and transport from the islands to the mainland.

It is the brainchild of the Lagan Currachs, a community group of boating enthusiasts who secured heritage funds in 2016 that enabled them to build the 33ft vessel.

Skipper Tim Bloomer told the Derry News: “Like most good ideas, the idea for the currach has its beginnings in the pub! We row on the Lagan regularly, but now and again we escape and go on an adventure.

“This time we started at Gawley's Gate down at the bottom of Lough Neagh, into the lower Bann at Toome, along to the North Atlantic at Coleraine and then finally into Derry.

“On the final night of our journey we stayed at the community hub in Culmore, and I have to say the people there gave us a really warm welcome; they put on food for us and were very enthusiastic. There's no dock, as such, at Culmore, so the guys from the yacht club came out and brought all the crew and equipment to shore and then we were able to tie up at a mooring point.

“The next day, we rowed into Derry City and ended up in Prehen, where we were once again given a warm welcome by the members of the Foyle Paddlers club. It has been a great experience.”

WARM WELCOME: The Lagan Currachs with members of the Culmore Community hub.

And Tim added that the group has firm plans to make it back to the city in the not too distant future.

“Our hope is to one day circumnavigate the whole of Ireland, so we would definitely be looking to come back here and do the Donegal coast as well.

“Derry has such a rich maritime history and the people here have a real appreciation of that; it really is a great place to be.”