Boat Name
Boat Use
Boat Type
Build Date
Country of Origin
Area of Origin
Boat Dimensions
Length
8 ft 4 in
Description
This is a 'paddle & oar' curragh, or in other words, part coracle, part curragh.
Like coracles, these boats used to be made of withies (but doubled) and were covered with an ox hide, but today they are made of lathes (usually pine) and are covered with two layers of calico.
They can either be paddled by one man kneeling in the bows, or rowed in the British tradition with the rower sitting and facing aft.
These boats were used both for fishing and transport, even sometimes for carrying a cow (on its back with its hooves tied). They are surprisingly seaworthy, but have little built in buoyancy, so their use is limited very much by the weather.
The 'handles' are for supporting the boat when upended, rather than for carrying, which is best done with the boat upsidedown and on the carrier's head, unless the wind is against you.
History
It is thought that the Curraghs of Ireland evolved from round or nearly round skin-covered boats - coracles. The paddling curraghs of Donegal are transitional stage towards the longer and larger rowing curraghs. They have an enormous carrying capacity often disposing of the thwart to make more room. They were then paddled by a man kneeling in the bows using a single-bladed paddle.
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