A historic race involving the rare Belderrig currach resulted in a victory for Mayo expatriates over the August bank holiday weekend.
Rowers with Mayo links from Currachaí na Sceirí, a club based in Skerries, north Dublin, secured first place in the hotly contested race against a crew from Belderrig.
As previously reported by Afloat, it was the first time since 1953 that a once-regular challenge had been held at the port of Belderrig on Mayo’s North Shore.
The victorious Belderrig Currach crew from Currachaí na Sceirí – Shane Holland Finbarr O Connor, Dermot Higgins, Anthony Moran pictured with Kevin O’Sullivan in the rear
Both crews rowed the Belderrig-design currach, a 24-foot five-handed salmon fishing boat that was once used along this stretch of coast.
The Currachaí na Sceirí winning team consisted of Shane Holland, Finbarr O. Connor, Dermot Higgins, Anthony Moran and Kevin O’Sullivan in the rear.
The Belderrig crew consisted of the Madden brothers Padraig, Paul and Darren, and Declan Caulfield and Oisín McConamhna in the rear.
The Belderrig crew of Madden brothers Padraig, Paul and Darren with Declan Caulfield and Oisín Mac Conamhna in the rear
In separate time trials, Mayo’s Dan and Alan Mc Hale won first place while Skerries crews finished second and third.
In 2002 the National Museum of Ireland commissioned expert boat builder Pádraig Ó Duinnín and a team from Meitheal Mara in Cork to build the Belderrig Currach on the site of the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park in Castlebar.
