Photo Liam Burke/Press 22
Andrew Carey
SALMON red, navy grey and built to harness the power of three strong oarsmen on the mighty river Shannon, the gandelow boats of Limerick’s Ilen school took centre stage last Friday night as they powered through the water with a vista of city lights illuminating their way.
At the tail end of a dropping tide, three knots of water still flowed down the Shannon as the gandelows made their way from St Michael’s Boat Club upriver under Sarsfield and Thomond Bridges as history and heritage played a central role in Limerick’s Culture Night.
23-foot in length, the flat bottomed hand crafted boats are traditional to the upper reaches of the Shannon Estuary and allows fishermen deal with the challenges of its wide tidal range.
The gandelow has been in use by fishing communities since at least the 17th century, mostly for catching salmon and cutting reeds but is now experiencing a revival for rowing races on the waters of the Mid West and further afield .
Most fishing families had at least one member who had the skill set to be a boat-builder. Templates and plans were jealously guarded and so few records remain. What is known is that they were made with great care and could last up to twenty years if maintained well.
The construction techniques were simple and effective, the tools were minimal and a great deal of ‘eye’ was used to fair the lines. Parts were shaped to fit the minor variations caused by the quality of wood available and whether the builder used moulds, frames or templates.
As part of the Ilen school boat building project, four gandelows were built in the last three years. Their building requires the kind of long, clean planks that were available in Limerick’s timber port, which may be a reason why gandelow building became popular in the city.
Adare/Rathkeale councillor, Emmett O’Brien who was one of the oarsmen on Friday night said “it was great to part of a crew from Askeaton and experience the power, strength and beauty of the River Shannon over the Curragower to Thomond Bridge and King Johns Castle.
“The Ilen School is a wonderful facility that has saved the tradition of boat building in Limerick City without any acknowledgment or support from the State. I look forward to seeing the marque sailing boat, the Ilen itself, which is currently being restored in Baltimore and Roxboro, being back on the Shannon estuary in 2016.
“The Council and Bord Failte need to promote the river as a tourist destination for rowing, pleasure crafts, eco-tourism and adventure tourism” he added.
