Tradition built of canvas and wood alive and thriving

TWO days of intense competition at the Dingle Regatta demonstrate that the skills in using this traditional craft are thriving.

Just a few decades ago many fishermen on the Dingle Peninsula were dependent on these fragile craft for their livelihood and transport. Fibreglass and steel have replaced wood and canvas but through the local regattas the skill of building and managing naomhógs is kept alive.

The races results show that Brandon have strong teams in the under 12 and under 14, the mens championship is held by the Maharees and the All-Ireland winning Dingle women’s team still have a strong hold on women’s rowing in Kerry.

Patrick Hussey from the Maharees who won the under-18 two-handed race, has held the title for four years in a row, the first time when he rowed as a 15-year-oldwith John Joe Hussey. For the past two years his winning partner at the oars has been Jamie Granville from Dingle.

Not alone is he winning in the underage races, but Patrick along with John Joe Hussey were half of the winning senior men’s crew. Maharees dominance in the men’s category was clearly evident with the first three crews past the finishing line coming from that bastion of rowing.

The four handed women’s championship of Kerry was a foregone conclusion with the reigning All–Ireland Dingle crew, with the addition of Séilí Ann Lynch, commanding the race from the start.

It is not all serious competition at the Dingle Regatta with a novice race and a special race for Dingle Distillery founding fathers providing a lot of laughs for spectators – and the crews – as they struggled to maintain control of their giddy boats.

At the prizegiving on Sunday evening Brendan Grace added some comic relief as he and Conor Haughey presented most of the prizes with Bridie Fitzgerald presenting the Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Cup to the winning men’s crew.

Eddie Hutch of the regatta committee said they were “pleased with the weekend and that there were good crowds and almost everybody brought home something”.

The next West Kerry regatta of the summer will be held in Ballydavid next Sunday afternoon. It is always a great occasion and one not to be missed.

Photos by Declan Malone The Dingle senior ladies crew of Maunza Heidtke, Séilí Ann Lynch, Elaine Waters and Gillian O’Brien hold off the challenge of the Maharees crew of Siobhán Goodwin, Breda Quirke, Ailish Deane and Eileen Quirke. The Dingle crew ultimately won the race....