Publication

‘That’s the boat that reared us’. Maritime culture, place and the role of the ‘Galway hooker’ in southwest Conamara

Ó Sabhain, Pádraig
; 
McGrath, Brian
Thumbnail Image
Files
Thumbnail Image
Boatthatrearedus_OSabhainMcGrath.pdf
Adobe PDF, 5.75 MB
Repository DOI
Publication Date
2020-08-24
Keywords
Traditional wooden sailboats, Galway hooker, place, belonging, family histories, community culture, south west Conamara
Type
Article
Downloads
Show all metadata
Citation
Ó Sabhain, Pádraig, & McGrath, Brian. (2020). ‘That’s the boat that reared us’. Maritime culture, place and the role of the ‘Galway hooker’ in southwest Conamara. Folk Life, 58(2), 77-96. doi:10.1080/04308778.2020.1804161
Abstract
The West of Ireland 'Galway hooker' holds iconic status in the region's maritime heritage and identity. In this paper we explore its significance from the perspective ofbadoiri(boatmen or hooker sailors) andsaortha baid(boat wrights) in southwest Conamara, whose lives and family histories revolve around this traditional wooden sailing craft. Selections from thirty-three interviews reveal emotions and meaningful experiences resonating through family biographies: stories of sacrifice, loss, obligation, love, reverence and excitement. We also trace how the hooker characterizes a tangible culture, animating a distinct local, embodied knowledge and sense of place. No longer premised upon economic livelihood, but primarily practiced as a leisure and heritage activity, the hooker and its material culture confer an ontologically sensed continuity of connection to place and culture over time. Here we provide insights to the centrality of the hooker for coastal communities and its sedimented, intergenerational emotional and cultural connections.
Funder
Publisher
Routledge
Publisher DOI
10.1080/04308778.2020.1804161
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland
cbn
Collections
School of Political Science & Sociology (Scholarly Articles)