WETTING THE SHAMROCK
- During a course organised by The West Cork Leader Co-op in 1994, participants
were asked to try to focus on ideas that would improve interest in the area. One
of the participants was Terry Tuit, a local fisherman who observed that there seemed
to be no physical evidence of the maritime history of West Cork. This seemed strange
because fishing was and still is such a large part of the local economy. Galway had
its hookers which were of tremendous interest. Where were the historic boats of West
Cork?
He
applied to West Cork Leader for a grant to conduct a study of the historic boats
of the area and see if it would be feasible to restore or even rebuild one or more
of them. He believed that the first one would spark local and competitive interest
and that before too long, a revival of the design might take place, more boats would
be built, races would be run and the design might become as famous to West Cork as
the hooker is to Galway thus creating additional work for the local boatbuilders.
There was a hope that the boat could be incorporated in the sail-training programme
at Schull Community College. It would be wonderful if the students were given a chance
to learn to sail on an authentic replica of the type of boat on which their grandfathers
or even their great grandfathers sailed, around the turn of the century. Better again
if the boat could be operated during the summer months and at weekends by these same
students once qualified, offering sailing trips to visitors on this authentic replica,
thus increasing tourist interest in the area. 
West Cork Leader felt the concept had some merit
and duly approved the request. Contact was made with local museums, historians and
former boat owners. The National Maritime Museum in Dun Laoghaire, The Ulster Folk
Museum, Coiste an Asgard, Tyrrell's of Wicklow and more. The project met with enthusiasm
everywhere, but very little information was available. Nonetheless, results of the
study showed that there were indeed locally designed sailing vessels but that almost
all of them had gone to a salty grave or rotted beyond recognition. Almost but not
all.
Plans in those days were practically non-existent. Boats were built to a rule of
thumb so that in fact, there were only two ways to duplicate the old designs. Either
to have one built by one of the original builders, or take shapes and measurements
from an existing hull if one could be found that was not too far sagged or rotted.
Jimmy O'Reilly Snr. the Schull Harbourmaster, was the most helpful and recounted
stories of the old boats and where they had gone and where existing hulls might still
be found. A hulk in Sneem, Co Kerry and another in Schull Co. Cork. An intact hull
in Monkstown and another on Cape Clear and yet another report of a restoration project
in Glensk, Co. Galway, right in the centre of Hooker territory. The Shamrock, a hull
that had been beached some 20 years or more but was still intact enough to take measurements
and hull shapings. A boat with the reputation of being the fastest of the local boats,
the one that came first in every regatta.
There were stories of the owner, Mick the Shamrock,
as told by a relative who was taken on as her mechanic when a Kelvin 15 hp petrol
paraffin engine was added in the 1930's. How Mick for one memorable regatta had borrowed
an extra mains'l and run goose winged before the wind, so that with every wave she
crested, she'd leap almost a boat's length clear of her nearest rival. Stories too
from Mick's daughters of the very early days of trawling and the huge fish that were
caught because the local waters had never before been trawled.
This was the boat with the biggest acclaim and was surely the one most worthy of
restoration or duplication. As part of the feasibility study, it was of course necessary
to obtain estimates (at least two) from boatbuilders. Of those who came to price
the job, Liam Hegarty's estimate for building the replica of the Shamrock, was almost
25% less than his nearest competitor and his interest was deep rooted and genuine.
A natural historian, Liam was at that time working on a classic vessel designed in1947
which was not of local interest. He admitted that, had he known of the whereabouts
of the old hulks, he would have built a replica the previous winter for the sheer
love of his trade and the beauty of their design, in the hope that he would later
find a suitable buyer.Liam was concerned that the Shamrock's hulk might spread and
lose its geometry. He wanted to take measurements and shape profiles so that the
design at least, would be preserved for all time. Permission to do so was readily
obtained from Mick's daughters who were delighted to hear that their father might
be remembered in this way. The biggest problem (surprise, surprise) was how to finance
the actual construction of this ambitious project. West Cork Leader had intimated
that subject to certain criteria, they would be willing to provide up to 50% of the
necessary funds, but where to obtain the other 50%. Vince Ahern, principal of Schull
Community College, was enthusiastic but had no funds available. He offered to approach
Bobby Buckley of the Cork Vocational Education Committee, but was informed that no
funds were available from that source either.Since the original vessel was The Shamrock,
and the replica to be named the Shamrock 11, it was considered that the boat might
make an excellent company image for Shamrock Foods if they would help to finance
it. They turned it down. Erin Foods for a new fresh clean image? Not interested.
Ford Motor Company with their major interest in sailing and as sponsors of Ford's
Cork Week? Sorry, thanks but no thanks. Murphy's Brewery and their friendly rival?
Same story. Even veteran film producer David Puttnam, who has a holiday home in the
area, was approached by letter with an idea that if he or his company Enigma Productions,
helped to finance the boat, it could be used in any historic films that might later
be shot in the area. No reply was ever forthcoming. West Cork Bottling's Jerry Donovan
was the most sympathetic supporter of the project. Born and reared in Schull, with
an inborn affinity for the sea and most things nautical, Jerry could readily appreciate
the value of this boat to the school and the community at large. However, while he
offered the most encouragement, he was unable to offer financial help. Dialogue continued
between Liam Hegarty and the project's researcher and time passed through the seasons
back to winter again with no new financial developments.
Shipyards
tend to be busier in the summer months but work was beginning to get
scarce so Liam decided that although financing was still a problem, he
would go ahead and build her anyway and she would be bound to generate
her own interest and so Shamrock 11 began to take shape. Nigel Towse, a
Sherkin Island resident had approached Liam because he wanted to build
some kind of a boat, a punt or any boat at all. Liam suggested that he
build a sister ship to the Shamrock 11. Working alongside Liam on the
first replica and subsequently laying down the second keel in Liam's
yard, Nigel had no previous boatbuilding experience but under Liam's
expert guidance, Nigel learned fast and replica number two, An
Rún (pronounced "an roon") is now berthed in Sherkin Island.
Since her maiden voyage to the Glandore Classic Boats sail past in
August 1996, Shamrock 11, has been quietly making her presence known by
appearing unannounced at various West Cork regattas. Yachting buffs
would question the local terminology. Strictly speaking, a yawl,
recognised by her rig, is a two masted sailing vessel, with the
aftermast back of the sternpost and shorter than the foremast. A West
Cork Yawl actually carries the rig of a gaff tops'l cutter.Meanwhile,
Shamrock 11 is now owned by Ivan Wolffe of Monkstown, but this is soon
to change. Ivan has decided it's time to move on and has agreed
to relinquish/sell the Shamrock back to her native shores of the South
West of West Cork. (More on this at the foot of the page) An Rún
is still resident between Sherkin and Schull, the third replica,
Macalla, owned by Brian Conway is based in Baltimore and the fourth,
Nellie B is based in Sligo, but none so far are destined for the Schull
Community College Sailing School. 
The
original boat on Cape Clear was the St Patrick, owned by Mac O'Donoghue a man who
had begun fishing in her with his father in 1939. Mac replanked her in 1960 but the
timbers were not well seasoned and she needs to be replanked again and some frames
replaced. It was Mac's dream that she be brought back to her former glory and
sailed again and raced against the replicas.
On Saturday August 12th 2000 for the first time in over 50 years, two West Cork Yawls
raced against each other. The race took place at the Crookhaven Regatta. The cup,
a replica of the Derry na Flan Chalice, beautifully crafted by Mullingar Pewter, was sponsored by them and West
Cork Web Ltd.
as a perpetual trophy and a pewter tankard with a shamrock motif as the
winners prize. The race was won by Nigel Towse in An Rún.The cup
was presented to Nigel by Mac O'Donoghue, the last surviving owner and
sailor of one of the original vessels. It was decided that the race
should be a special close of season event at Crookhaven to be run on
the last Saturday in August, weather permitting. The race is open to
all traditional working sailing boats from anywhere in Ireland so watch
for local announcements around that time!
The Asgard 2 sail training vessel (now gone to a watery grave) was in Crookhaven as the committee boat for the
2002 event in which two replicas of the historic Hare Island Lobster Boat also competed.
This too was an historic occasion since this was also the first time in over 50 years
that this design had competed. An excellent and very readable book on these boats
entitled Towel Sail Yawls, written by Cormac Levis, is well worth the purchase price.
In 2001 and also in 2002, the race was won by Brian Ormond in Macalla. The cup was
presented to Brian on both occasions by Billy O'Sullivan, nephew of Mick O'Sullivan,
the owner of the original 'Shamrock'. The cup is on permanent display at O'Sullivan's
Bar Crookhaven.
- If you would like to sail in one of these vessels, click here
-