A NEAR-century-old gleoiteog is due to make a small piece of history in the Middle East today, when it becomes the first rigged Galway hooker to ply the Arabian Gulf.
The Nora Bheag, owned by Cóilín Hernon, has been shipped to Abu Dhabi as part of a Volvo Ocean Race cultural exchange, which could also see six Arab dhows racing against six hookers in Galway Bay later this summer.
The gleoiteog, whose “Little Nora” name in English is said to mean “Little Light” in Arabic, will participate in an Irish Day of festivities today as part of the Volvo race Abu Dhabi stopover programme in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The vessel was shipped out eight weeks ago. Mr Hernon and family, including Cóilín jnr, Mary and Einde, along with crew Mike and Sue Fahy and Galway Hooker Association founder Pádraic de Bhaldraithe participated in the unloading.
The Nora Bheag has been given a berth along with the Volvo Ocean race fleet in Abu Dhabi, occupying the pontoon that would have been used by the Team Sanya entry in the 39,000 nautical-mile race.
Team Sanya, the Chinese entry with a Discover Ireland logo, was forced to retire last month due to gear failure for the second time. It is expected to rejoin the contest for the next leg to its namesake port, Sanya in China. There is no Irish entry in the 2011-2012 Volvo race, which finishes in Galway in July, but the Nora Bheagis proving the next best thing in terms of the goodwill it has already generated during its star turn in the UAE.
The idea out of a conversation between Galway sailor John Coyle and Dr Peter Vine, who runs a media company in the UAE. Dr Vine then contacted Mr de Bhaldraithe, who also shipped out a currach for the event.
The concept was embraced by Enda O’Coineen of Let’s Do It Global, the organisation responsible for bringing the Volvo Ocean Race back to Galway this year, along with the Volvo race organisation.
Discover Ireland paid for the shipping, while the Emirates Heritage Club chaired by Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is hosting the crews. Irish Ambassador to the UAE Ciarán Madden, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Tourism Ireland have also supported the plan.
Dr Vine said the next part would involve shipping six Emirati racing dhows to Ireland to race against Galway hookers in the bay during the Volvo finish. The racing dhows use traditional rigging, but the hulls are designed for speed and have no keel – relying on balance to keep them upright.