Inis Oírr has seen the building of many canvas currachs in its time, but the first sailing craft was launched from the island just over a week ago. The 24-foot clinker-built yawl slid off a tractor and trailer into the sea on Féile Naomh Caomhán, the festival of its patron saint.
The yawl was built by seven men throughout last winter, working together two nights every week and at weekends. The master of the project was Mr Jim Horgan, a well-known musician and boat builder from Furbo, Co Galway, who travelled to the island regularly to supervise the work.
Inis Oirr's arts and crafts centre, Áras Eanna, initiated the venture as an adult education course under Galway Vocational Education Committee. Cumas Teo, Roinn na Gaeltachta, Coillte and Údarás na Gaeltachta also assisted.
The yawl is based on a design used for centuries along the Norwegian, Scottish and north-west Irish seaboards. It is double-ended for launching sternwards into the surf, and is constructed of larch and oak. Bádóirí Inis Oirr, as the builders call themselves, intend to learn how to sail and have plans to use the vessel for sailing instruction, angling, dolphin-watching, pleasure cruising - and for racing, when a twin is built.
To mark the occasion, Áras Eanna's director, Mr Val Ballance, organised a day of events, starting with Mass to mark the patron saint's day with music composed by Charlie Lennon. There was a reception, refreshments, the launch in bright sunshine, and that night Charlie Lennon took out his fiddle again and performed with his daughter Éilis and singer Mairéad ní Fhlaithearta to a packed house in the arts centre.
It was preceded by the screening of a documentary made about Inis Oirr in 1977 by Neville Presho, entitled Obair an Lae - an enchanting view of a time only 25 years ago when the skills of thatching, basket-making, fishing and farming were full-time occupations among a small community living in a harsh, exposed environment.
The Duke of Kent undertook a two-day inspection tour of Royal National Lifeboat Institution stations on the west coast last week, starting in Galway and ending in Sligo. The Duke, who is cousin to Queen Elizabeth of England and the Duke of Edinburgh, is president of the RNLI.
The RNLI relies on volunteers at over 225 lifeboat stations, but has decided to employ coxswains on a full-time basis in more remote areas.
Bookings open today for the 25th Galway Arts Festival, taking place from July 15th-28th at Victoria Place, Galway, telephone 091-566577. The fortnight-long party will be preceded by the annual Galway Film Fleadh which promises a "feast of cinema" from July 9th to 14th. Special guest this year is Aidan Quinn, while highlights will include a retrospective of the films of renowned Indian director Mira Nair, including one of her best-known works, Salaam Bombay.
Cinema from Poland, Canada, North America, Kurdistan, Iran, Bosnia and Finland has been booked, while the event will also showcase new Irish talent. This will include screenings of Paul Greengrass's controversial Bloody Sunday and Justin McCarthy's new documentary on Sinn Féin MP and leader, Mr Gerry Adams.
Six students from the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology are exhibiting their work for the next fortnight in the Galway Arts Centre. Also in Galway, Amnesty International's Irish section and the Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture mark the UN international day in support of victims of torture this week with a one-day arts event in the Art Gallery, NUI Galway, at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Ballinasloe Community Arts Group is hosting a festival around the River Suck next month from July 8th to 14th. "An t-Súcán Fiáin" will include a pageant, art exhibitions and poetry readings.