Galway Hookermen (and women) at work

Kieran Oliver is a mainstay getting this effort going to restore the Galway Hookers. He seems to be able to make sure people are here to work on them. But Coli Hernan and his son Eydne are the driving technical forces behind the restorations.

Volunteers hand sanding the mast of an historic Galway Hooker being restored in Galway.

“This isn’t something you can learn say in a classroom,” Eydne tells me. “I started when I was about eight, and I learned it all form my father, who learned it from his father. “

Like everyone else in the warehouse, he is a volunteer. He teaches woodworking during the week and volunteers here on the weekends. It’s his hobby, so he says. I think it’s more of a dedicated love of the boats. He made the mast for it!

The Hooker they are refurbishing is 136 years old. It was built by Ross Ford’s great great grandfather.Ford tracked it down and it took a year of bargaining to buy it and bring it here where the army of volunteers is treating it like a long lost family member.

Ross Ford working on restoring a Galway Hooker his great-great-grandfather built 136 years ago.

“These volunteers come from all walks of life, all kids of jobs, many never have been around boats at all until this started. But we are like one big family, “Oliver says.

This boat will be launched in Oranmore, where it was originally built by Ross Ford’s Great great grandfather

in just a few weeks. And everyone is invited to attend. By the way you are also invited to take part int he Galway Hooker Boat Project. Just contact Kieran Oliver at https://www.facebook.com/pg/GalwayBayBoatTours/posts/?ref=page_internal