A 137 year-old Galway Hooker boat, originally built in 1882, is this week set to re-launch as Galway Bay’s dedicated training vessel after a five-month restoration.

The Lovely Anne, an eight metre-long traditional Gleoiteog boat, was brought back to Galway last year having spent the previous 46 years in Killybegs, Co. Donegal, owned by fisherman Jim Parkinson.

The restoration was part of a community training project carried out by Galway Hooker 2020 and Bádóirí an Cladaig and has been a resounding success, according to those involved.

“We’ve had 80 volunteers from 10 nationalities working on this boat, and some of them had no experience at all with boats or restoration before,” said Ciaran Oliver from Galway Bay Boat Tours. “The launch on Friday is as much for each of them as it is for us.”

Beyond the impressive €10,000 restoration, the boat has a fascinating family story. Built by Patrick Brannelly, it was part of Galway’s hooker fleet in the early 1900s before being passed through families for decades.

The effort to bring her home to Galway by Ross Forde, Brannelly’s great-great-grandson, saw great support.

“To be honest, I hadn’t much interest in boats for a long time. I never even knew that I was related to Patrick Brannelly until one of my aunts told me,” Ross admits.

“I had done one of the first boat courses on offer in GTI and she told me that my great-great grandfather was famous for building some Galway Hookers. My mother then got by great-grandmother’s birth certificate and sure enough, his name was on it as her father.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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